This recipe makes the right vanilla cake that’s mushy, moist, and buttery. It’s simpler than you assume, and I’m sharing all my finest cake-baking secrets and techniques, together with tips on how to frost and stack the cake layers!
I believe everybody ought to have an ideal, never-fail, traditional cake of their recipe field. Try my chocolate layer cake for a chocolate model of this simple vanilla cake.
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Side view of a slice being lifted from a vanilla layer cake.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-12.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Side view of a slice being lifted from a vanilla layer cake.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-12.jpg)
It took me 10 years of running a blog earlier than I shared my authentic vanilla cake recipe. Ever since, I’ve tweaked it and perfected it, bringing us to the all-time vanilla cake we’re making as we speak. It really began as vanilla cupcakes. Look how far we’ve come! This recipe makes a mushy, moist, tender vanilla layer cake that you may frost and beautify to your coronary heart’s content material. It takes underneath an hour, and also you’ll by no means want one other recipe!
Word that this cake recipe was initially posted in 2019. I’ve up to date the images and the guidelines in 2025. The recipe stays the identical!
What Makes This the Finest Vanilla Cake Recipe
- The very best texture. My vanilla cake has that moist and fluffy, coveted texture of a boxed cake, solely the flavour of this do-it-yourself cake is 1,000,000 occasions higher! It’s actually one thing particular.
- Wealthy vanilla taste. Buttermilk and actual butter are the key to a brilliant tender, flavorful crumb. This cake is good, however not TOO candy, which was positively one of many targets after I got down to create this recipe. There’s loads of vanilla richness in each chunk.
- Adaptable. Everybody wants an ideal cake recipe of their life. The great thing about a vanilla cake is that it’s good for any event. High the cake with the traditional buttercream that I share beneath, or high it with celebration frosting and you’ve got a traditional birthday cake. Or, cowl the frosted cake with fondant for one thing extra fancy.
- Simple. Above all, this vanilla cake doesn’t require any fancy gear or professional abilities to make! It’s a fast, approachable cake that anybody of any ability degree could make in a single bowl in a bit of over half-hour.
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Ingredients for perfect vanilla cake with text labels overlaying each ingredient.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Perfect-Vanilla-Cake-Ingredients-Labeled.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Ingredients for perfect vanilla cake with text labels overlaying each ingredient.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Perfect-Vanilla-Cake-Ingredients-Labeled.jpg)
Substances You’ll Want
My first nugget of knowledge in terms of baking good muffins, is to make use of the very best high quality substances you possibly can. The proper substances make the distinction between a very good cake and the BEST vanilla cake, which is what we’re after right here.
I’ve included some ingredient notes beneath to get you off on the fitting foot. Scroll right down to the recipe card for a printable listing with the complete recipe quantities.
- Butter – The actual stuff, not margarine! I exploit salted butter on this recipe (as I do in most of my baking) which is totally my private choice. When you have a salt sensitivity, be at liberty to make use of unsalted butter.
- Sugar – For a constant gentle texture, I like to recommend granulated sugar.
- Vegetable Oil – A bit oil goes a protracted method to an ultra-moist, tender cake crumb. Select a neutral-flavored oil, like canola.
- Eggs – Convey these to room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract – Just like the butter, you’ll wish to use the true factor and never imitation. Pure vanilla extract, or an equal quantity of vanilla paste, is a should for the best possible taste on this vanilla cake.
- Baking Powder – To not be confused with baking soda. Examine the expiration date in your baking powder to verify it isn’t previous its prime.
- Cake Flour – Cake flour is completely different from all-purpose flour, and it’s the important thing to a super-soft, velvety cake crumb such as you get from a field of cake combine (see beneath for particulars).
- Buttermilk – One other non-negotiable! The acidity in buttermilk mixed with the baking powder produces a extra tender crumb by breaking down the gluten. When you don’t have buttermilk, make a do-it-yourself substitute from common milk and white vinegar (or lemon juice). You would swap in plain yogurt as a final resort, however buttermilk provides a a lot better taste.
Cake Flour vs. All-Function Flour
Cake flour has a decrease protein content material than all-purpose flour. Much less protein = much less gluten, and a lighter, airier cake because of this. I used to assume these two kinds of flour have been interchangeable in recipes, however after baking a whole bunch of muffins, I’ve since seen the sunshine.
Cake flour is a crucial ingredient in cake recipes the place we’re after a brilliant gentle crumb (assume, angel meals cake). This vanilla cake simply isn’t the identical with out it. When you’re in a bind, I actually have a tutorial on tips on how to flip all-purpose flour into cake flour.
Learn how to Make a Excellent Vanilla Cake
When you’re new to baking muffins, you’re in the fitting place. Comply with the steps right here to make up the cake batter in a single bowl, within the time it takes to preheat the oven. You’ll discover the printable directions within the recipe card.
- Prep the pans. Whereas the oven preheats to 350ºF, grease and line the underside of two 8” or 9” spherical pans with parchment paper.
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Eggs added to creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-3-570x855.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Eggs added to creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-3-570x855.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Dry ingredients added to wet ingredients in a mixing bowl.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-4-570x855.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Dry ingredients added to wet ingredients in a mixing bowl.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-4-570x855.jpg)
- Combine the moist substances. Begin by creaming the butter and sugar collectively till it’s gentle and fluffy. Then, add the oil, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Proceed to combine till clean.
- Add the flour and buttermilk. Subsequent, alternate including flour and buttermilk to the moist substances, starting and ending with the flour. Combine till the flour is simply mixed with the moist batter.
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Vanilla cake batter in a mixing bowl.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-5-570x855.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Vanilla cake batter in a mixing bowl.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-5-570x855.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Two round cake pans filled with vanilla cake batter.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-6-570x855.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Two round cake pans filled with vanilla cake batter.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-6-570x855.jpg)
- Fill the pans and bake. Divide the vanilla cake batter evenly between your two ready pans. Bake at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes, till the muffins are set within the heart.
- Cool utterly. Afterward, depart the muffins to chill within the pans for 10 minutes. Then, take away them and place them on a wire rack to complete cooling to room temperature earlier than you frost them.
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Side view of a frosted vanilla layer cake on a cake stand.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-11.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Side view of a frosted vanilla layer cake on a cake stand.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-11.jpg)
Assemble and Frost the Cake
For this vanilla cake recipe, I exploit my favourite buttercream frosting. There are many methods to complete and frost a cake, and I’m a agency believer that it doesn’t should look good to style good. With that being mentioned, there are just a few simple steps you possibly can take to assemble an ideal vanilla layer cake:
- Degree the cake layers. When muffins bake, they usually type domes as they rise. This can be a good visible indicator that your cake shall be gentle and ethereal on the within (yay!). However, since degree layers are best to stack and frost, it’s finest to trim the domes as soon as the muffins have cooled. You don’t want a flowery cake leveler to do that, only a serrated knife. Rigorously trim off the rounded high of every cake, so that they’ll stack evenly.
- Add a crumb coat. After you’ve stacked and stuffed your cake layers with frosting, it’s a good suggestion to make a crumb coat should you plan on frosting the remainder of the cake. A crumb coat is just a skinny, tough layer of frosting utilized to the surface of a layer cake earlier than you add the ultimate layer of frosting over high. It catches any stray crumbs, for an ideal end.
I frost in between the 2 cake layers to create a simple, two-layer cake. You too can slice every layer in half to make a wonderful 4 layer cake! When you select to do that, improve the frosting quantity by no less than 50% so you might have sufficient.
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. A slice of vanilla cake on a white plate, with a second slice in the background.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-14.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. A slice of vanilla cake on a white plate, with a second slice in the background.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-14.jpg)
Recipe Suggestions
- Don’t I must sift the flour? I like baking, however I make a degree to attempt to minimize down on steps that I really feel are pointless. Like sifting the dry substances! As a substitute, I cream the baking powder in with the moist substances and add the flour by itself. Sift should you’d like, however even with out it, this cake seems good.
- Grease, line the pan, and grease once more. This vanilla cake has a excessive sugar content material and can simply follow a pan that’s not correctly prepped. I prefer to spray the cake pans with cooking spray, place a circle of parchment paper into the underside, and spray once more. The parchment paper acts as insurance coverage towards sticking and makes the muffins fast and simple to take away after baking.
- Don’t overmix. Overmixing the batter is the #1 “keep away from in any respect prices” mistake in terms of do-it-yourself muffins. When you’ve added the flour and buttermilk, combine simply till the batter is creamy and mixed (this could take lower than 30 seconds). An excessive amount of mixing overworks the gluten and deflates the air pockets, leading to a dense, flat cake that received’t rise correctly.
- Scrape down the edges of the bowl. To make sure even mixing, bear in mind to scrape down the edges of the bowl with a spatula because the batter comes collectively.
- Check the muffins for doneness. Your vanilla muffins are achieved baking when a toothpick caught into the middle of the cake comes out clear. A couple of moist crumbs are advantageous, however you shouldn’t see any streaks of batter.
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Overhead view of a frosted vanilla layer cake on a cake stand.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-7.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Overhead view of a frosted vanilla layer cake on a cake stand.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-7.jpg)
Learn how to Enhance Your Vanilla Cake
Now, for the true enjoyable half: Adorning! This vanilla cake is the last word clean canvas for frosting and adorning, so be at liberty to get as artistic as you’d like. Listed here are some fast cake adorning ideas and concepts:
- Use a cake scraper. After spreading the frosting over the layers with an offset spatula, use a cake or icing scraper to clean out the highest and edges. This gives you a superbly clean end such as you see within the images.
- Pipe frosting swirls. When you have a piping bag and piping ideas, use an open star or French star tip to create enjoyable little frosting rosettes and swirls on high of the cake.
- Completely different frosting. Nearly any frosting works with a traditional vanilla cake. Do that simple chocolate frosting, Swiss meringue buttercream, creamy coconut buttercream, or borrow the strawberry frosting from my strawberry cupcakes.
- Add a drip. Comply with my directions to make pourable chocolate ganache and drizzle it over the completed frosted cake. You would additionally use do-it-yourself strawberry syrup.
- Garnishes. High this vanilla cake with sprinkles, nonpareils, silver balls (dragees), crushed nuts, toasted coconut, recent fruit, sweet, and any decorations your coronary heart wishes.
- Holidays and events. Use this cake as a base for a Halloween spider cake, flip it right into a cannoli cake, or make a festive Christmas snowman cake.
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Side view of a frosted vanilla layer cake with a large slice missing.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-13.jpg)
![This is the best vanilla cake made from scratch! Learn how to make two light, fluffy, perfect vanilla cake layers frosted with buttercream. Side view of a frosted vanilla layer cake with a large slice missing.](https://cookiesandcups.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/perfect-vanilla-cake-13.jpg)
Make-Forward and Storage
- Make-ahead. Wrap the cooled, unfrosted muffins tightly in cling wrap and retailer them at room temperature for as much as 2 days. You too can double-wrap the muffins and freeze them for as much as a month. Thaw the muffins at room temperature earlier than frosting.
- Retailer the completed cake. Hold the frosted vanilla cake coated hermetic at room temperature for as much as 3 days. You’ll be able to refrigerate it should you dwell someplace heat, however I like to recommend serving the cake at room temperature.
- Freeze. Freeze the frosted cake entire or in slices, double-wrapped in cling wrap, or saved in an hermetic container. Thaw unwrapped at room temperature.
Description
This recipe makes the right vanilla cake with two gentle, fluffy cake layers stuffed and frosted with buttercream. Made 100% from scratch, with ideas and methods to make it buttery, mushy, and moist!
- 1 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2, 8 or 9- inch spherical cake pans with nonstick spray. Minimize two items of parchment paper into 9- inch circles. Place the rounds within the bottoms of the pans. Coat once more with nonstick spray. Put aside.
- Within the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment combine the butter and sugar collectively for two minutes. Add within the oil, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt, and proceed mixing for an extra minute till clean and mixed, scraping the edges of the bowl as obligatory to verify every little thing is evenly blended.
- Flip the mixer to low pace and in alternating parts add within the buttermilk and flour, starting and ending with flour. Combine for 30 seconds, till mixed and clean, once more, scraping the edges of the bowl as wanted.
- Pour half of the cake batter into every ready pan.
- Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or till the middle of the muffins are set, and a toothpick inserted within the center comes out clear.
- Enable the muffins to chill within the pans for 10 minutes, after which take away the muffins and permit to chill utterly on a wire rack.
Notes
When you’re making forward, wrap the muffins tightly in cling wrap and retailer at room temperature for as much as 2 days. Alternately you possibly can wrap the muffins in cling wrap, then place them every in a big zip-top bag and freeze for as much as a month.
Diet
- Serving Measurement: 1 Slice
- Energy: 387
- Sugar: 40.3 g
- Sodium: 463.5 mg
- Fats: 23.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.9 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Ldl cholesterol: 126.6 mg