A classic vanilla cake recipe, made completely from scratch! Ditch the box mixes — you’ll love how easy, moist and fluffy this homemade vanilla cake is!
I’m back in cold, snow-covered Pennsylvania after a long, wonderful (if not very warm… we arrived in the midst of a cold spell!) weekend in Florida with family. My cousin and my sister both ran in the Disney marathon and I nearly screamed a lung out on the Tower of Terror 😱.
My sister had a bad cold for the trip but still managed to run the Disney marathon and beat her own time, despite being barely able to even talk. I caught the cold on the way back home and don’t seem to be able to muster up the energy to change out of sweatpants or cook myself anything other than vanilla cake. The endurance gene skipped right over me, I swear.
Orrrrr, maybe it just exhibits itself in different ways. There’s no way I could run a marathon, but I can endure recipe fail after recipe fail after recipe fail until I land on the most perfect vanilla cake recipe there ever was.
Completely cloaked in chocolate frosting, naturally.
This vanilla cake recipe has been a long time coming. The journey began with my pineapple upside-down cake and was continued with my marble cake recipe — if you recall it took me almost a dozen attempts to get the vanilla cake base of those recipes right. A few more tweaks were still needed to make this a perfect standalone vanilla cake recipe, but, after a lot of wasted ingredients, we have arrived.
Looks like I can endure after all.
Tips for making the perfect vanilla cake recipe
- It’s best if all of your ingredients are at room temperature. I like to set out my butter, eggs, and buttermilk early in the morning so that they have reached room temperature by the time I am ready to bake.
- Don’t switch out the oil for more butter. This vanilla cake recipe uses both butter and oil because it gives it the best possible taste while still preserving the soft, fluffy texture that you want. Using all butter will actually likely make your cake more dense and dry. You can, however, substitute vegetable oil for the canola oil without issue.
- Make sure that your vanilla cake cools completely before frosting! If it’s warm at all, it’s likely to melt the frosting, leaving you with a big mess (ask me how I know…).
- Store your finished vanilla cake in an airtight container (like an airtight cake carrier). It will keep at room temperature for several days, or longer if stored in the refrigerator.
Be sure to check out my most recent video where I walk through all the steps to make the perfect vanilla cake, completely from scratch (printable recipe is just below the video).
Make sure that you also check out my favorite chocolate cake recipe!!
Enjoy!
How to Make Vanilla Cake
Vanilla Cake
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (113g)
- ½ cup canola oil* (120ml)
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar 300g
- 4 eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk room temperature preferred (300ml)
- 1 batch Chocolate Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and prepare two deep 8" round cake pans** 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.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and 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 smooth and completely combined, but avoid over-mixing.
- 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 and decorate with sprinkles (if desired).
Notes
How to Make Into Vanilla Cupcakes:
Fill cupcake liners no more than 3/4 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. This recipe will make approximately 24 cupcakes.Nutrition
Christina says
Hello! Can I use this recipe to make it into a funfetti? I have your other recipe, but I have my heart set on this one! Wondering if the sprinkles would “work” with this cake. Thanks
Sam says
Hi Christina! You can definitely add sprinkles! Gently fold them in at the end while you’re stirring in the flour. Don’t use nonpareils (the tiny round sprinkles) as they’ll turn the cake batter grey, but traditional sprinkles/jimmies or those round, flat confetti quins will work!
Aya Faghihi says
Amazing 😉
Aya Faghihi says
I put four stars cease there was to much salt
Sam says
Hi Aya, did you use salted butter or self rising flour by chance? I wouldn’t recommend reducing the salt in the recipe.
Ra says
Hello,
I was wondering if this cake can be made in a bundt pan and if so, what changes should be made?
Also, I am looking for a simple cake recipe that could be topped with homemade lemon curd, can i use this one? (I would probably make one 8″ cake by only using half of everything)
Thanks. Love all your recipes 🙂
Sam says
Hi Ra! That would be fine, I believe others have commented that it takes about 45 minutes in a bundt pan but keep an eye on it to be safe. This would certainly work with lemon curd. Enjoy! 🙂
Alyaa says
Hi, can I substitute the butter milk with anything?
Sam says
Hi Alyaa! See my easy buttermilk substitute 🙂
Deborah says
This was an amazing cake! I poured the entire batter into a 9×9 inch cake pan and let it bake for around approximately 47 minutes at 350 F and let it cool for 20 minutes. It was perfect! I baked it for my mom’s birthday and she loved it too! I also used your cream cheese frosting recipe- which was also very popular with my family. I haven’t been disappointed by any of your recipes- I follow them exactly and they turn out so amazing…thank you for sharing these amazing recipes!!
Sam says
I am SO happy to hear this, Deborah!! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know how it turned out for you, I really appreciate it! 🙂
Mia says
I may sound dumb for asking, but for the sugar is it granulated or confectioners? Thanks!
Sam says
Hi Mia! It is granulated, I will make sure to clarify that, thank you! I hope you love the cake!
Chassy says
Can I substitute the canola oil with anything?
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Chassy! You can, but you want to use a neutral-flavored oil, like vegetable or grapeseed. 🙂
Ash says
Hi Sam, I baked my first cake using your best chocolate cake recipe and it turned out great. I’m going to try this vanilla cake recipe next but I’d like to make one of the layers chocolate. Can I split the batter in half and add cocoa powder with the hot coffee at the end? Or do I need to make two separate cakes?
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Ash! If you like the chocolate and vanilla combo, I would suggest trying my marble cake instead. You can choose to marble the cake or bake the two flavors separately. I hope that you enjoy it! 🙂
Ash says
Thanks!, Keep up the good work! 👍🏼
Bhavya Singh says
Hi I have tried this exact earlier and it has been perfect but I have to make the cake eggless this time … Can you suggest any substitute ?
Sugar Spun Run says
I am happy that you enjoyed the cake, Bhavya! Unfortunately, I have not tried making this recipe egg-less so I can not provide you with any personal recommendations. I have not tried it, but you could try substituting with apple sauce. The rule of thumb is that for each egg that the recipe calls for, you will use 1/4 cup of applesauce. I am not sure how this will alter the taste or texture, but I hope that it helps. Keep me posted on how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
eve says
How would I divide this recipe is I want to make a 6 in cake instead. I have 2 6inx3in pans?
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Eve! This recipe is designed to fit make (2) 8″ cakes. My best guess would be to divide this recipe in half. Since than pan since is different than what is listed the baking time will also be different so you’ll want to keep an eye on it. I hope that you enjoy the cake! 🙂
Arella says
I loved this cake so much 🍰😋😊😊😍😘
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cake, Arella! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Rachael says
Hey. Can I add pink dye to this recipe and sprinkles to make it a pink sponge funfetti cake or better to use ur funfetti cake recipe for the colours to come out better. It’s for my babies first birthday on Sunday.
Rachael says
Also if I can only fit in two cake tins (8inch) is the batter ok to store in fridge or best to bake at same time. Feel like it might not come out as good if it’s been sitting.
Sugar Spun Run says
Happy first birthday to your little one, Rachel! What an exciting birthday to be celebrating! If you wish to dye the cake batter pink, for more vibrant results I would use my funfetti cake recipe instead. The vanilla cake has a yellowish hue making the colors dull. Something else you could try is my strawberry cake. The pink color and flavor of the cake is amazing. Either recipe will work well. The funfetti cake uses (3) 8″ pans. Since you only have two on hand, you will leave the other cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it and other cakes have finished. I hope that it comes out amazing and you have a nice celebration. 🙂
Chin says
Hi, can I use a 9” cake pan to make this recipe? If so, how do I go about doing it
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Chin! You may use 9″ cake pans instead, but watch the cooking time as they may need less time in the oven. 🙂
Victoria says
Ok, so I’ve made this recipe several times and I always get to the buttermilk part and remember I don’t have it. So I’ve made it with half and half and red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar… whatever I happen to have. Each time it turns out amazing! I have yet to ruin this by not having buttermilk. It always turns out amazing. It’s the best vanilla cake recipe I’ve come across!!
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that this cake recipe has turned out perfectly every time that you have made it, Victoria. I am so happy to hear that you have enjoyed it. Thank you so much for commenting. 🙂