A perfectly plush, soft, classic vanilla cake recipe made entirely from scratch! It’s so simple to make, and tastes much better than a box mix! Recipe includes a how-to video.
A Classic Vanilla Cake, Made Entirely From-Scratch
Every baker needs a solid vanilla cake recipe in their repertoire, and today’s recipe is just that.
It’s soft, plush, and perfectly moist. Not to be confused with my white cake, this recipe is a beautiful pale golden color and distinctly vanilla flavored. It pairs beautifully with any frosting, although a traditional chocolate frosting is my favorite finish!
Like my chocolate cake, this has been one of my most popular recipes for years (and you may recognize it as the base for both my pineapple upside-down cake and my marble cake). It’s a simple, classic, and incredible vanilla cake. So many of you have tried and loved this recipe, and while the recipe remains exactly the same, I thought it was about time for a facelift with new photos and a new video.
The flavor and texture of this cake is so much better than box-mix, and the preparation is almost as easy. I’ve included a few tips below to help you be successful, so make sure to read all the notes before you get started.
What You Need
After testing many versions and combinations of ingredients, I’ve found that a good vanilla cake needs the following ingredients:
- Oil AND butter. A blend of these two ingredients gives the cake the best possible flavor and texture. Butter provides flavor while oil adds moisture and keeps it from being too dry. A cake made with all oil would be moist but lacking in flavor, and an all-butter cake may have a more buttery taste, but would be more dry. Any neutral cooking oil will work here, but I typically recommend using either vegetable or canola oil. For the butter, unsalted is best so we have maximum control over the flavor of the cake
- Sugar. Plain granulated sugar works best. Brown sugar would add moisture, but would detract from the classic vanilla flavor and even weigh down the cake a bit.
- Eggs. You’ll need four eggs, and it’s best if you bring them to room temperature before adding them (this helps them incorporate into the batter more evenly).
- Vanilla. You can’t have vanilla cake without vanilla! I recommend using a good quality vanilla extract, so if you’ve got a batch of homemade vanilla extract, use it here!
- Flour. I developed this vanilla cake recipe to be work with all-purpose flour and that’s what I always use. However, you *could* use cake flour instead. To substitute by weight, you would use the same amount, but if you are using measuring cups you will need to substitute your flour properly.
- Baking powder. I know a tablespoon of baking powder may seem like a lot, but that’s not a typo. Always make sure your baking soda is fresh and avoid using a generic brand, which I’ve had mixed results with in the past.
- Salt. You can just use plain table salt.
- Buttermilk. I strongly recommend using full-fat buttermilk for the best flavor and texture. While I do have a buttermilk substitute, it doesn’t really make this vanilla cake quite as moist and flavorful as I like it to be, so now I strictly recommend using real buttermilk. And no, you do not *need* to have baking soda in a recipe in order to use buttermilk; we’re using it for its moisture and flavor here!
SAM’S TIP: One of the biggest mistakes you can make with this recipe is neglecting to measure your flour properly. If you over or under-measure your flour, your cake will not turn out right! Use the right method, be as precise as possible, and use a kitchen scale if you have one.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Vanilla Cake
- Cream the butter, oil, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, add your vanilla and stir to combine.
- Combine your dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add about ⅓ of the mixture into your bowl. Use a spatula to gently stir until just combined. Follow this with about ½ of your buttermilk, and stir again until just combined. .
- Add ½ of the remaining dry ingredients stir, and then add the remainder of the buttermilk. Finish with the final portion of dry ingredients and use your spatula to make sure the batter is smooth–do NOT overmix!
- Divide the batter evenly into two greased baking pans.
- Bake, then use a toothpick to test for doneness. Let the cakes cool in their pans a bit before inverting onto a cooling rack, where they’ll need to cool completely before frosting.
SAM’S TIP: While a toothpick that comes out clean indicates a fully baked cake, an over-baked cake will also yield a clean toothpick. It’s best to pull your vanilla cake out of the oven when a toothpick shows moist crumbs!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This vanilla cake recipe will make 24 vanilla cupcakes. I’ve included instructions for cupcakes in the recipe notes.
A cake that has been over-baked or one in which too much flour was used will be crumbly when cut into. If you invert the cake too soon or try to handle it while it’s too warm, this could also make it break.
Cakes made from scratch require a bit more care and technique than those that come from a box-mix. When making any cake from scratch, take care to not over-mix, over-bake, or use too much flour, or the cake can end up tasting like cornbread. This applies to any cake that is made from scratch, not just this recipe!
What causes dry cake?
Dryness is typically the biggest complaint bakers have when making a cake from scratch, so I thought this FAQ deserved its own space. There are three main causes for a dry cake: over-measuring the flour (addressed above), over-mixing, and over-baking.
- Do not over-mix your batter! Mixing the batter properly can be tricky and this is often where most mistakes are made with homemade cakes. To avoid over-mixing, thoroughly cream together the wet ingredients, particularly the butter, sugar, oil, and eggs. I highly recommend using an electric mixer for this step! However, once you get to the point of combining your wet and dry ingredients, you need to be gentle and fold by hand using a spatula. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, folding thoroughly, but not aggressively. The batter will be smooth and mostly cohesive; there may be some small lumps remaining, but that’s fine! Also, remember that while over-mixing can make your vanilla cake both dry and dense, under-mixing has its own risks and should be avoided as well!
- Do not over-bake your cake! Even a minute too long in the oven can cause a cake to be too dry and dense. When baking, place your cake pans on the center rack of your oven and always make sure your oven is running at the proper temperature (most ovens do not, so keep a thermometer in yours!). Don’t check your vanilla cake too early (that can make it sink!), but do keep an eye on it. When your cake is ready to come out of the oven, the center should spring back if lightly touched–it should not deflate or appear jiggly. You can also use the toothpick test to check for doneness. To do this, simply insert a toothpick in the center of your cake; it’s done if the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Once your vanilla cake is done, let it cool in the pan for only 10-15 minutes before running a knife around the edge and inverting it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
SAM’S NOTE: Under-mixing your cake batter, not baking the cake for long enough, or opening the oven door too frequently while the cake bakes can cause the cake to sink as it cools.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Vanilla Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) avocado, canola or vegetable oil¹
- 1 ½ cup (300 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour²
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) buttermilk room temperature preferred
- 1 batch Chocolate Frosting click link for recipe, or use one of the other frostings recommended in the notes below
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and prepare two deep 8" round cake pans³ by lining the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly greasing the sides. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric mixer) cream together the butter, canola oil and sugar until creamy and well-combined.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (120 ml) avocado, canola or vegetable oil¹, 1 ½ cup (300 g) granulated sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until thoroughly combined after each addition.4 large eggs
- Stir in vanilla extract.1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour², 1 Tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Using a spatula and gently hand-mixing, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined after each addition. The batter should be thoroughly combined, but there may be some small lumps in the batter and avoid over-mixing (and do not use your electric mixer or stand mixer for this step).1 ¼ cup (300 ml) buttermilk
- Evenly divide batter into your prepared cake pans, and bake on 350F (175C) for 30-35 minutes. When the cake is done, the surface should spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean with few moist crumbs (no wet batter).
- Allow cakes to cool in their cake pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting onto cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost cake using my chocolate frosting (or see notes for other favorite frosting options) and decorate with sprinkles (if desired).1 batch Chocolate Frosting
Notes
¹Cooking oil
You may use any neutral cooking oil instead of vegetable or canola oil. I generally don’t recommend olive oil, which is heavier and has a distinct flavor that could affect the end taste result of your cake.²Cake Flour
You may substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour. Use 3 ⅓ cups or 375g of cake flour.³Different size baking pans
- 13×9″ pan: This recipe makes enough for one 13×9″ baking pan. Readers have reported the approximate bake time is 30 minutes.
- Two 9″ pans: Readers have reported this cake takes approximately 25 minutes to bake in 9″ pans.
- Bundt pan: Readers have reported this cake takes approximately 40-45 minutes to bake in a bundt pan
Vanilla Cupcakes:
This recipe will make approximately 24 vanilla cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners no more than ¾ of the way full. Bake on 350F for 17-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs or clean.Frosting Options
The chocolate frosting I linked to in the ingredients is my favorite pairing with this cake, but here are some other great options:Video note
In the video I mistakenly say to add more buttermilk than is necessary. The written recipe is correct with 1 ¼ cups of buttermilk.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Fenny
Every time I bake, my cake has a curve because the dough rises as it cooks. What should I do for my cake to be flat on top so that it is easy to put in layers? I hope I make sense.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Fenny! The solution to this problem is to cool and insulate the outside of the pan a bit with some water. You can do this by applying wet strips of cloth called cake strips to the vertical edge of the pans. You can also make your own version with paper towels and aluminum foil. This post does a great job of explaining this technique. I hope that you find it helpful! 🙂
Andrea Scheley
The cake was super easy and fast to make. i just died it pink and put strawberries in the layers.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Andrea! Thank you for commenting!
Cynthia
I’m not too crazy about buttermilk, can I use milk instead?
Sam
Yes the cake will just not be as moist/flavorful. Enjoy!
Brandon
I used this recipe with a Strawberry-Rhubarb Upside-down Cake in a 9×13 pan and it baked up perfectly! I kept an eye on the cake but I think it ended up cooking for about 40 min. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
That sounds delicious, Brandon! I am happy that this cake worked perfectly as the base for your creation. Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting! 🙂
Elaine
Hi there! The cake looks delicious and I’m intending to try this recipe today! However, I realised that I have ran out of baking powder. Would you recommend substituting 1 tablespoon of baking powder with half tablespoon vinegar and 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda? Thank you! 😊
Sam
Hi Elaine! I honestly have not tried this substitute so I am hesitant to say for sure how it would work. I did find this article on baking powder substitutes that might be helpful but have not tried them myself. If you try the substitution, would you let me know how it works for you? I’m sure others would love to know as well!
Millie
What measurements do you recommend for a 6 inch cake with 4 layers? thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Millie! It really depends on how thick you would like your cake layers to be. Someone recently used 6″ cake pans and divided the batter evenly among 3 with no adjustments to the recipe. If you wish to have thicker layers, I would reccomend making the recipe (1 batch) + half of another. This will give you plenty to fill all four pans. I hope that this helps and that you enjoy the cake. 🙂
Amanda
I have an 11×15” sheet pan, can I do the recipe plus another 1/2, I am a afraid I won’t have enough batter.
Also should the cake be refrigerated if I am making it the day before or should I make it morning if?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Amanda! This recipe fills (1) 13″ x 9″ baking pan perfectly so I think 1 batch + 1/2 batch should work well for your pan size. Since you will be using another pan, I reccomend keeping an eye on while it bakes since the bake time will be different than what is listed. Once you bake the cake I would reccomend allowing it cool, then wrapping it well and storing it room temperature before serving the next day. I don not reccomend refrigerating it as it tends to dry it out. I hope that you enjoy it! Happy Baking! 🙂
Jackie
Hello! Just wondering if you scoop the flour using your measuring cup, do you pour flour into the measuring cup, or do you use a spoon to scoop flour into your measuring cup? or does none of that really matter ha! Sorry for being ridiculous with this question, I’m just very ocd. Lol
Sugar Spun Run
This is such an important question so I am glad that you asked, Jackie! Mismeasuring flour is the most common mistake in baking so I have created a guide on how to measure flour properly that can be used as a reference. There is a video included so you can see how I do it myself. I hope this helps! 🙂
Valentine
Can I use any cup but maintain consistency?
Neha
I always undermix or overmix my cake batter. Could you please suggest me …how would I know if the batter is ready. Thank you
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Neha! You want to mix just until the ingredients are well combined. This means that you should stop mixing as soon as you can’t see the ingredient that you just added. For example, if you are adding flour to butter and sugar, you should immediately stop mixing once you no longer see any white powder. I hope that helps. 🙂
Toni Brown
Hello – can I use cake flour for this recipe? Thanks
Sugar Spun Run
Yes, you can, Toni! To substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for every cup of all-purpose flour. I hope that you enjoy the cake! 🙂
Toni Brown
Thank you! Looking forward to making this cake tonight. For this recipe, do you have a preference (cake vs. all purpose) and if so, why?
Sugar Spun Run
I typically use all-purpose since that is what most people have on hand. Either will work just fine. 🙂
Toni Brown
Sam,
Your cake is delicious, even if I over mixed!
Very soft and moist but I used an electric mixer which was the mistake. Actually read thru some of the comments and you mentioned its better to hand mix. That’s always the problem, when do you know its been over mixed? Took my time w/the butter and sugar mixture, but went too far after adding the flour/buttermilk.
Is it always good to hand mix?
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed! Honestly, cakes can be a bit tricky to know when you’ve over or under-mixed and it can take some experience and practice to know when the batter is just right. You want everything to be completely combined, but once it is you want to stop mixing. My video that goes with this recipe might be helpful (it’s just above the recipe).
Whether or not to mix by hand or not depends on the recipe. Most muffins need to be mixed by hand, while denser cakes like my pound cake or cakes made with the reverse creaming method (like my caramel cake) can be made completely with an electric mixer. I hope that helps!!
Erica
Can I substitute buttermilk with whole milk?
Sam
Yes but the cake will not be as moist/flavorful. You can also click the link in the recipe for a simple buttermilk substitute. Enjoy!
Toni Brown
Hi Sam,
I made this cake on Friday and it was gone on Saturday! Absolutely delicious AND I took my time and followed your video. It was fluffy, moist and now I see how a non-dry cake should slice.
This weekend, its either Banana Bread or Cinnamon Rolls….very exciting 🙂
Thank you
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Toni! I am so glad that your cake turned out perfectly and you enjoyed it! I can’t wait to see what recipe you choose next! Happy Baking! 🙂
Kris
Do you think I could substitute coconut oil for veg/canola oil?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Kris! Unfortunately, no I do not reccomend it. You want to use a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable or canola oil in most baked goods unless noted. Coconut oil will alter the taste and texture of this cake recipe.
Scott
I’ve been tasked with making a large cake for a party of about 75 people.
Can I use a 30×30 (centimetre) pan (about 5cm in height) I think that’s about a 12″x12″ pan (2″ high) ?
What cooking time would you recommend? Oh, and I only have a convection oven, not a dry air oven.
Sugar Spun Run
What an undertaking and a fun baking project, Scott! Unfortunately, I have not tried baking this recipe at that size in a convection oven, so I am not certain of the exact bake time. I am sorry that I can not be of more help to you. I hope that your cake turns out wonderfully. 🙂
Scott
Thanks for the reply. I figure it out.
I made a double batch and that gave me a total of FOUR 30×30 cakes.
I baked them at 185°C for 25 minutes. They turned out beautifully.
To construct my cake, I put down two sheets, slathered them with a healthy layer of raspberry jam. I put the other two sheets on top of that. I used your butter cream recipe for the icing and added some soft jelly candies as decorations/the finishing touch. The party guests gave nothing but rave reviews. This recipe is now my official go-to.
I am planning to use it for some decorative spring cupcakes this week.
Sam
That is so awesome! Sounds like quite the cake! 🙂
Marian
Hi there,
I dont have cake pans but will ceramic do?
If yes, is there any difference with temp or cooking time? Thanks a lot!
Sam
Hi Marian! That should be just fine. The temperature won’t change but most likely the cakes will need a bit more time in the oven because of the type of pan. I hope that helps!
Amanda
Best vanilla cake recipe ever!!!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Amanda! Thank you for trying my recipe. 🙂
Ashi A
Hi! Do you think I can bake this cake in a bundt pan? If so, will the baking time need to be adjusted?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Ashi! Yes, that will work fine. The baking time will be different. I haven’t tried it myself so I can not give you an exact time so I reccomend keeping an eye on it. I hope that you enjoy the cake. 🙂
T
Using a Bundt pan will bake between 40-45 min. I hope this helps.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so sharing, T! 🙂
Sangheetha
There’s a wonderful recipe however I would like to know if I can add coffee powder into the buttermilk to make a coffee cake?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Sangheetha! I have not tried adding coffee to the buttermilk so I am not sure how it will do. If you are looking for a coffee flavor, maybe experiment with adding that into the icing. I have a coffee cake recipe that you may light as well, not coffee flavored but pairs perfectly with coffee. 🙂
Brianne Yennie
Hi! I am going to make this cake tomorrow. I have 2 8” cake circles. They are not deep like the ones you have. I’ve baked cakes in them before with other recipes, I just don’t want them to over flow. Do you think I’ll be ok to bake the cakes in them?
Sugar Spun Run
How deep are your pans, Brianne? You can always use a little less batter just to be on the safe side. 🙂