Easy & Amazing Moist Cake Recipe Without Milk or Eggs

Table of Contents

It’s time to bake cake!! Today I’m going to show you how to make an easy cake recipe that will absolutely leave you saying Dang! That’s Delicious!! Today’s cake is closer to a sponge cake, but is still on the light and fluffy side like many of my other cake recipes I’ve shared. The texture of the crumb is not super delicate, there’s a little bite, but it’s still airy (even without egg whites).

This is a cake recipe without milk (cow’s milk), and I’ll also give you an option for making this without dairy free milk as well.

Watch the Episode

You can watch me make this moist cake recipe on Dang! That’s Delicious. Be sure to visit my Youtube channel for more episodes.

Tools to Make This Awesome Cake

Electric Mixer or Stand Mixer (technically you could use a large mixing bowl and whisk by hand, but something with power will be much easier)
Kitchen Scale (this is non-negotiable in free-from baking, as it allows me to give you precise numbers so you’ll have success at home)
Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
Cake Pans
Spatula
Parchment Paper + Scissors

If you don’t have some of these tools, you can view what I use in my Amazon Shop.

Simple Ingredients for Your Cake

I’ve broken the ingredients info helpful sections. Please heed my notes. Cooking is an art, baking is a science, and free-from baking is sometimes a mad science and absolutely requires a PhD. As a triple PhD holder in free-from baking, I’m giving you the best cheat sheet possible.

This is years of professional experience wrapped up in a cake recipe. So please, don’t do that thing that people do where they’re like, well, I swapped this, that, and the other thing and it didn’t turn out right. Follow the recipe, and enjoy free-from baking success.

Binding Agent

You’ll notice that this is an egg free recipe. We won’t need egg whites for lift or yolk for moistness. However, you will need this binding agent. It’s critical that you use the Gerbs brand of golden flax meal or you won’t have the right results. Also, flax meal is not the same thing as flax seeds.

3 TBSP Golden Flax Meal
6 TBSP Water (room temperature water is fine)

Dry Ingredients

225g Organic Maple Sugar
100g Cassava Flour
50g Organic Buckwheat Flour
60g Potato Starch
60g Tiger Nut Flour (tuber, not a tree nut)
30g Arrowroot
4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Wet Ingredients

Notice there are sections here. Be sure to read the directions for a better understanding.

112mL Organic Pulp Free Orange Juice (4 ounces)
112mL Milk of Choice (4 ounces)

112mL Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (4 ounces)
1 TBSP Organic Vanilla Extract
1.7mL Food Grade Organic Orange Oil 1.7mL (40 Drops)
2 – 3 teaspoons Organic Orange Zest

170mL Hot Water (6 ounces)

Whilst this recipe calls for 112mL/4 ounces of a milk of choice, you can use a total of 280mL/10 ounces of Hot Water if you don’t have any type of dairy free milk option.

Optional Glaze

50mL Organic Pulp Free Orange Juice
10mL Balsamic Glaze (this is not the same thing as balsamic vinegar)

Can You Swap the Gluten-Free Flour for All Purpose Flour

For this particular cake recipe, to achieve the depth of flavor I’m sharing, you shouldn’t swap the flour for an all-purpose flour. However, if you really must, use 250g of all purpose flour and 50g of buckwheat flour. Know that you will not have the same cake as me. At all. At allllllllllll. The flour blend I’m sharing today is a rather unique blend that will deliver an amazing flavor.

You should not use a self-rising flour for this recipe since it will add more rising agent, nor do I suggest cake flour. Stick with an all purpose flour if you absolutely must (but I really hope you don’t).

Sugar Options & Substitutions

Not everyone will have organic maple sugar in their pantry, so if you need to substitute for something else, I get it. Know that your overall taste and sweetness level of the cake will change if you make a swap. Since maple sugar is a granulated sweetener, you can swap for these other granulated sweeteners:

Light Brown Sugar
Dark Brown Sugar
Coconut Sugar
Date Sugar
White Sugar

Date sugar will create a very similar cake where taste is concerned. You cannot use liquid sweeteners in this cake recipe.

Non-Dairy Milk Options

When you’re choosing a dairy free milk for this cake, there are quite a few that would work well, and you can purchase them at just about any grocery store these days. My top picks would be:

Oat Milk
Almond Milk
Soy Milk
Rice Milk
Cashew Milk

All of these alternatives to dairy products are generally milder in taste. In terms of function, they’ll all function well when baked in this cake recipe.

Directions for This Cake Recipe Without Milk

Start by combining your flax and water together in a small bowl. Mix well, then set aside. Place a measuring cup on your kitchen scale and tare to zero. Add the dairy free milk and pulp free orange juice and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350f/175c, and we’ll work on the dry ingredients.

Place your mixing bowl on your kitchen scale and tare to zero. Add each of the dry ingredients one at a time, and tare to zero between them. You don’t need to tare when adding baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Use the wire attachment and turn your mixer on low speed to lightly combine the ingredients.

With your mixer still on low speed, pour in the milk/oj mix. Allow it to mix for 10 seconds, then turn the mixer off and give the reaction 1 minute to happen. This is a good time to turn on your kettle or boil your hot water.

Whilst you wait, place your (dirty) measuring cup on your kitchen scale and tare to zero. Add the olive oil, vanilla, and orange oil. Be sure to tare between ingredients. When your minute is up, turn your mixer on low speed, then pour in the oil/extract combo.

Increase the speed to medium and allow your batter to start to come together. Once it looks like all of the ingredients are well mixed, turn the mixer off. Add your flax binding agent, then turn the mixer back on medium speed. Mix until the flax is combined. Whilst it’s mixing, measure out your hot water (be sure to reuse that dirty measuring cup for less dishes).

Once the flax is well incorporated, add the hot water. Continue to mix on medium speed until all of the water is fully incorporated. Now, mix on high speed for 30 seconds, then turn your mixer off. That’s it! Your cake batter is just about ready to bake.

Line your baking pan(s) with parchment paper. I used 6″ rounds, and cut parchment paper down to size. Remove the bowl from the stand and use a heavy duty spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Give your cake batter one last little mix with your spatula to make sure there aren’t any clumps at the bottom of the bowl.

Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan(s) and pop your batter into your preheated oven. Your bake time is 23 – 25 minutes at 350f/175c.

When the baking time is up, it’s time for the toothpick test. Open the oven and insert a toothpick into the tallest part of your cake. It should come out pretty clean. A few dry cake crumbs are OK, but a wet goopy cake batter is not OK. If you have goop on your toothpick, your cake(s) need to bake longer.

More Amazing Cake Recipes

If you’re looking for fluffy cakes that are all milk free, look no further. In fact, each of these recipes is for a vegan cake that’s also gluten free and top 9 allergy free. Don’t let the free-from status fool you, these are award winning recipes and real crowd pleasers.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe from my Bakery
Dairy-Free Eggless Vanilla Cake Recipe (such a good recipe and family favorite)
Pineapple Cherry Upside Down Dairy-Free Cake
Lime Cake Recipe from the Bakery (such a delicious cake)
Vegan Vanilla Cake Recipe (birthday cake style)

Storing Your Baked Cake

You can store you cake in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for 4 months. If you won’t be eating the cake or sharing it with friends within 48 hours of baking, I suggest freezing it until you’re ready to use it.

I decorate cakes from frozen (this is the best way for free-from cakes). To thaw a frozen cake, leave it in your fridge overnight. An unfrosted cake can thaw on the countertop, but a frosted cake must thaw in the fridge to prevent cracking.

Ways to Enjoy Your Cake

There are many different ways to enjoy this mega delicious cake recipe. Here are just a few ideas:

Spread cream cheese frosting all over the top and add slices of fresh fruit.
Top with your favorite frosting or decorate your cake and make it look exquisite.
Create a marble cake! Do to this you’ll also need a vanilla cake batter or chocolate cake batter. You can swirl the batters together a bit in the pan to create a marbling effect.
Make an ice cream cake! These are so fun to eat, and a springform pan is the easiest way to make an ice cream cake. If you don’t have the time, you could always serve a slice with a side of ice cream.
If you’re using vanilla frosting, rosemary is a cool addition to your frosting to elevate the overall flavor profile.
Cinnamon and nutmeg are great additions to a vanilla frosting for this cake recipe, as they’ll pair well with the orange juice. If you opt for this, skip the optional glaze as the flavors will clash.
Top your tasty cake with a little frosting and sprinkles for a really fun dessert.

Free-From Prep Tips

If you’re like me and you make pretty much everything at hoe from scratch, you can make your own super convenient cake mix packages for future use. To do this, measure out the dry ingredients, give them a light mix, then transfer the cake mix to a freezer baggie. Next time you want to make this cake, you grab your cake mix from your pantry, and it’s as if you went shopping for traditional cake mix in a box.

I did this a lot when my kids were little with cake mix, pancake mix, and waffle mix (these homemade mixes became legit pantry staples). When I hit hard times because of everything going on in life, these mixes were a little way I was able to save myself some time. Honestly, on the really hard days, just having something like this prepped can make a world of difference.

The other big tip: if you love this cake recipe, bake extra cake and keep it frozen in your freezer. You’ll have dessert on tap whenever you need it. Yes, I also did this when my kids were little. We had a freezer full of cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, snack bars, graham crackers, muffins, and all the other baked goods & desserts my kids loved.

Answering Your Milk Free Cake Questions

Could I swap the orange juice for lemon juice and have a lemon cake instead?

No, you can’t substitute lemon juice for orange juice. At that amount, the lemon juice has the potential to ruin your cake. Over the years through experimenting I’ve worked out that the only thing that brings a good lemon flavor without ruining your cake is a combination of lemon zest and organic food grade lemon oil. Straight lemon juice in large amounts ruins the tender crumb of gluten free cakes, or at least the gluten free + egg free cakes I make with my ratios.

Would vegetable oil or canola oil work for this recipe?

In terms of function, both vegetable oil or canola oil should work. However, this isn’t something I’ve tested so I make no promises. I also can’t tell you if these oils will alter the taste of the final cake. If you can, use the olive oil, or look into tiger nut oil (tuber, not a tree nut).

Can I substitute powdered sugar for the maple sugar?

No, you won’t be able to swap the maple sugar for powdered sugar in this recipe. In the recipe notes I’ve listed out the sugars that will work as an alternative to maple sugar.

Could I use coconut oil in place of the olive oil?

No, coconut oil won’t work in place of the olive oil and that’s because it’s solid at room temperature. If for some reason you can’t have olive oil, use tiger nut oil instead (despite the name, tiger nuts are tubers, not tree nuts).

Will maple syrup work in place of the maple sugar?

No, liquid sweeteners can’t be swapped for granulated sweeteners in baking. If you swap the maple sugar for maple syrup, it will ruin your cake and you’ll waste your expensive ingredients.

Can I add apple cider vinegar to enhance the cake rise?

No, adding apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar) to this recipe won’t impact the rise. Since the recipe leans into orange juice, there’s already a good amount of acid boosting the lift of the baking powder and baking soda. That’s not to say that adding a vinegar will ruin the batter, it just won’t give you the lift boost you’re looking for. However, rest assured, you’ll be happy with the lift in this egg free cake.

Could I bake this cake recipe in a loaf pan?

Yes! In fact, one of my kids loves it when I bake cakes and muffins in a loaf pan. Something about having a bread-shaped slice of cake or muffin really makes this kid happy. Have fun!

Can I use coconut sugar instead of the maple sugar.

Yes, coconut sugar can be used as a maple sugar substitute. Know that coconut sugar alters taste a bit, so be sure to manage your expectations going in.

Would this recipe bake well in a square baking pan?

Yes, you can use a square baking pan for this gluten free cake recipe. However, if the height of your batter is different from mine, be sure to adjust your bake time (up or down) as needed.

Can I use canned coconut milk as my milk of choice?

I wouldn’t suggest canned coconut milk since it has a completely different fat content when compared with other dairy free milk options. Instead, use the boxed coconut milk that’s more watery. Also know that coconut milk has a distinct taste and you may not like it in this recipe. If you have access to a more mellow flavored dairy free milk, I’d use that instead.

Where can I find a good frosting recipe to use with this cake recipe?

I have quite a flavors of frostings to suggest that will pair well, and they’re all easy recipes. Also, these are all gluten free, vegan. and top 9 allergy free.

Should I cool my cake layers on a wire rack?

Cooling your cake layers on a wire rack isn’t necessary. Personally, I never do. Now, if you have a tiny kitchen and a vertical wire rack that will save you space, go for it. Just know that I cool my cakes in the pan, not on a wire rack.

Do I need to wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap if I plan to freeze them?

No, you don’t need to wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap before freezing them. What I personally do is freeze the whole cake pan. Once the cake layers are frozen solid, I pop them out and transfer them to a freezer bag. Sometimes I’ll wrap them in foil first if I know they’re going to be in the freezer for an extended amount of time.

Can I use avocado oil in place of the olive oil in this cake recipe?

Yes, you could use avocado oil in place of the olive oil, however, I don’t suggest it. The cake would still function properly with avocado oil, but as my youngest would tell you, it won’t taste good. If avocado oil is the only oil you have access to, I’d encourage you to make a half batch and test it, that way if it doesn’t work out, you’re not wasting as much of your expensive ingredients.

Would melted vegan butter work in place of the olive oil?

No, melted vegan butter will not work in place of the olive oil. I’ve tried making free-from cakes with dairy free butter and they never turn out well. It could be my specific ratios, but I don’t want to lead you astray and see you waste expensive ingredients.

Is this a good cake recipe for special occasions?

I think it’s good for special occasions, as long as you enjoy an earthy flavor. If that’s the case, to make it extra special, I suggest making a multi-layer cake that way it becomes more of a centerpiece. Alternatively, you could make super cute little cakes and have afternoon tea event and even wear fancy hats. Please send pics if you do, because I’m so in for that.

Can I make this cake recipe as cupcakes?

Yes, you can use this cake batter for cupcakes. If you’re making mini cupcakes, your bake time will start at 19 minutes and if you make standard cupcakes, your bake time will start at 22 minutes. You’ll still need to do the toothpick test to ensure they’re done.

How long will my baked cake keep in the fridge?

You can store your baked cake in the fridge for up to 4 days without negatively impacting the texture.

Should I use a cooking spray on the cake pans?

No, use parchment paper. There’s no need for the spray as long as the bottom of your baking pan is covered in parchment paper.

Could I use almond extract in place of the vanilla extract?

Honestly, I’m not sure because I never work with almond extract. The flavour could clash, or it could be awesome. If you think almond extract would pair well with orange, buckwheat, and vanilla (flavour wise), I say give it a try. You could also do a mix of the almond extract and vanilla extract. 1 Tablespoon is equivalent to 3 teaspoons, so you could do 1 and 2, or 1.5 and 1.5.

Can I add shredded carrots to make an orange carrot cake?

You can, but depending on how much shredded carrot you add, you may need to decrease the amount of hot water in the recipe. When I make carrot cake, I usually use five ounces of shredded organic carrot and decrease the hot water by 28mL/1 ounce. Whilst I haven’t used this specific recipe for carrot cake, I think you have a great idea. Just be sure to manage your expectations and be prepared to experiment a little bit.

I follow a low sodium diet. Can I omit the teaspoon of salt?

Yes, you can, however, this is going to alter the taste. You could add half a teaspoon of organic ground vanilla (in addition to the vanilla extract) to help bring a more robust flavour to your plate. Salt helps bring out natural flavours, but I totally understand if you can’t have it, so just be sure to manage your expectations.

Can I swap the maple sugar for honey?

No, honey isn’t a suitable sweetener for this recipe since it’s a liquid sweetener. In the ingredients section of this post I’ve included the granulated sweeteners you can use. If you’re just really in for the taste of honey, you could drizzle some on a slice right before serving.

Could I add cocoa powder to this recipe for a chocolate orange combination?

I don’t suggest it because now you’re changing the ratios of dry ingredients to wet ingredients. You’d either need to start with a cake recipe that uses both cocoa powder and orange flavours, or you’d need to add something chocolatey when serving your cake. For example, you could add chocolate frosting (icing), or a chocolate sauce drizzle. Those options would give you the orange chocolate vibe, but without messing up your cake consistency.

Can I bake this cake in a square glass baking dish?

Of course! You can use a glass baking dish of any size, just be sure to line it with parchment paper before pouring your batter in. Also, depending on the height of your cake batter in the baking dish, your bake time may change. Be sure to do the toothpick test and adjust the bake time as need.

Does this cake have a consistency similar to pound cake?

No, this cake is much lighter than pound cake, at least, that’s what the taste testers tell me. Pound cake tends to be on the dense side of the cake consistency spectrum where this is closer to the middle of the spectrum. It’s not a light angel food cake, but it’s also not a dense pound cake.

Could I substitute some of the flour for protein powder?

You may have heard someone mention that you can swap up to 20% of the flour for protein powder in a baking recipe. I don’t suggest it. When protein powder is used in free-from baking, the recipe needs to account for it from the start. Since this recipe isn’t designed to take on protein powder, you can easily ruin your dessert if the ratios are wrong.