If you're looking for a vanilla cake recipe, then look no further! This is seriously the BEST homemade vanilla cake around. Better than any boxed cake mix or bakery cake out there. It comes together in ONE BOWL with a simple handful of ingredients and can easily be whipped up by hand. It's soft, plush, and incredibly moist with the perfect amount of sweetness and vanilla flavor. It's coated with an airy and fluffy homemade vanilla buttercream frosting to complete this perfect classic dessert.
what makes this vanilla cake the best?
I have been working on perfecting a vanilla cake recipe since FOREVER and I really wanted it to be reminiscent of my favorite store bought birthday cake. So this had some pretty big shoes to fill!
After trying (A LOT) to get this recipe just right, I'm so happy I can finally say that this cake is the one. This cake is IDENTICAL to the one we used to buy at a bakery - just minus the custard filling. It's everything you could ever want from a vanilla cake and only requires slightly more work than making boxed cake mix - but the flavor payout is well worth the added effort.
In my opinion, for a vanilla cake to be the best, it needs to:
- Have a light, fluffy, and (most importantly) moist texture
- Use simple ingredients
- Be sweet but not sickeningly sweet
- Have just the right amount of vanilla flavor
- Be easy to make
- Require as little dishes as possible
And this cake is all that and more! It comes together in one bowl with a handful of simple ingredients and very easy to follow steps. The result is a cake that's plush, spongy, and moist - and one that really belongs in a storefront!
how to make the best vanilla cake
One of the things I really wanted to imitate in this cake is (not only the texture) but also the ease of making a box of cake mix. Even though there is the added step of measuring the ingredients out, the whole batter comes together in one bowl with very simple steps. In order to ensure this cake comes out perfect, there are just a few things you should keep in mind:
Flour: This is one of the most important tips! Make sure you measure the flour carefully so you don't accidentally end up with too much. A food scale is always the most accurate way to measure, but if you do use cups, never scoop the measuring cup directly into the bag of flour. This will condense the flour and pack in more weight, resulting in a dry batter / cake. Instead, use a spoon to lightly fluff the flour and then use that spoon to scoop the flour into your measuring cup.
Room temperature ingredients: Almost as important as measuring the flour accurately! Room temperature ingredients will combine more smoothly and will give you an even texture and velvety crumb. Softened butter will also more easily trap air bubbles as you whip it with the sugar, which will ensure the cake rises properly and doesn't sink later on. But on the other hand, make sure the butter isn't too soft or it won't have the proper structure to actually hold those air bubbles. Perfectly softened butter should easily bend if you press your finger into it, but it shouldn't flatten entirely.
Mixing the batter: Watch out for over and under mixing when making the batter. Overmixing will create a dense and tough cake while under mixing can give the cake an uneven rise / texture. When mixing together the butter and sugar, make sure you whip them together until they're light and fluffy (this takes about 1-2 minutes of whisking by hand). Once the flour is added in, then it's important to watch out for overmixing. The more you mix the flour into the wet ingredients, the more the gluten will be worked. Overworked gluten will lead to a denser and flatter cake.
Vanilla: You'll actually be able to taste it in this recipe, so if you're going to splurge on an ingredient, I'd choose this one. Now you don't need the priciest vanilla on the shelf, but do make sure it's "pure" vanilla extract. Artificial extract just doesn't measure up in comparison. An equal amount of vanilla bean paste also works or you can use the seeds from a vanilla bean if you want to get really fancy.
layering and decorating vanilla cake
When making the frosting, I would just say there are 2 things to keep in mind:
- Use room temperature ingredients: It makes for a much smoother and fluffier frosting. Plus, room temperature ingredients are infinitely easier to work with!
- Sift the powdered sugar: This is especially important if you store powdered sugar for longer periods of time. As it sits, the sugar can harden and clump up. Sifting it ensures the frosting is perfectly smooth and creamy!
- Frost COOL cakes: This is so, so, SO important. Before frosting, make sure the cake layers have FULLY cooled to room temperature otherwise they can melt the buttercream.
Other than that, there's not much work involved in making the buttercream. Overall, it's a very easy frosting to throw together and also very forgiving!
Since this is just a 2 layer cake, it's also super easy to layer and frost. The cakes will have domed a little as they baked, so you can use a sharp knife or cake leveler to slice off the tops to even them out - the scraps make the perfect chef's treat... just saying! Then simply lay one cake on your serving plate and top with about 1 cup of frosting. Lay the second cake on top and decorate however you like with the remaining frosting.
There's enough buttercream in this recipe to do one thicker layer of frosting on the outside. You could also do a slightly thinner layer and use the leftover buttercream to pipe designs on the cake. It's really up to you!
FAQs
Can you substitute the cake flour?
I found that cake flour produced the best and fluffiest cake, but you can substitute it with the following alternative: 2 ½ cups (325g) all-purpose flour + 3 tablespoons cornstarch. Sift them before using to closely imitate cake flour!
How do you store vanilla cake?
You can store this cake for a few days at room temperature (the sugar acts as a natural preservative!) or in the fridge if you don't plan on serving it right away. If it's a warmer month, I'd keep the cake in the fridge so the buttercream doesn't melt. Keep the cake covered with a cake dome or inverted plate and store for up to 5 days in the fridge or 2-3 days at room temperature. The buttercream acts as a barrier that helps keep the cake moist. After slicing the cake, I'd recommend pressing a piece of plastic wrap against any exposed cake to keep it soft.
How do you serve vanilla cake?
Since there's butter in the cake and frosting, they will both harden slightly as they sit in the fridge. So this cake is best served at room temperature for a soft and creamy bite! I like to set the cake out for about 30 minutes before serving to allow it to come up to room temperature - but you may find the cake warms up in less / more time depending on how cold your home is. 30 minutes is usually the average time it takes.
check out these other recipes!
• Chocolate Cake
• Small Vanilla Cake
• BEST Gooey Brownies
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Chocolate Espresso Cake
• Marble Cake
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
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BEST Vanilla Cake
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 (8" or 9") cake
Description
This is seriously the BEST homemade vanilla cake around. It's SO moist, comes together in ONE BOWL, and can easily be made by hand.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake:
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (80mL) vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup (190g) full fat sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups (315g) cake flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (240mL) whole milk, room temperature
Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 ½ cups (345g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 cups (570g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Vanilla Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Butter 2 (8" or 9") round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. I personally used 8" pans for thicker layers. Lightly dust the sides of the pans with flour and tap out any excess. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine butter, oil, and sugar. Use an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a whisk by hand to cream together until light and fluffy.
- Whisk the eggs in one at a time followed by the sour cream and vanilla.
- Add in about half of the flour along with all of the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix together until just barely combined. A few small streaks are fine.
- Whisk in the milk then finally mix in the remaining half of the flour until you have a streak free batter. Be careful not to overmix!
- Divide the cake batter evenly into the 2 cake pans.
- Bake the cakes in the center of your preheated oven for 35-40 minutes (for 8" cakes) or 30-35 minutes (for 9" cakes) or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans then flip onto a wire rack. Set aside to cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla Frosting:
- In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, and salt. With an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until the sugar is dissolved.
- Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl then add in the vanilla and 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Mix on low speed again to combine then increase the mixer speed to high and whip for about 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
- If the cakes domed in the oven, use a sharp knife or a cake level to slice off the rounded tops and even out the layers.
- Lay one of the cooled cakes onto your cake stand and spread a little over 1 cup of frosting on top.
- Lay the second cake layer on top then use the remaining frosting to cover the outside of the cake. Decorate however you like then slice and serve!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Bake Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Cakes
Enjoy!
Naira says
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