Gluten free birthday cakes are quite widely available in supermarkets now, but not always easy to spot unless you know what to look for.

And many of you shopping for gluten free birthday cakes might not actually be the gluten free person in the first place. But rather kind family or friends, out shopping for a coeliac birthday.

Whether you are gluten free or not, this guide should help you track down a great option for that gluten free birthday celebration.

I’ve rounded up all the gluten free shop bought birthday cakes first, then have added a section about ordering bespoke cakes from bakeries, plus finally have linked to a few of my favourite gluten free cake recipes in case you fancy getting your bake on at home.

I’ve also included some tips on how to keep your baking safely gluten free in that last section.

Shop Bought Gluten Free Cakes

In this section you will find a range of gluten free cakes, from full size gluten free birthday cakes to yummy cupcakes and loaf cakes that would be suitable for a celebration.

Gluten Free Birthday Cakes & Other Cakes

1. Carl The Caterpillar Cake, Tesco, £6.50

Usually lurking in both the free from section and the regular celebration cake section of the bakery within Tesco superstores. Free from gluten, wheat and dairy (contains egg).

2. Frida The Caterpillar Cake, Asda, £5.92

Carl’s rather gruesome sister (no offense, Frieda) who you can find in the free from section of Asda. Free from gluten and milk.

3. Free From Madeira Celebration Cake, Asda, £7.00

A classic iced sponge cake with some star icing decorations, a great base that you could add some extra decorations to personalise this gluten free party cake. Serves 10. In the free from section. Free from gluten and dairy.

4. Sainsbury’s Deliciously Free From Eric The Caterpillar Cake – £6.00

The newest caterpillar cake addition. Chocolate cake filled with chocolate frosting, covered with chocolate sugar paste and finished with sugar paste decorations and sugar strands. Contains egg and soya.

5. Galaxy Gluten Free Celebration Cake – £13.00

A larger Galaxy chocolate celebration cake. Available from various supermarkets including Waitrose and Asda.

6. LazyDay Free From Chocolate Celebration Cake, £6.60

Gluten free and vegan, I actually really enjoyed this cake when I tried it and certainly never would have guessed it were vegan. Chocolate sponge made with Belgian dark chocolate with a chocolate frosting filling and topping, hand finished with a chocolate drizzle.

7. Hand Finished Gluten Free Chocolate Cake, Coop, £3.50

I love this chocolate cake. It is one of the best I have tried and reminds me of proper chocolate fudge cake. It’s a fairly small size but would be the perfect mini cake to serve to coeliacs at a party. In the free from section.

8. Lovemore Chocolate Cake – £5.25

Another chocolate cake (I’ve not tried this one), available from Ocado. Gluten and wheat free, contains eggs and not suitable for milk allergy sufferers.

9. Gluten Free Carrot Cake, Sainsburys, £3.50

Gluten free carrot cake topped with cream cheese frosting. In the free from section. Free from gluten and wheat. They redeveloped the recipe last year and it’s a lush little cake now. Really enjoyable and a great tea time treat.

10. Tesco Finest Free From Victoria Sponge Cake, £3.50

A classic sponge that might be a bit boring as a birthday cake but some people do love a good slice of Victoria sponge! In the free from section. Free from wheat and gluten.

11. Just Love Food Happy Birthday Cake – £6.50

A sweet birthday cake, which is free from nuts, gluten and dairy (contains eggs). Available from Asda.

12. ASDA Free From Gretel the Guinea Pig Cake – £6.00

I love Asda for making this fun gluten free kids cake, it’s so refreshing to see an original and different design! Gluten and milk free.

13. Tesco Finest Free From Chocolate Cake, £3.50

I would go for the Coop cake over this one, but this Tesco one is pretty tasty too. Find in the free from section. Free from gluten and wheat.

14. Just Love Food Company Free From Madeira Celebration Cake – £6.00

Sponge cake layered with a sweet vanilla frosting and raspberry jam, decorated with soft icing decorations.

Milk Free, Made in a tree nut free & peanut free factory, Gluten Free, No artificial colour or flavours, Suitable for Vegetarians

15. Morrisons Free From Carrot Cake – £3.49

A small gluten free carrot cake from Morrisons.

16. Asda Extra Special Free From Belgian Chocolate Cake, £3.75

A small but yummy-looking chocolate cake.

Gluten Free Loaf Cakes & Tray Bakes

1. Free From Vanilla Traybake, Tesco, £4.00

A simple madeira sponge cake topped with vanilla dairy free buttercream and assorted sweets. Free from gluten, wheat and dairy (contains egg).

2. Lazy Day Foods Vegan & Free From Vanilla Cake – £4.10

Vanilla flavoured sponge topped with a vanilla flavoured frosting and hand finished with multi-coloured sugar decorations

3. Free From Raspberry & White Chocolate Loaf Cake, Asda, £3.50

I think this is actually part of the Asda Christmas range, but it seems to be available year round at the moment. It would be a great addition to a birthday party spread too and I haven’t seen this flavour variety in any other supermarkets. Free from gluten.

4. Free From Lemon Loaf Cake, Tesco, £2.45

A simple lemon loaf cake – not the most exciting choice but it’s an option plus it is dairy free. Free from gluten, wheat and dairy (contains egg).

5. Free From Chocolate Loaf Cake, Asda, £3.00

This has generous chocolate frosting and chocolate curls on top. I haven’t tried it but it looks fairly yummy. Free from gluten.

6. Free From Gluten Free Lemon Loaf Cake, Asda, £2.50

Another simple lemon loaf cake. Free from gluten.

7. Sainsbury’s Delicious Free From Lemon Loaf Cake, £2.50

Gluten free lemon flavoured cake with an icing drizzle

Gluten Free Cupcakes

1. Deliciously Free From Mini Cupcakes, Sainsburys, £3.50

Gluten free plain sponge cakes with lemon, vanilla or strawberry flavour frostings finished with sugar decorations

2. Tesco Free From 4 Chocolate Cupcakes – £2.20

Fun safari animal toppers make these ideal for kids parties.

3. Free From Unicorn Cupcakes, Asda, £2.50

Asda definitely win the most kid-friendly cupcakes competition and have a few different varieties in their range, which would look fantastic on a party table. Gluten free. My four year old would love these!

4. ASDA Free From 4 Red Velvet Cupcakes – £2.15

With generous servings of icing on these cupcakes, they are definitely one I would consider for my gluten free party! Free from gluten.

5. Free From Victoria Sponge Cakes, Asda, £2.15

Pack of 6 sponge cupcakes. Free from gluten.

6. Sainsbury’s Deliciously Free From Chocolate Cupcakes 105g – £1.50

Gluten free chocolate flavoured sponge cakes with a chocolate flavour filling, topped with chocolate flavour frosting and finished with a chocolate decoration.

7. Sainsbury’s Deliciously Free From Vanilla Cupcakes x2 – £1.50

New cupcake duo from Sainburys, which look pretty decent and are easy to find in the free from section. Free from gluten. Gluten free plain sponge cakes with a raspberry jam filling, topped with vanilla flavour frosting and finished with chocolate and sugar decorations.

8. Genius Gluten Free Chocolate/Lemon Cupcakes, Various Supermarkets (inc Asda, Morrisons and Sainsburys), £2.25

Not the best cupcakes if you can find others I would opt for those instead, but these are good for gluten and dairy free party goers. Free from gluten, wheat and dairy.

9. Gourmet Gluten Free Cupcakes, Lola’s, from £3.50

Lola’s stalls can be found across London only, but they do excellent Coeliac UK-accredited gluten free cupcakes. I urge you to treat your gluten free friend to one of these excellent cakes if you are London-based! My favourite is the chocolate and raspberry variety but all of them are great. The Lola’s stalls nearly always have a few gluten free cupcakes in stock but you can also order online.

They also deliver nationwide if you want to order large quantities.

Gluten Free Cake Slices

There are lots of varieties of these across supermarkets now, so I won’t list them all, but here are some of the best ones:

1. Free From Angel Slices, Tesco, £1.80

These gluten free sponge slices are gorgeous. Really soft and lovely and my husband said he wouldn’t be able to tell the different between these and the gluten-containing variety he normally eats. There are 5 in a pack and they are free from gluten and wheat.

2. Made Without Wheat, Zesty Lemon Cake Slices, M&S

Super soft, lemony and moreish.

3. Made Without Wheat, Chocolate Fudge Cake Slices, M&S

These are soooooo goooooood. Proper fudgey chocolate cake slices and you would never guess they were gluten free. But they are!

4. Tesco Finest Free From Millionaire Slices, £2.50

This four pack Millionaire slices is free from gluten and wheat. Marks & Spencers and Waitrose also do their own versions of these, both of which are EXCELLENT.

Bespoke Bakery & Online Orders

If you are planning on ordering a bespoke gluten free birthday cake you will find lots of brilliant local bakeries able to provide these services. Simply do a search in Google.

Wildflours Bakery – Glasgow

When ordering, be sure to ask whether the cake is suitable for coeliacs (if relevant) and whether they can ensure that there is either no risk of cross contamination or minimal risk. They should be using clean equipment and preparing the cake in a dedicated gluten free area ideally.

There are a couple of nationwide options too:

Vida Bakery

  • A wonderful independent gluten free and vegan bakery based in East London (run by really kind, helpful people who deserve our business :D), they have a fab range of gluten free cakes that can be shipped nationwide. Their rainbow cake is a personal favourite of mine!

Sponge Cakes

  • This online company offer an array of gluten free large sharing cakes, in flavours such as carrot cake, hazelnut praline and millionaires cake.

Making a Gluten Free Birthday Cake at Home

Baking a gluten free birthday cake at home is much easier than many people think.

Gluten free flour and other ingredients are widely available, including in all major supermarkets. Simply have a look in the free from section (ask staff to direct you if you are not sure where to find the section).

If you are not gluten free yourself but are baking for a gluten free friend or relative please bear cross contamination in mind. You should:

  1. clean any baking kit really well to ensure there are no traces of gluten left over from previous bakes and wash your hands well
  2. try not to use gluten flour in the kitchen at the same time as it really gets in the air, but perhaps move the gluten free cake to another room or ensure well-covered before you start
  3. keep the gluten free cake entirely separate from any other gluten-containing party food, as if items touch they will be contaminated with gluten, so serve any gluten free food on a dedicated plate
  4. use a dedicated knife to cut and serve the cake, not one that has been used for other cakes
  5. birthday candles – remember to use fresh candles rather than reusing old ones, as those may have been used in gluteny cakes.

Here are some recipe ideas to get you started:

I hope you found this article help. If you are looking for more gluten free food or coeliac life tips, please check out some of my other guides while you are here:

Laura xxx