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.
Lucy Longo
Best vanilla cake ever! Thank you so much for sharing.<3
Rachael Shoy
Hi sam,
Great recipe! Made this cake two times already with success. I was wondering if i can use cake flour the next time around. Thank you!
Sam
Hi Rachael! Cake flour will work, just make sure to substitute it properly. If using weights it’s the same weight if using cups you will need 1C + 2TBSP of cake flour for every 1C of all purpose flour. 🙂
Rebekah
hi!! i’d like to make mini cupcakes with this recipe; what temp/ time should i bake them at?
Sam
Hi Rebekah! I haven’t made them mini but I would think they would need about 14-15 minutes and the temperature will remain the same. 🙂
NewBaler
Hi,
I have prepared a rainbow cake for my daughter’s birthday with this recipe. The measurements were perfect. It took exactly 30 mins to to bake.
Thank you so much for the recipe.
Keep posting new baking recipes to us.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Penny
Hello, For my granddaughter’s 3rd birthday, she wants a vanilla cake that is pink with yellow frosting 🙂 Could I use this recipe and add red food coloring to make it pink? and the buttercream recipe and add yellow food coloring? Or do you have a better suggestion? Thanks for your help!
Sam
Hi Penny! That will work just fine. I would stir the food coloring in right at the end of combining the wet and dry ingredients. 🙂
Kerey
Hands down, the best vanilla cake recipe I came across. I made them yesterday for my boy’s birthday and it turned out so soft! I am going to use your white chocolate buttercream frosting to decorate.
The only change I made to the recipe is the amount of flour – I used reduce 350g (300g flour + 50g cornflour).
I know you have a vanilla cupcakes recipe but can I bake this batter into cupcakes? How long do you think I need to bake them for?
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Kerey! If you want to bake it as cupcakes, they will need to bake for about 17 minutes. 🙂
patee
I tried the vanilla came recipe and the cake was almost cornbread consistency and not sweet. Any ideas what I did wrong?
Sam
O no! I’m so sorry this happened! The most likely culprits of this are over-mixing the batter and over-baking the cake. 🙁
Dupy
Hello Sam, please I will like to know the shelf life of the cake. Will try it soon.
Sam
It will last about a week in an air tight container at room temperature. 🙂
Mallory.engen@gmail.com
Hello! Do you know how many cups of batter this recipe makes off hand? I need to fill: 4″, 6″, 8″ and 10″ x 3″ deep cake pans and am not sure how any recipes I’ll need 🙂
Love this recipe though!
Thanks so much!!!
Sam
Hi Mallory! This recipe will make about 8 cups of batter. 🙂
Ines
Hi Sam,
I just love your recipes. I’m planning on baking your vanilla cake recipe for a birthday cake. I need to ask for your recommendation on the measurement of the flour. I measured and leveled with a measuring cup making sure that the flour was not packed. When I went to weigh it, it was more than the 375 g. I remeasured again and when the flour was placed on the scale it was around 400 g. Should I go with the weight instead of the measuring cup? Thank you so much! I look forward to all your fantastic recipes.
Sam
Thank you so much, Ines! If you have a scale available, I always recommend using the gram measurements for best results. 🙂
Maddie
Hi! I love this recipe! I’ve been gluten-free for 3 years now and using your recipe with cup4cup all-purpose flour works so well! It’s the only recipe I’ve been able to substitute without resulting in a dry, crumbling mess. 10/10. Will be making this for every birthday in the future! Have you ever tried adding lemon zest for an extra kick?
Sam
I’m so glad you have enjoyed it so much, Maddie! I have not tried adding lemon zest but that sounds delicious. I would add a tablespoon or 2 with the butter and sugar. 🙂
Katie
Can the buttermilk be substituted with something else?
Sam
Hi Katie! I have a buttermilk substitute you can use. 🙂
Ivy
Hi,
I’m an amateur at baking. Can I substitute all-purpose flour with cake flour?
Sam
Hi Ivy! You can use cake flour here. If you are using weight measurements the weight will be the same. If you are using cup measurements you will need 1C + 2 TBSP of cake flour for every 1C of all purpose flour the recipe calls for. 🙂
Ivy
Thank you! Will do tat! Have been suing cake premix only. Got lots to learn here!
Kerri Andrews
Love this recipe! 1st time was for a birthday cake for granddaughter. This time cupcakes for her sister. I had seen vanilla cupcakes with triple berry frosting at a bakery, so I thought this recipe would be perfect. Will use berry juice in the frosting.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kerri! The berry juice addition sounds delicious. 🙂
Sindee
I have made this cake before and love it. My son wants me to make this cake but add peaches to the batter. He does not want a peach cake, but a birthday cake with peaches in it. Would this work with this recipe?
Sam
Hi Sindee! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the cake! So peaches could be a bit tricky. While I think you *should* be fine to simply add them to the batter at the end, I just want to note that peaches contain a lot of moisture so could ultimately end up altering the texture of the cake. This wouldn’t necessarily be bad and could even make the cake more moist, I just wanted to let you know. If you do try adding them would you let me know how it turns out for you?
Sindee
Thank you so much! I love your recipes! Will definitely let you know how it comes out.
Do you think if I puréed the peaches it would be better than adding sliced peaches?
Sam
I think chopped would be your best bet. You could try my pineapple upside down cake but use peaches instead as an alternative. 🙂
Sunny
Hi, Can I soak the cake layers with simple syrup? Will the cake hold shape?
Sam
Hi Sunny! That will work fine. These cakes will hold their shape. 🙂
Chimya
I have used this recipe more times than I can count and I keep getting better at it. My friends love it. This is a perfect vanilla cake. Thanks for sharing.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Chimya! 🙂
Ju
This was fantastic, super straight forward and hubby loved it as a bday cake =) thanks for sharing!