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 unsalted butter softened to room temperature (113g)
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil¹ (120ml)
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar (300g)
- 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk room temperature preferred (300ml)
- 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 pans² 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 until thoroughly combined 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 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).
- 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).
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.²Different 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: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.
Anonymous
It’s so easy to make and it’s delicious
Evelia Morales
Hi, your cake recipe looks delicious and now I want to try! How much do I need for 12×2 or 12×3 round pan? Thank you!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Evelia! This recipe will make enough batter for one layer in that size pan. If you want to do two 12″ layers, you’ll need to double it. The baking time will be less, so be sure to watch them closely. 🙂
Victoria Hill
Hi! I’m going to be making a number cake and will be using 2 half sheet pans (12×18). Should I double or triple this recipe? Thanks in advance!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Victoria! A 12 x 18 sheet pan will hold about 16 cups of batter. This recipe makes about 8 cups of batter, so you would need to make four batches to fit two 12 x 18 pans.
Angela V Buchanan
could i use substitute cake flour for all purpose flour?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yes you can. We hope you love this cake, Angela!
SK
New to baking cakes and I’m attempting to use your recipe for my son’s third birthday.
Do you know how I would arrange the two pans in the oven to bake for an even cook? Do I place both 8” pans side by side on the middle rack?
Sam
You are correct. Side by side on the middle rack is the best way to get an even bake on the two cakes. 🙂
SK
Thanks for the quick reply! So no need to rotate or swap places at the half way point when you place the pans side by side?
Sam
I’ve never needed to when baking just two layers and generally don’t like to open the oven door any more than I have to, but if your oven bakes unevenly it would be a good idea to do so.
Mallory
This looks so so good. I’ve been searching for a vanilla cake recipe. Can I use 375g of cake flour instead of AP flour? I personally love using cake flour in my cakes. Have to try soon!
Sam
Yes you can! I hope you love it!
Julie
Hi! Thank you for sharing your recipe. I’ve tried making this recipe twice, but both times my batter looks lumpy and not smooth after hand-mixing. I’m afraid to over-mix it as well if I continue mixing to get the clumps of flour out. Does it typically take you a while before the batter smooths out too?
Sam
Hi Julie! It can still have some lumps in it, but it shouldn’t be really really lumpy. You can actually see how it looks in the video. You do want to be careful to not over-mix the batter. 🙂
Britt a
Is it really one tablespoon of baking powder????
Sam
Yes
Kenny
Hello Sam! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will be using this recipe to make four 6inch cakes. Will the batter be enough or do you recommend I increase it by 25% or 50%?
Sam
Hi Kenny! The layers may be a little bit thin if you use 4 six inch pans. Increasing the recipe by 25% should give you plenty of batter. 🙂
Gayle
Is this good for layer cakes? I’ve tried different recipes and they have ALL fallen apart!
Sam
Hi Gayle! This one should hold together pretty well. 🙂
Dee
Hi,
How many cups of batter does this make? It looks like you used 8″x3″ cake pans, but i would like to make a 3 layer cake using 8″x2″ cake pans. Do i need to adjust the recipe?
Sam
Hi Dee! It makes about 8 cups of batter. You’ll want to increase the recipe by 50%. 🙂
Saba
Hi Sam!
Can I add chocolate chips to this cake? I have a request for vanilla cake with chocolate chips, and I love this recipe too much to try something else :p
Sam
Hi Saba! Adding chocolate chips to this cake should work just fine. 🙂
Sarah
Hi! How would I convert this to 2 6inch pans? My instinct is to just make it how you have it and use extra (if any) for cupcakes. What do you think? Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Sarah! You can make this in six inch pans, but your bake time will be different. Also, you will definitely have leftover batter, and you can just use it for cupcakes 😊
Theresa
Hey, Sam!!! If I use nonstick cake pans does the temp of the oven and time to bake change?
Sam
Hi Theresa! A nonstick pan won’t change any thing here. Sometimes if you use a really dark colored pan the bake time may reduce by a minute or two. 🙂
Theresa
Thank you, Sam!!
Deepanjali Singh
Hi can I use this recipe for a 9cup bundt pan?? The pan is Nordic ware gingerbread house bundt pan.. so was wondering if I could use this recipe in the pan..!! Please do let me know. Many thanks
Sam
Your pan should hold all of the batter but I’m not sure on a bake time.
Rebecca Pascarella
I recently used this recipe for a wedding cake. I paired mine with an old-fashioned fluffy, boiled icing. Because my icing needs to stay refrigerated, I made many 8 inch double layer cakes so they could stay boxed and chilled until the cake cutting. This recipe makes a perfect amount of batter for two pans! It’s easy and had nothing but great comments from tons of our guests!! Thank you for sharing!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Rebecca! 🙂
Jenny
Can I use this cake with the giant cupcake pan? It states to use a more dense cake. Thanks!
Sam
Hi Jenny! I haven’t tried it before. I think it could work, but this isn’t a really dense cake. Let me know how it goes if you do try it! 🙂
Jenny
Hey Sam, I did use the Wilton Giant cupcake pan and it did work, the only thing is it was about a cup short of filling the pan. Would use this recipe again for it the cake is just a little smaller. I am using your recipe for the cupcakes as well. The cake is very flavorful! Thanks for sharing.
Sam
I’m so happy to hear it! Thank you for the feedback. 🙂