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.
Stephanie
Hi can I substitute coconut oil for the canola oil?
Sam
While I haven’t tried this myself I don’t think it would be a problem. Please let me know how it turns out for you if you try it!
Sonya
Hi there. I prefer a sweeter cake so I am considering whole milk instead of buttermilk. Buttermilk is more sour to me. I know you mentioned it might change the moisture. Have you tried it with whole milk? If so, what was your experience. Did it try it out too much?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Sonya! Substituting buttermilk for whole milk will work fine. I hope that you enjoy the vanilla cake. ๐
Faith Christine
Hey i like ua simple recipe n im trying out right now…here comes my qtn can i use milk instead of butter,, in africa butter is quit expensive..i just used milk 300 ml
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Faith! I hope that your cake turns out perfectly. Keep me posted on how it works using your substitutions. ๐
Michelle
Hi! I am trying to use this recipe for a 10″ 3-layer cake. Do you think I should double or triple it?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Michele! I recommend doubling this recipe. I hope that you enjoy it! ๐
eloise peters
i am doing a 10 inch, 6 layer cake should i double or tripple?
Sugar Spun Run
For a 6 layer cake, I would triple the recipe. Let me know how it turns out! ๐
Michelle
Thanks! Also, I’ve read that when scaling up a recipe, baking powder is a little different. I am doubling this recipe, per your suggestion, but should I double the baking powder as well?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Michelle! Yes, doubling the baking powder will be fine. ๐
Tiffany Hartshorne
Hi – for a 10โ 3 layer, bod long do I bake each layer?
Sugar Spun Run
I am not certain, Tiffany! I recommend just keeping an eye on it. I hope that it turns out perfectly. ๐
Cm
Hi there what kind of sugar do you need to use x
Sugar Spun Run
Hi! I used granulated sugar for this recipe. ๐
Trisha
Can you freeze the cakes? I’m trying to time plan my birthday cake preparations and baking the cakes a week before decorating it would be a lifesaver right now (so much to do, so little time :s ). Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Trisha! Yes, that will be fine. ๐
Faviola
I love your funfetti cake recipe!!
I was wondering if this recipe will work for a rainbow cake? Will the food dye ruin the composition of the cake?
Thank you!
Wilma shatney
I have my own business. I have a Bakery and prepare Meals. I love your recipes, they are wonderful.
Sugar Spun Run
Congrats on your business, Wilma, and thank you for your kind works. I am so glad that you have enjoyed my recipes. ๐
Rita
Has anyone made this recipe with less sugar? I want to make it for my toddlers birthday and they don’t have much refined sugar.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Rita! I looked back through the comments and a few people have cut back on the sugar they just didn’t share by how much. Maybe someone will chime in. ๐
Rita
I made the cake with 25% less sugar and it’s still yummy. It’s not as fluffy and not quite as yummy but still good.
Sugar Spun Run
I am glad that it still worked out for you, Rita! Thanks for sharing. ๐
Fatima
Awesome ,can I please use this recipe for cupcakes as well and how will this yield.thanks
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Fatima! This recipe will yield about 24 cupcakes. Enjoy! ๐
Caley
Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk by any chance ?
Sam
Yes, but the buttermilk adds to the moisture and flavor.
Abby
I made this cake today and it was really good! I need to make one for a middle school bingo night and I will definitely use this one. Thank You!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the vanilla cake, Abby! Thank you for using my recipe. I hope that it also a big hit at bingo! ๐
Britney
Do I have to use an electric mixer ?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Britney! No, it is not needed. You just want to make sure all your ingredients are well combined. Enjoy the vanilla cake! ๐
Heather Palacios
How would I adjust baking times for a rectangular pan?
Sugar Spun Run
Yes, the baking time will need to be adjusted. I recommend just keeping an eye on it. Enjoy! ๐
Priscah
I tried this cake, and I am addicted to it, very soft and fluffy, fter trying it for the last 3 weeks I am yet to correctly measure the baking powder so my cake keeps deflating after removal from the oven, but we love the taste and texture all the same! Any tips to help my cake stop deflating?
Sam
I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the cake, Priscah! A tablespoon of baking powder weighs about 14 grams, if that is helpful. If the baking powder isn’t being weighed properly that could be doing it. Let me know if that helps!
Gladys Barone
The recipe doesn’t mention baking powder… was that intentional?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Gladys! The recipe lists 1 Tablespoon of baking powder on the ingredient list and it is added in step 5 of the directions. I hope that you enjoy the cake! ๐
Gladys Barone
Oops..you’re right…can’t wait to taste your cake…But I meant your chocolate cake recipe…it doesn’t list baking powder…just curious as to why..thanks
Sam
It’s not needed in the chocolate cake ๐