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). Itโs 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 thatโs 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 doesnโt 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; weโre 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 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. .
- 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!
- 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. Itโs 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 itโs 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!). Donโt 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!
Letโs bake together! Iโll 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
- ยฝ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ยฝ cup (120 g) avocado, canola or vegetable oilยน
- 1 ยฝ cup (300 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flourยฒ
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 1 ยผ 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 pansยณ 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.ยฝ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ยฝ cup (120 g) avocado, canola or vegetable oilยน, 1 ยฝ 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 flourยฒ, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, ยฝ 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.ย 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 ยผ 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
ยนCooking 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.ยยฒCake Flour
You may substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour. Use 3 โ cups or 375g of cake flour.ยณDifferent 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:ย 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 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.ยFrosting 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 ยผ 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.
Jisoo
Hi Sam,
I want to make this cake for my brother’s birthday and I was wondering if the cake would still turn out ok if I reduced the sugar to 1 cup instead of 1.5 cups. What do you think?
Thank you!!
Sam
I haven’t tried it. The cake should still turn out the flavor would just be altered.
Kim
Can I make this recipe as cupcakes ?
Sam
Yes you can. Just bake them for 17 minutes at the same temperature and be sure not to fill the cupcake liners up more than 3/4 of the way full. โบ๏ธ
Bilal
Your recipes are so amaizing… I cant wait to try baking the Vanilla Cake
Sam
Thank you so much! I am glad you like them and I hope you love the cake. โบ๏ธ
Johanna
Awesome cake! I made just the cake, no frosting, to use in a trifle, and it is wonderfully moist and fluffy and flavorful. I baked it in a 13×9 baking pan. This will be my new go to for vanilla cake.
Sam
I am so glad your enjoyed it Johanna! ๐
carmen
I finished with the baking and the frosting…. it’s not ready to frost yet.. my question is why the cakes rise like a volcano at top.. I know it goes down but it is like to high volcano …lol
Sam
I’m not sure, mine hasn’t done this. Your oven could be running a little hot which would cause the outsides to bake faster than the center.
Veena Rathi
Hi, I baked this delicious finger licking cake today, for my husbandโs birthday.
It was a huge it ! According to him itโs the best cake heโs ever eaten!
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Veena! ๐
Desiree Dana'an
Do you think there might be a way to make this without the buttermilk? My daughter is lactose intolerant so we have almond milk on hand…. Lol sorry in advance. What is the problems we face if we don’t include it?
Sam
I think you should be able to use the almond milk. I would still add a little bit of lemon juice. Check out the directions for my buttermilk substitute for how much to use. That being said, the cake may not be as moist as it should be. I think it will still be good though. โบ๏ธ
Nare Macdonald
This cake is so so delicious. I baked it for my son’s birthday and lets just say the were no crumbs left. It very rare to come across an online recipe that comes out so perfect.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it! โบ๏ธ
Yana Van Tatenhove
Good evening Sam, we are going to bake your cake for upcoming Birthday party this weekend, and I was wondering how much batter you usually get from one batch? We are making 12″ cake so need to decide how many batches we will need to make.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Sam
I’m not sure how to convert it for you. I am not sure the dimensions of your pan. The recipe makes about 8 cups of batter (this is for both pans). A 12 inch round cake pan would need about 16 cups of batter. I hope that helps.
Yana Van Tatenhove
Thank you for your reply. I am using Wilton 12inch round pan 2inch high. Wilton has a very helpful website with a cake baking/serving guide that I already used previously. You gave me enough information to calculate the adjustments for a bigger cake.
Here the website link if someone else will find it useful https://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html
Thank you a lot again for you help!!!
Sam
Wow great information there, thanks for sharing! I am bookmarking that one so I don’t have to do the math myself. โบ๏ธ
sheridan
Hi, I would like to make this cake 4 days in advance of a birthday party. How do I store the cake without it getting dry or dense?
Sam
4 days is pushing it a bit. If you store it in the refrigerator, it will probably dry it out. Is it possible to make the layers and freeze them?
Tasha Demirel
Dear Sam, I am not a very good baker as I messed up boxed cakes. I came across your cake recipe and made it for my daughterโs birthday party. Everybody loved the cake. What I actually did was I made 12 cupcakes and I had to small I guess six-inch cake pans. So I made this small center cake which was three tears as I could cut the small cake and half. When I returned one of the lawyers was missing as my daughter and her friend had taken it and were eating and going crazy on how good the cake wars LOL.
I would add a photo I just donโt know how to attach it to this blog. Look forward to trying your chocolate cake as that is my husbandโs favorite and his birthday is in three weeks look forward to reading more of your recipes in trying them out.
From a non-Bakker to a baker I thank you Tosha
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cake! Unfortunately there isn’t a very good way to share pictures here, but if you want to join my Facebook Group and post pictures there, I’d love to see them! I hope you try some more recipes and love them all.โบ๏ธ
Amber
Iโm new to baking, sadly my cake was dense and didnโt rise much. Any tips?? Maybe I over mixed???
Thank you!
Sam
I think that may have been the issue. Did you watch the video on how to do it? I find sometimes that can be helpful. โบ๏ธ
Mary
My cake fell apart. Followed the directions exactly. Iโm wondering if I had used my mixer to combine all ingredients, would it have held together better? Taste great though!
Sam
Hi Mary. Yes it is very important to use a mixer to cream the butter, sugars, and oils together. You don’t have a to have a stand mixer, a hand mixer would suffice in this situation. โบ๏ธ
Kajori Mondal
I just have a wisk. No stand mixer ot hand mixer. What should I do?
Sam
It is going to be very tough to cream the butter and sugars together with a whisk, and this is a vital step.
Ivy
I did 2 cakes one day and the mixer was dirty and was in the washer getting cleaned Andy I just used my hands and it worked perfectly
Joyce
Thanks for sharing the recipe. Turned out perfect! Let me ask though, what causes the cake to sometimes crack in top?
Sam
I think you could have a few issues at play here: your oven could be running at a higher temperature than you set it to, or some over/under mixing could have occured when preparing the batter. Hope that helps. โบ๏ธ
Paula
I want to tell you that the cake is finger licking good. Thatโs the first time in a long time I made a cake and it was moist and not too sweet. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Paula! โบ๏ธ