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.
Katie Smith
Would this be considered a “yellow” cake? You know how cake mixes are either “white” or “yellow”? I’ve never seen a from scratch “yellow” cake with both butter and oil, just butter, but I saw your comment about being sure to use both because using all butter will result in a drier cake. My grandpa has requested “yellow” cake and I really want to try this recipe, so I figured I could kill two birds with one stone and make this and give him the “yellow” cake he wants.
Thanks!
Sam
Hi Katie! Yes, this would be considered a yellow cake (here is my white cake for comparison). I hope your grandpa enjoys the cake! ๐
Kelley
its my birthday tomorrow and I used this recipe but substituted 3 cups of flour for 3 cups of bobs red mill 1-1 gluten free flour because I have celiac disease and haven’t had a birthday cake in years. fingers crossed it comes out okay! I am also baking it in a 13×9 pan
Sam
I hope it turns out for you, Kelley! ๐
Liz
Hi there! Thank You for sharing you recipe I plan on making this cake for my nieces 16th Birthday this week! I was wondering if I should decrease the bake time or the temperature if Iโm using a Convection Fan Oven? Thank You again!
Sam
Hi Liz! I am not familiar with using a convection fan oven. Maybe someone else can chime in and help. I’m sorry. ๐
Yuth
Hi.convectional ovens are hard to deal with. But i figured a way… bake at 150 with only the bottom element on. And put the fan on. The rack should be in the middle while the tray should be at the bottom (i do this to control the heat) it takes a while to bake but bakes eventually. It takes around double the time of normal ovens… be patient.
Sam
Thank you so much for the input! ๐
Amy
Hi, thank you for the recipe! I have a couple questions, is the Vanilla in the recipe Pure Vanilla or Imitation Vanilla. Also Iโm not sure if I need to sift the flour or not, do you recommend weighing the flour or will spooning it into my measuring cup be ok? I donโt have a food scale but maybe I should invest in one. Last question what is texture difference from this recipe and your naked vanilla cake! Iโm undecided in which one to make!
Sam
Hi Amy! I use pure vanilla extract, the flavor is just so much better. You don’t need to sift the flour and I always recommend weighing things over anything else it is just so much more accurate. If you don’t have a scale spooning it into the cup is the next best solution. A scale is a real game changer though, in my opinion it’s much easier to work with and they aren’t very expensive. I actually have one I recommend this kitchen scale, it’s fairly inexpensive and is accurate. I don’t actually have a naked vanilla cake, but this one cake is a great option. ๐
Angel Flora
I love ur work Sam,, I’m doing better now than before.
Sam
Thank you so much! ๐
Huma
Hi, Could I replace the Vanilla Extract for Coffee instead to create a Coffee Cake?
Also will this work for two 7″ tins?
Sam
Using coffee will probably not result in a strong enough coffee flavor. You would need to use a coffee extract. The cake will work in 2 7″ pans, but you will have a little bit left over. ๐
Ambar Gonzalez
Hello!
Looking to make 2 six inch cakes? Would I be able to save the batter? How long would it keep in the fridge? Also how long do you think for baking?
Thank you!!!
Sam
Hi, Ambar! I haven’t tried saving it. I would be worried about it drying out. You could bake the excess as cupcakes on the same temperature for about 17 minutes. ๐
Ambar Gonzalez
Great idea!!
Any thoughts on how long to bale 6in cakes?
Sam
I have not tried it myself so I can’t be sure. I have had someone report that a 4 inch deep 6 inch pan took 50 minutes but if you aren’t using a pan that deep it won’t take that long. I would love to know how long you bake it for if you try it. Just keep an eye on it to keep from overbaking. ๐
Stefanie
Would it be possible to substitute avocado oil for the canola/vegetable oil?
Sam
Hi Stefanie! I would be worried, because avocado oil isn’t as neutral in taste and the taste of the oil may affect the taste of the cake.
shell dodd
This really is a lovely recipe, the cake is so moist , no need to keep searching for the perfect recipe, as I found it here, thank you for sharing
Sam
Thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed the cake! ๐
Daisuke
I love it.
Sam
Thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed the cake! ๐
Dami
This cake was very moist, tasty and smells very nice. Thanks for the recipe๐ค
Sam
Thank you so much, Dami! I am so glad you enjoyed the cake! ๐
Debbie
So you have a moist white cake recipe? Like wedding cake
Sam
Hi Debbie, yes, here is my white cake recipe. Enjoy! ๐
Veda
I made this cake, and while it did take longer than normal because of me actually doing all the niche instructions, it was deliciously moist, probably the most moist I’ve ever had. I used vanilla buttercream frosting instead, and that worked out well (of course), and then I used vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract. Oh boy. It was my first time using it, and it made the cake taste kind of like the way Play-Dough smells. So, yes, this recipe is truly amazing, but honestly I’m angry at myself for (kind of) ruining what would have been the best cake I’d probably eaten. Also, homemade buttermilk worked fine for it, so you don’t have to buy an entire carton.
Sam
I’m thrilled to hear the cake was such a success for you, Veda! Thank you so much for commenting!
Maddy
Hi
This recipe has been my go to for past few cakes n cupcakes and been a hit..but today the 3 layers of my 8 inch cake came out dry:(((
Any idea why?
I did decrease cooking time.should I decrease temp too?
Sam
Hi Maddy! There are a few reasons it might be coming out dry. If the batter was mixed too much or if the cake was baked too long then that could do it. You shouldn’t need to decrease the temperature, I know you decreased the baking time but maybe the cake just needed a little less time? Another possibility, could your oven be running too hot? I had an oven that randomly started running 15 degrees hotter than it said so it might be worth checking that with an oven thermometer if you’re not already monitoring that. I hope that helps!
Angela
Hello, does this work well for cupcakes?
Sam
Yes, they will need to bake for about 17 minutes. Enjoy! ๐
Symone
Hi! Is there something else I can use instead of buttermilk?
Sam
Hi Symone! Try my easy buttermilk substitute ๐
Briele White
I have searched for a long time for a really great tasting vanilla cake and I have finally found it. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Sam
You’re very welcome, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!