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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Cake

    The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

    Updated: Jan 10, 2022 โ€ข Published: Jan 10, 2022 by Sam Merritt โ€ข 6,104 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    collage of vanilla cake, top image of single slice close up, bottom image same slice different angle

    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.

    one bite missing from a slice of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting

    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

    overhead view of ingredients for vanilla cake

    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

    collage of four photos showing how to make vanilla cake batter
    1. Cream the butter, oil, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
    2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, add your vanilla and stir to combine.
    3. Combine your dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add about โ…“ of the mixture into your bowl. Use a spatula to gently stir until just combined. Follow this with about ยฝ of your buttermilk, and stir again until just combined. .
    4. Add ยฝ 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!
    collage of two photos showing vanilla cake before and after baking
    1. Divide the batter evenly into two greased baking pans.
    2. 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!

    unfrosted vanilla cake layer cooling on black cooling rack

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use this recipe to make vanilla cupcakes?

    Yes! This vanilla cake recipe will make 24 vanilla cupcakes. I’ve included instructions for cupcakes in the recipe notes.

    Why is my cake crumbly?

    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.

    Why does my cake taste like cornbread?

    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.

    slice of two-layer vanilla cake on a white plate with cake and other slices in background

    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

    one bite missing from a slice of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting

    Vanilla Cake

    This is my perfectly soft, plush, and classic vanilla cake recipe, made completely from scratch! So simple to make and tastes much better than box-mix! Be sure to check out the how-to video!
    4.91 from 1715 votes
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    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Cake, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 404kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    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

    • Mixing bowls
    • 2 8" round cake pans

    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 โ…“ 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
    Bake times for all pans listed above have been provided by readers who have tested this recipe in different sized pans. Please always use the toothpick test to check for doneness and note that your precise bake time may vary depending on your particular baking pan and your oven. I have not tested this recipe in any other baking pans, other than cupcake tins (details for baking cupcakes listed below).

    Vanilla Cupcakes:

    This recipe will make approximately 24 vanilla cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners no more than ยพ 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:
    • Buttercream Frosting
    • Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Ermine Frosting
    • Swiss Meringue Buttercream

    Video note

    In the video I mistakenly say to add more buttermilk than is necessary. The written recipe is correct with 1 ยผ cups of buttermilk.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice (without frosting) | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 368IU | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg

    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.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christina Nickerson

      July 09, 2020 at 4:27 pm

      Canola oil, yikes!! Can you use butter instead?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 09, 2020 at 4:31 pm

        I don’t recommend the butter here it is going to dry out the cake. You can use any neutral oil you’d like. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Mandy

      July 08, 2020 at 8:45 am

      Can u use applesauce instead of oil with the same effect. I don’t care for oil and try to substitute it when possible.

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 09, 2020 at 10:04 am

        Hi Mandy! It could work, but the cake would probably be a little more dense. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Tracy

          July 09, 2020 at 11:31 pm

          Can you add some applesauce in addition to the oil?

        • Sam

          July 10, 2020 at 12:01 pm

          I’m not sure how it would turn out. ๐Ÿ™

    3. Natasha

      July 07, 2020 at 1:37 pm

      Hi. If I want to make this cake in a single layer square 9 x 9 pan ( just my husband and I), should I cut the recipe in half?

      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 08, 2020 at 5:23 pm

        Hi Natasha! This recipe should fit into a 9 inch square pan as it is. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    4. Harry

      July 07, 2020 at 12:06 pm

      Hi, was just wondering if you could substitute coconut extract for the vanilla extract to make a coconut cake

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 07, 2020 at 12:17 pm

        Hi Harry! You can but you will want to use significantly less coconut extract. Alternatively I do have a coconut cake you could make. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Harry Logan

          July 07, 2020 at 12:19 pm

          Thank you

    5. Smriti Edwards

      July 07, 2020 at 10:29 am

      Hi, would I need to change quantities for a 9×13 sheet pan? I am hoping to make a 4 shaped birthday cake for my son next week and would love to use this recipe. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 07, 2020 at 11:25 am

        This recipe as is will fit in a 9 x 13 pan. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Smriti Edwards

          July 07, 2020 at 12:41 pm

          Perfect! Thank you! Canโ€™t wait to try it ๐Ÿ™‚

    6. Abby

      July 06, 2020 at 10:20 pm

      I donโ€™t have buttermilk! Is there a way to make it without?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 07, 2020 at 11:47 am

        Hi Abby! Please refer to my post on how to make buttermilk. You should make this cake with buttermilk. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. Josselyne M

      July 04, 2020 at 11:02 pm

      Would you be able to do this with a paddle attachment? Why does it have to be a spatula?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 05, 2020 at 10:41 am

        Hi Josselyne. You want to do it by hand so you don’t over-mix the batter. If you over mix the batter your cake will come out dense and not taste right.

        Reply
    8. Patricia

      July 04, 2020 at 4:33 pm

      Love your recipes and videos. Can I make these ahead or time and freeze? Would I leave parchment paper on when freezing?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 05, 2020 at 10:52 am

        Hi Patricia! You can freeze these cakes. You don’t need to leave the parchment paper rounds on them, just make sure to wrap them tightly so they don’t dry out in the freezer. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    9. Jill

      July 04, 2020 at 3:58 pm

      Getting ready to make this but I don’t have round cake pans. How should I adjust the bake temperature and time for a 9ร—13 glass pan?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 05, 2020 at 10:51 am

        Hi Jill! You won’t need to change the temperature but the bake time will change. I have had someone report a 30 minute bake time in a 9 x 13, but that was with a metal pan, so just keep an eye on it. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    10. Makenna

      July 04, 2020 at 1:27 pm

      Hi!would this be suitable for kids to make?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 05, 2020 at 11:46 am

        Hi Makenna! I have several younger children bake this cake. Of course some supervision is probably necessary, but they can definitely do it. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    11. Michiko

      July 04, 2020 at 9:54 am

      4 stars
      I love this recipe! After many dry and dense cake failures this one was so fluffy and moist! My only concern is that I can taste the baking soda taste a little bit Iโ€™m the cake. Would using both baking soda and baking powder help with that (and decreasing amount of baking soda )?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 04, 2020 at 10:31 am

        Hi Michiko! You shouldn’t taste any baking soda here. If you do your baking soda may be bad. I would not try adding baking soda here. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    12. Roh

      July 04, 2020 at 5:57 am

      5 stars
      I followed your recipe and my cakes were really soft and yummy. One of them cracked and spilt into two. I wonder why. But the other one was just flawless. I joined the cracked cake with some buttercream frosting I made and used it as a bottom layer. But overall the cake with vanilla buttercream frosting was just too good. Thank you. So grateful.

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 06, 2020 at 1:33 pm

        Hmmm it’s so weird that one of them cracked but not the others. Did you bake them all on the same rack? Maybe the one that cracked was a little more shallow? Was it dried out by chance? All I can think is that it was over-baked, but I’m glad you were able to enjoy it! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    13. Reena

      July 03, 2020 at 10:03 pm

      Hi, for the butter and sugar thereโ€™s no need to cream them? Just mix together is it?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 04, 2020 at 10:41 am

        Hi Reena! Please refer to step 2. You need to cream them together. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    14. Vanessa

      July 03, 2020 at 3:56 pm

      Hi, I am trying to became a baker myself but does this recipe with 6 inch pans. Or how much thing Iโ€™ll need like cups and stuff?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 04, 2020 at 10:55 am

        Hi Vanessa! This recipe will make enough batter to fill at least 3 6″ pans. Baking time will be shorter though. Make sure you don’t overfill the pans. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    15. Dave

      July 03, 2020 at 10:02 am

      Can I substitite regular milk for buttermilk?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 04, 2020 at 11:00 am

        Hi Dave! I would recommend making my buttermilk substitute instead of using just plain milk here. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Isabel Correa

        July 06, 2020 at 3:01 pm

        Hi, I’m from Brazil, and it’s extremely hard to find buttermilk here. Can I use just plain semi-fat milk?
        Thanks, I look forward to making that cake!

        Reply
        • Sam

          July 06, 2020 at 3:25 pm

          Hi Isabel! If you don’t have access to buttermilk I recommend using my buttermilk substitute. ๐Ÿ™‚

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