Birthday cake is a big deal in an allergy house. My daughter is allergic to cow’s milk and all dairy, including butter, plus tree nuts, so bakery cakes are off the table. She can eat baked egg, though, so for her birthday I made this dairy-free vanilla birthday layer cake: three tiers of soft, tender vanilla cake. Seeing her blow out candles on a cake she could actually eat made my whole year.

I doubled my recipe so it fills a three-pan set, and I wrote it out step by step so it’s easy to follow on your phone while you bake.

How Many Layers Does This Make?

This doubled batch makes one 2-inch layer in each of the three pans (6, 8 and 10 inch) for a three-tier cake. If you want taller tiers with two layers each, bake a second double batch. A single batch (halve everything) makes two 8-inch layers.

Tips for Success

• Don’t overmix. Mix only until no dry flour remains; a few small lumps are fine.
• Watch your mixer bowl. A double batch can overfill a small mixer, so make two single batches if needed.
• Check every center. Because of the baked-egg allergy, make sure a toothpick comes out clean from the middle of each tier.

Dairy-Free Vanilla Birthday Layer Cake (Doubled, Three Tiers)

A doubled dairy-free vanilla birthday cake made with Thai Kitchen coconut milk, Melt butter and light olive oil. Bakes one 2-inch layer in each of a 6-inch, 8-inch and 10-inch round pan for a three-tier cake. Contains baked egg.

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Servings: 1 three-tier cake

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Cake

• 5 1/2 cups (660 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups (700 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup Melt, softened but still cool
• 1 cup light olive oil
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups Thai Kitchen coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Method

 

Cake

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease all three pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
2. Shake the coconut milk can well. Whisk 2 cups coconut milk with the 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons vinegar; let it sit 5 minutes.
3. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In the mixer, beat the 1/2 cup Melt and the sugar about 1 minute; it will look like wet sand.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each, then beat about 1 more minute until pale and thick.
6. On low, slowly pour in the olive oil, then the vanilla.
7. Add the dry mix in three parts, alternating with the coconut milk mixture in two parts. Mix only until no dry flour or white streaks remain; a few small lumps are fine. Scrape the bowl and give it a few gentle folds by hand. Don’t overmix, or the cake gets tough.
8. Fill each pan about 1/2 to 2/3 full; extra batter makes cupcakes (18 to 20 min).
9. Bake: 6-inch 25 to 30 min, 8-inch 30 to 35 min, 10-inch 40 to 45 min, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the top springs back. Check every center, since baked egg must be fully baked.
10. Cool 10 to 15 min in the pans, turn out onto a rack, cool completely, and chill at least 30 min.

Stacking

1. Stack and frost with your favorite dairy-free frosting once the layers are completely cool.
2. Put the 10-inch layer on a cake board and push in 4 to 5 straws or dowels trimmed level.
3. Put the 8-inch layer on a cardboard round, set it on top, and add 3 to 4 straws.
4. Set the 6-inch layer on top.

Notes

Pans: Chicago Metallic 5233128 set (6, 8, 10 inch x 2 inch).

How many layers: this doubled batch makes one 2-inch layer in each of the three pans for a three-tier cake. For taller tiers with two layers each, bake a second double batch.

Baked egg: check the center of every tier for doneness because of the baked-egg allergy.

Flavor: light coconut flavor.

Mixed the sugar into the flour by accident? Whisk the Melt (melted and slightly cooled), oil, eggs and vanilla together, then alternate adding the dry mix and coconut milk mixture. It still bakes up tender.

Single batch: two 8-inch layers (halve everything).

A quick note on photos: I’ve been perfecting these recipes for years, but I never published them because photographing everything takes so much time. As a busy working, homeschooling mom, I decided it was more important to get them out there to help other allergy families. So many of the photos here are AI-generated to show what the dish looks like, but the recipes themselves are real, made in my kitchen and tested on my family.

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Allergy note: I write these recipes with allergy families in mind, but every allergy is different. Always check labels on every product, every time, for allergens and cross-contamination (“may contain” or shared-facility) warnings, since formulations change. When in doubt, check with your allergist.