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.
Saiqa
Hi , i was just wondering is it ok to put some simple sugar syrup on cake before covering it with icing ? Will it make the cake moist ?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Saiqa! The cake is already moist, therefore, I find that the simple syrup is not needed. However, it’s up to you. 🙂
Mymi
Hi, can this recipe be used under fondant. I want to make a 3 tier vanilla cake cover in fondant.
Thanks
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Mymi! Others have used this cake under fondant with success, I hope that you do as well. Happy Baking. 🙂
Laci S
Hi there! So i want to make this cake for my brothers birthday, but i have school so I don’t have much time to make the whole thing together. How would I store the cake and leave it overnight without it drying out?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Laci! That is so sweet of you to make this cake for your brother’s birthday. If you have already baked the cakes, you will want to let them cool, remove them from the pan, place them on a cookies sheet or platter and wrap them well with saran wrap. You can leave them at room temperature or in the fridge until you are ready to decorate. I hope that helps! 🙂
Jen
Hi! Does this cake freeze well (pre-icing)? I’d like to make it a few days ahead of time. I know denser cakes do, but worried about freezing a lighter cake. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Jen! I personally have not tried it, however, others have and had success. I hope that you enjoy the cake. 🙂
Lily
So for the recipe you don’t need baking soda?? How else will the cake rise?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Lily! This recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon baking powder which helps the cake the rise. No baking soda is needed. 🙂
Karen
Can’t wait to make this vanilla cake. I have 3 9” pans and saw someone else wanted to use their 3 9” pans using the cake recipe doubled. Do you think I could 1 1/2 times the recipe having no batter left over and it would work ok or would I have to double it. Really don’t want batter left over and don’t have enough ingredients where I am to double it but do have enough to 1 1/2 times the recipe. What do you think? Thank you so much! Karen
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Karen! Yes, you can 1 1/2 the recipe, but your layers will be slightly thinner. You will also want to keep an eye on the bake time since it will be different than what is listed on the directions. I hope that you enjoy the cake. Keep me posted on how it turns out. 🙂
Jariah
Thank you for sharing! I would like to use your recipe to make a vanilla top & chocolate bottom cake (without having to make 2 different batch of cake batter). Is it possible to add cocoa to half the batter to make the chocolate cake bottom? If yes how much cocoa should I add?
Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Jariah! Seeing how you one to use one cake batter and add chocolate to half of it, I would reccomend that you use my marble cake recipe. You can skip the marbling and bake two separate cakes. This will achieve the desired cake you are after. Keep me posted on how it turns out. 🙂
Brenda
Hey Sam! I would like to make this a 3 layer cake using my 9″ Wilton Pans. With this being, said do you think it would be safe to double the cake recipe and any batter left over, use for cupcakes? I double your Chocolate Frosting recipe … it is the best indeed! The only difference, is I substitute semi sweet chocolate for Hershey’s Cocoa Powder and I have a recipe for that substitution. I really love all your recipes and so grateful for you sharing them. Thank you again and God Bless you!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Brenda! I am so glad that you have enjoyed my cake recipes. With this recipe, you can most certainly double it to create a 3-layered cake with some batter being left over for cupcakes. Keep me posted on how it turns out. 🙂
Princess
This has been my go to vanilla recipe ever since I discovered it. I love that it uses butter and oil with a perfect crumb too.
Came back here yesterday to discover that the flour is 375g. Is there a reason you reduced it and does it affect the cake in any way?
looking forward to your response.
Sam
I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Princess! I changed the measurement from 390g to 375g to align with my standard measurement for a cup of flour (1 cup = 125 grams). I’ve tested the recipe both ways multiple times to make sure it worked and the difference wasn’t noticeable by any of my taste testers, I just wanted to keep a standard through my recipes. So, either way will work just fine and you should not see any difference. If you’ve been happy with the 390g measurement there’s no need to change that 🙂
Maynaz
Hi
What size eggs should I use for this recipe?
Thanks
Maynaz
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Maynaz! I typically use large-sized eggs. 🙂
Katie
How could I adjust cooking time for a 9×13 pan? How about 12×20? Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Katie! Others have tried this recipe in a 9″ x 13″ pan and reported that it took approximately 30 minutes to bake. As far as a 12″ x 20″ goes, no one has reported baking it in that size pan. If you do try it, I reccomend increasing the recipe to fit the pan size (best guess would be doubling it). Without trying either size pan myself, I reccomend keeping an eye on it while it bakes. I hope that you enjoy the vanilla cake! 🙂
Celia
Hi, I’m going to try this recipe for my daughter’s birthday cake. Want to know if I can add color to the batter. Or you can suggest a different recipe for a birthday cake?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Celia! You can color the cake batter. If you want a more vibrant color, I would recommend my white cake recipe for this. I hope that your daughter has a wonderful birthday and enjoys her birthday cake. 🙂
Sarah
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it’s exactly what I was looking for in a cake!! super fluffy and moist! 🙂 I used coconut milk instead of buttermilk and still turned out great, everyone loved it!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that your vanilla cake turned out perfectly even with the substitution, Sarah! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Cathy
I would do 0 stars if I could I feel scammed.!!😭 The consistency was very chunky.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so sorry to hear that you had an issue with this recipe, Cathy. If your cake was chunky, it sounds like you may have over measured the flour or you did not mix your batter enough. Over-measuring flour is the most common mistake in baking so I have created a post on
how to properly measure flour that can be used as a reference. If you have a significant number of lumps, you can also move them to another bowl, and squish it all into a paste and work them out. Again, I am sorry you had an issue. 🙁
Kool 12 year old
I useed this to make my grandmas birthday cake and blew everyone away. The cake is nice and dense, but isnt like chewing mud.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that everyone enjoyed the vanilla cake, Vincent. Thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂
Francis Adiburu
awesome cake really tests yummy
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the vanilla cake, Francis. Thank you so much for commenting. 🙂