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.
Belinda Miller
Can I make my own buttermilk using milk and lemon juice please
Sam
Absolutely, here are my instructions for making a buttermilk substitute
Belinda Miller
Thankyou for the reply, I am looking forward to trying this recipe 🙂
Apples
THANK YOU! This is the best recipe! Not too sweet and perfectly fluffy and moist. I live at about 5280 ft. and I did not do any high altitude conversions- just follow the recipe to a T and it will be perfect!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear it was such a success for you!! Thank you for commenting! <3
Kimberly Newman
Will try this for a baby shower this weekend.
Will this recipe work well with cupcakes?
Sam
Yes it will! Bake on the same temperature as you would the cake, don’t fill liners more than 3/4 full and they’ll need to bake about 17 minutes. Should make around 24 cupcakes. Enjoy!
Eve
I’m super excited and can hardly wait to try this tonight. It’s my son’s bday and I’m doing your chocolate Frosting with rainbow sprinkles. I can tell this recipe is good. The batter was like a cream colored pillow of happiness pouring into the pan. I used 9 inch pans and they were ready at about 28 min. I will report back!
Sam
I hope you and your son LOVE it, Eve!!! <3
Asya
Can I substitute butter with oil ? Over all how much oil should I add ?
Sam
I don’t recommend it but you *can*, you would do an even substitution of oil for the butter.
Rumaisa
I want to make cupcakes with this recipe. How many cupcakes will it make and on what temperature.
Sam
About 24 cupcakes. Bake on same temp about 17 minutes, don’t fill liners higher than 3/4 full max. Enjoy!
Megan
Thanks for the recipe! My husband’s birthday is today and things are tight financially. I decided to look for a recipe instead of going to the store. Luckily we happen to have all of the ingredients (including the buttermilk!) needed to make this cake! This will be my first time making one from scratch. 🤞 We live at a high altitude. Any thoughts on how much extra flour to add? I haven’t even a clue.
Sam
I’m sorry, Megan. I am not familiar with high altitude baking. 🙁 I hope you love the cake though.
Tejaswi Dilip Jadhav
Can I use homemade ghee instead of butter?and one more question that can I use wipping cream instead of butter milk?
Sam
I believe the ghee would work as a substitute here, however, I haven’t tried it so I can’t be sure. I do not recommend substituting whipping cream for butter milk. If you don’t have buttermilk, I do have a recipe for a buttermilk substitute you can use. 🙂
Astrid
Hey Sam. Can i add thawed frozen blueberries and raspberries to the batter before baking? Or rather, do you think it is a bad idea (moisture and so on)? I really want to add some fruit to this batter to make it fresh, fun and super delicious. Any recommendations on how to do it best?😍🍇🥝🍓
Sam
Hi, Astrid. You could add blueberries or raspberries. I would add them in half way through combining the dry and wet ingredients, so you don’t end up over-mixing your batter. 🙂
Altie
Hi!
I’ve been using this recipe non stop for many birthdays and anniversaries in the family, probably since you posted it! It is the perfect cake!
Would I be able to use one 14” round pan for his recipe instead of the 2 8”? Using flower nails and expecting a longer bake time?
Thanks!
Sam
Hi, Altie! I am so glad you enjoy the cake. I haven’t tried it this way, but I think it will work just fine. 🙂
Darcy
I would like to use this for a stacked cake using 6” pans. Any suggestions?
Sam
Hi, Darcy. The baking time will vary, but I am not sure what it would be. Other than that there’s nothing to be done different. 🙂
Kasper
Hi there! Just wanted to let you know it turned out great. Any mistake I would blame on me rather than the recipe. The recipe was phenomenal. I did use maple syrup instead as I was at work making this recipe and we didn’t have vanilla extract. Turned out very light yet sweet tasting. The chocolate frosting was very sweet so they paired together very well. Very lovely. Thank you for sharing. Made a young lady’s birthday even better.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Kasper. 🙂
Destiny
Thank you so much im only 17 and im teaching myself how to bake so i can open my own bakery, ill try this recipe after work tonight i hope it turns out tasty!!
Sam
I hope you love it, Destiny. 🙂
Lauren
Hi Sam,
Have you ever tried this cake recipe with cake flour instead of all purpose flour?
Sam
Hi, Lauren. I designed the recipe using all-purpose flour, so I am not sure how cake flour would work. If you try it, let me know how it works. 🙂
Sana Cheema
HELLO. I would love to try this recipe. But I have a question, do I have to mix the dry ingredients with a spatula or can I mix them with a cake mixer on low speed instead?
Sam
When combining the dry and wet ingredients I definitely recommend doing it by hand with a spatula. It’s really easy to over-mix cake batter, and if you do you’ll have a dense/dry cake. It’s worth the extra time to do it by hand, in my opinion. I hope you love the cake!
Sana Cheema
Oh okay. Planning on making it tomorrow. I hope so too!
Thanks for replying.