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.
Esther
Hi! I’ve been browsing a bit on your cake recipes because I am trying to bake a cake for my birthday, and I was wondering about how much frosting in cups or ounces does this make?
Sam
Hi Esther! I honestly have never measured or weighed the frosting in this way. I will have to do so next time so I can let you know.
Tammy
AMAZING!!! This is my first time making a cake and it came out so good!!! Followed instructions to a T except for making my own buttermilk cause I had none. Sooooooo good!!!!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed, Tammy! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know how it turned out for you, I appreciate it! 🙂
Emily
Hi! Never made a cake before and I only have 2 9×3 pans. Do you have an estimate of how long that would take? Thank you!!
Sam
Hi Emily! The cakes will take a bit less time in the oven, I’d start checking them around 23-25 minutes. I hope you love the cake!
Emily
Sam! Just pulled them out of the oven! So excited, they look pretty good! I want to frost them tomorrow. How should I store them in the meantime?
Sam
Hi Emily! Once they cool you can just wrap them with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. 🙂
Bridget
The cake is a winner! This is the 3rd cake I’ve tried recently the other 2 were epic fails this one was perfect. I used your vanilla buttercream recipe instead of chocolate as my 6 year old prefers vanilla. I will post to Instagram also and add photos 🙂 I want to try your cream cheese frosting next as my husband and I are not buttercream fans, though my six year old could have eaten the whole bowl of the vanilla buttercream.
Sam
I am SO Happy to hear this, Bridget! I love this cake with cream cheese frosting, too, it’s my favorite. Thank you for commenting and letting me know how it turned out for you, I really appreciate it! 🙂
Mickayla
This is my second time using this recipe & I have not been more delighted with a cake recipe! I use a butter cream frosting instead. The first time I used 2 round pans and coated the sides with shredded coconut. This time I used a 9×13 dish, used the butter cream, strawberries and blueberries to make it look like an American flag for Memorial Day.
Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Sam
I am so thrilled to hear it has been such a hit for you, Mickayla! Thank you for commenting and letting me know how it turned out for you, I really appreciate it! 🙂
Linda
Can I use this recipe for a 13×9
Sheet cake???
And at what temp to bake and for how long??
Also I can’t find buttermilk
Thank you
Linda Burns
Sam
Hi Linda, yes you can, several people have said that it takes about 30 minutes but I would keep an eye on it to be safe. I do have an easy buttermilk substitute you can use instead.
Charlene
This recipe is spot on!!!! Perfect for high altitude baking!!! Now I need a white cake and a chocolate recipe, and I’ll take a vanilla recipe too if you have!!!
Sam
I’m so glad to hear that it worked so well at high altitude, too! Thank you for commenting, Charlene, I appreciate it! 🙂
Saba
Hi, I’ve made your cake twice now, and I have to say it really is the best vanilla cake. Perfectly soft texture and totally yummy. Just one thing, I find that my cakes rises a bit too much ( I use 8 inch pans), definitely much higher than the pictures here. Do you think I can easily deacrease the baking powder a little bit? ( totally a beginner baker, so I’m sorry if this is a dumb question ) 🙈
Sam
So glad to hear it’s been such a success, Saba! I honestly wouldn’t recommend decreasing the baking powder, I would recommend using a sharp serrated knife to level the cake once it cools rather than decreasing the baking powder because reducing the baking powder could change the overall consistency of the cake.
Rosemary
Hi, my name is Rosemary from Kenya, Africa. Im actually in my kitchen, I want to bake a vanilla cake using your recipe
My question is , is it ok to use less butter if I don’t have enough?
Sam
Hi Rosemary, I really don’t recommend reducing the butter, but you could substitute the missing butter with additional oil. Just keep in mind you will lose some of the flavor that the butter offers.
Lori
Hi there!
Could I add lemon zest and lemon extract to this recipe?
If so, how much would you recommend?
Sam
Hi Lori! I’d add 2-3 Tablespoons of fresh lemon zest in with the sugar, reduce the vanilla extract to just 1/2-1 teaspoon, and add a teaspoon or more of lemon extract. Enjoy!
Palak
Can I substitute this cake using Splenda sugar substitute?
And I want to make mini cake like 6 slices do u have right measurements for that?
Sam
I’m honestly not familiar with sugar substitutes and I don’t but hopefully someone else can chime in!
Lisa Ochoa
Hi! How easily could I split the layers? I like thin layers and I plan on alternating cream cheese frosting and berries.
Sam
Hi Lisa, you can bake in more pans (you will need to reduce the bake time) or allow the cakes to cool completely and carefully cut in half with a sharp serrated knife. Sounds delicious with the cream cheese frosting and berries!
Ann
Hi Sam – As a follow up to Lisa’s question…will the recipe be enough to make three 8” round cake pans that result in slightly thinner layers? Hoping to make an ombré cake! Thanks.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Ann! Yes, you can make (3) 8″ round cakes, the layers will just be thinner and require less time to bake. 🙂
Carol
This was an absolutely delicious cake! I had my daughter use this recipe for a Girl Scout project and it turned out great! Will be making this again!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this, Carol! Thank you so much for commenting, I appreciate it! 🙂
Cindy
Hi! Can I use cake flour??
Sam
Yes, but the substitution must be done properly. If you use weights you need the same weight. If you measure by cups you need 1 c + 2 tablespoons for each cup of all purpose flour. 🙂
Jayme
How many cupcakes will this recipe make ?
Sam
Approximately 24. Enjoy! 🙂
Linda
Hi…I made this cake a month ago for a child’s birthday and we were A M A Z E D! My husband dreams of this cake often. It’s now our go-to for all things “cake”!
I was wondering if I might make it in a sheet cake pan measuring~~13X9?
Thanks!
LDK
Sam
I am so thrilled to hear this, Linda! Yes, it will work as 9×13 sheet pan just keep in mind that the baking time will vary. I believe that others have commented that it has taken them about 30 minutes to bake in this size pan, but keep an eye on it! 🙂
Mariam
Can I swap the buttermilk for half-and-half? I noticed the other comment about half-and-half and vinegar but I’m not sure what the ratio would be . Hoping to make this for my daughter’s first birthday today!
Sam
I’m honestly not sure how that would work, hoping someone else who has tried it can chime in!