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.
Ann
How long would I cook this if I’m cooking it in a bundt cake pan?
Sam
I am not sure as I have never tried cooking it this way.
Nadia
For me, it took 40 minutes.
CK
I wasn’t as pleased with this recipe as everyone else is. The cake wasn’t moist and needs more vanilla extract. I followed the recipe to a “T” but just needs more butter or oil or something. The flavor is OK, but it is too dense and dry.
Sam
Usually when the cake comes out dense it was over mixed or over baked. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you.
Dunni
I love you! I love you!!I love you !!!
I have never made a cake without errors but dis recipe was superb. M sooo happy.
Its funny coz i actually went 2 buy d stuffs needed for d sub of butter cream. M so happy .thanks again
Much love😘😘😘
Eben
Hi Sam
Can I use selfraising flour? If yes will i still add baking powder?
Sam
I’ve only made it with all-purpose and that’s what I recommend for this recipe, I’m sorry but I’m not sure how it would work with selfraising.
Monica Salyer
Amaz ing recipe! Followed it to the “T” with one small exception – I added more vanilla than the recipe called for.
I let the butter, eggs, and buttermilk get to room temperature before putting it all.together, and Everything mixed easily and smoothly.
I decided to make cupcakes instead of cake, and ended up with 30 beautiful, absolutely delicious cupcakes.
I was pleasantly surprised that the final product was only mildly sweet, given the amount of sugar called for.
They were so good that I just ate them plan.
This is definitely now my go-to recipe for vanilla cake/cupcakes
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy it Monica! ☺️
Michelle
I gave this recipe 5 stars because I have tried many others and have failed to find one with good consistency. It is not fluffy like angel food cake or like a boxed cake mix or even like your local bakery. However, it seems like it will stay moist for days, has good vanilla flavor, and it seems like it will hold its shape. I can see why Sam paired it with chocolate frosting because the chocolate does balance it out. I have not tried it with vanilla but will be soon because I have not found another recipe online as good as this one.
Sam
Hi Michelle! The cake does stay nice and moist for several days in an air tight container. I am so glad you like it!
Joyce
Hi Sam,
I’m planning to bake a two-layer 11”by11” square cake for my kids birthday. One layer of chocolate buttermilk and another layer of your recipe.
I’m intending to trial-bake using your above amount for one layer of 11” x 11”. How long do you reckon the baking time will be? Is 50 minutes a good gauge?
Sam
I have not tried so I can’t honestly give you a good gauge. Sorry…
renerose
Absolutely scrumptious. Best vanilla cake I’ve ever made. Thank you so much!!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it! ☺️
Jiaaa
Hi, if i dont have an electronic mixer can i just use a whisk to stir the batter ?
Sam
I have not tried creaming butter with a whisk. It is important to get these ingredients well combined. You can use the whisk for the dry ingredients, but when it comes to folding them together you will want to use a spoon or a spatula and be careful to not over work the batter at that point.
Marguerite
Followed recipe to a tee except had to use splenda to replace sugar. Everything rm. temp. Baked it in a 9×13″ pan for 30 mins. Batter was VERY thick for some reason. Opened a new container of argo baking pwder for it & only folded everything together till mixed. Was more like a bread than cake. Didn’t raise much. Top was hard & cracked like cornbread. Can’t figure out what happened
Sam
Hi Marguerite. I think the splenda substitution was the problem in this instance.
Patra
Can you add more vanilla?
Sam
You would have to experiment to your taste. Adding more will give you a much strong vanilla flavor. ☺️
Patra
Thanks. I’ll let you know how it turns out. First time I made it, it came out not super moist or fluffy, almost more like a bread; but I didn’t have buttermilk, I may have over cooked it, and may have over beaten the batter. How do you know how much to fold the mixtures in and go on to the next?
Sam
You combine them until just combined. You may still even see some flour pieces but not big lumps.
Lilian
Hi can I substitute the buttermilk for whole milk ? If so how many cups can I use ?
Sam
I don’t recommend it, the cake won’t be as moist, but you can try my easy buttermilk substitute.
Lilian
Thank you so much for your response. .looking forward to trying this recipe out 😍😍😍😍
Andrea K Dewhurst
I need to make 100 cupcakes for my son’s birthday Saturday. Does this recipe make good cupcakes, and approximately how many times should I double the amounts? Looking forward to trying this!
Sam
It makes awesome cupcakes!! This recipe will yield 24 cupcakes (so 4 times will give you 96). Fill the liners no more than 3/4 of the way full. Bake them on the same temperature for 17 minutes. ☺️
Mad dog 20 20
This cake was not fluffy. Came out like a sugar free pound cake😕
Sam
There are two possible solutions here, it may have been overcooked, or the batter may have been overbeaten. Hope that helps. ☺️
Rachelle
I want to use this recipe for 2 6” rounds and then mini cupcakes, do you think it will work?
Sam
Yes I think it will work. I’m not sure what bake times would be, or how many mini cupcakes you would be left with.