With its outstanding vanilla flavor, pillowy soft crumb, and creamy vanilla buttercream, this is truly the best vanilla cake I’ve ever had. And after 1 bite, I guarantee you’ll agree.
One reader, Sarah, commented: “This cake is elite. Texture, flavor, sturdiness for frosting and decorating, freezes well… It was a beautiful centerpiece and dessert for a baby shower. Thank you! โ โ โ โ โ “
One reader, Candice, commented: “This is truly the best vanilla cake I have ever tasted! It is among the best cakes I have made in my 20+ years of baking… โ โ โ โ โ “
One reader, Rary, commented: “Off. The. Charts. Absolutely scrumptious! โ โ โ โ โ “
Out of all the cake recipes on my website, there’s a glaring absence. There’s white cake with a pristine soft crumb, vanilla naked cake with a flavorful tight crumb, and checkerboard cake with a whimsical design.
What about a classic vanilla layer cake draped in vanilla buttercream? I already have homemade vanilla cupcakes and a vanilla 6 inch cake covered and now in all its crowning glory (and after plenty recipe testing catastrophes), I present you with cake perfection:
This is the best vanilla cake I’ve ever had.
What Makes it the Best Vanilla Cake?
Let’s count the ways!
- Soft, light crumb from cake flour
- Fluffy from extra egg whites
- Buttery and cakey from creamed butter
- Stick-to-your-fork moist from eggs & buttermilk
- Extra flavor from pure vanilla extract
Not to mention its versatility: This vanilla cake batter is strong enough for shaped cakes, tiered cakes (see the slight variation in my homemade wedding cake recipe), and holds up beautifully under fondant. Use this batter for vanilla cupcakes, Bundt cake, or even piรฑata cake. It’s classy enough for a wedding celebration, but unassuming enough for a big family dinner.
Behind the Vanilla Cake Recipe
After years of cake successes and flops, I’m confident in this homemade vanilla cake. During my recipe testing, I combined my white cake recipe and naked cake recipe. These are two reader favorites and I knew they’d be the best starting point. At first there were too many eggs and I quickly learned sifting cake flour was NOT doing any favors.
You need the following power ingredients:
- Cake Flour: If you want a fluffy and soft bakery-style vanilla cake, cake flour is the secret. The cake will be denser and heavier using all-purpose flour.
- Eggs & 2 additional egg whites: 3 whole eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness. 2 extra egg whites keep the cake light and airy. I don’t recommend using 4 whole eggs; stick to the 3 egg & 2 egg white combination.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Remember the differences in baking powder vs baking soda and why we use both in some recipes? Using enough baking powder to give these layers height gave the cake a bitter aftertaste. Baking soda allows us to use less baking powder.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is an acidic ingredient and baking soda requires an acid to work. Plus buttermilk yields an EXTRA moist cake crumb. See recipe note about using a DIY buttermilk substitute.
For more prominent vanilla flavor, use homemade vanilla extract. (What a fun DIY gift!) This vanilla cake batter is moderately thick and fits perfectly in 3 9-inch cake pans. We actually use the same exact batter to make snickerdoodle cake.
Do you know how to level a cake? Let me help. It’s really easy. You can use a fancy cake leveler, but I use a serrated knife. Carefully slice off the tippy top of the cooled cake layers, creating a flat surface. Leveling cakes doesn’t require a ruler, talent, or any mathematical equations. Instead, just use your eyes, hands, and a knife.
Leveling the cake layers promises a straight and sturdy layer cake.
How Much Frosting Between Cake Layers?
I always eyeball the amount of frosting between cake layers, but I measured when I decorated the pictured cake. The vanilla buttercream recipe below yields about 6 cups of frosting. I recommend you use about 1.5 heaping cups of buttercream between each cake layer and reserve the last 3 cups for outside the cake. If you are going to add a filling such as raspberry cake filling, you’ll use less frosting between the layers. You can use this detailed how to assemble and decorate a layer cake post as a guide!
Cake Decoration Inspiration: For a simple look, stick with vanilla buttercream, fresh berries, and mint sprigs. You can also decorate with chocolate buttercream (I recommend the same amount from this piรฑata cake), rainbow sprinkles, a chocolate ganache drip like on this chocolate chip cake, or even beautiful buttercream flowers.
Homemade Vanilla Cake Success Tips
Learn from my mistakes and bake the best cake on the 1st try!
- Follow the recipe closely. Use each power ingredient listed.
- Use room temperature ingredients. The batter mixes together evenly when all the cake ingredients are roughly the same temperature. This also reduces the risk of over-mixing and over-baking. Set out your ingredients 1 hour before beginning. Read more about why room temperature ingredients are important.
- Line your cake pans with parchment. Place your cake pans on a large sheet of parchment paper. Trace the bottom of the cake pan with a pencil. Cut parchment paper into rounds. Grease the pan and the parchment paper. Parchment paper rounds guarantee seamless removal from the pan because the cake slides right out.
- Cool cake layers completely. I’ve tried taking shortcuts by assembling a layer cake with semi-warm cake layers. Well, the frosting completely melts and causes the entire cake to collapse. Make sure each layer is cool– refrigerate or freeze the layers if you need to!
- Refrigerate decorated cake. After frosting the cake, place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This is optional, but it sets the frosting and cake layers. You’ll get beautifully clean slices because the crumbs are cool and tight.
Great read: Check out Tessa’s Top 10 Best Layer Cake Tips.
Finding the perfect vanilla cake recipe requires a celebration. Luckily we have cake!!!
More Classic Cake Recipes
And here is my perfected vanilla cupcakes recipe.
Print
Best Vanilla Cake
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 12-14 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
With its outstanding vanilla flavor, pillowy soft crumb, and creamy vanilla buttercream, this is truly the best vanilla cake I’ve ever had. Make sure you read through the recipe and recipe notes before beginning. This recipe yields approximately 8 cups of batter which is helpful if you need this batter for different cake pan sizes and conversions.
Ingredients
- 3 and 2/3 cups (433g) cake flourย (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g)ย granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs + 2 additional egg whites, at room temperature*
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (yes, a Tablespoon!)
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml)ย buttermilk, at room temperature*
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 5 and 1/2 cups (650g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml)ย whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake:ย Whisk the cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Beat in the 3 eggs, 2 egg whites, and vanilla extract on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. (Mixture will look curdled as a result of the egg liquid and solid butter combining.) Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients just until combined. With the mixer still running on low, pour in the buttermilk and mix just until combined. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Weigh them to ensure accuracy, if desired. Bake for around 23-26 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire cooling rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting:ย In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, more milk if frosting is too thick, or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
- Assemble and decorate: Using a large serrated knife,ย sliceย a thin layer off the tops of the cakesย to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!).ย Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate.ย Evenly cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with 2nd cake layer andย evenly cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with the third cake layer.ย Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I use and recommend an icing spatula to apply the frosting.
- Refrigerate cake for at least 1 hour before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
- Cover leftover cakeย tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared then covered and refrigerated overnight. Let the frosting sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 10 minutes before assembling and frosting. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving. See how to freeze cakes for detailed instructions.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld orย Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Kitchen Scale (optional) | Cooling Rack | Large Icing Spatula | Cake Turntable | Bench Scraper | Cake Carrier (for storing and transporting)ย
- 9×13-inch Cake: I recommend using my white cake batter instead. Both use similar ingredients and produce a deliciously light vanilla cake. See recipe notes for the 9×13 inch version.
- 2 Layer Cake:ย I recommend using my 2 layer white cake batter instead. Both use similar ingredients and produce a deliciously light vanilla cake.
- Bundt Cake: This vanilla cake batter will fit into a 10-12 cup or larger Bundt pan. I’m unsure of the exact bake time (likely around an hour), but use a toothpick to test for doneness. Same oven temperature.
- Cupcakes: Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake atย 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) for 19-21 minutes. Yields about 3 dozen. Or try my vanilla cupcakes recipe.
- Cake Flour: To prevent a dry-tasting cake, make sure you are spooning and leveling the flour or weighing it. For the best results, I strongly recommend cake flour. You can find it in the baking aisle and I have many more recipes using it. Usually a homemade cake flour substitute works, but this recipe uses far too much cake flour and the homemade substitute is not ideal.
- Eggs:ย 3 whole eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness. 2 extra egg whites keep the cake light and airy. I don’t recommend using 4 whole eggs; stick to the 3 egg & 2 egg white combination. Here are recipes using leftover egg yolks.
- Buttermilk: If you donโt have buttermilk, you can make a DIY buttermilk substitute. Add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 and 1/2 cups. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake wonโt taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade โbuttermilkโ will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Why is everything at room temperature? Allย refrigerated items should beย at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly.ย Read more about why room temperature ingredients are important.
- Want chocolate frosting instead?ย I recommend the recipe/amount of chocolate frosting I use for Piรฑata Cake.
- Sprinkle Cake: To make a sprinkle cake, fold about 3/4 cup (135g) of sprinkles into the cake batter. Avoid nonpareils (the little balls), which tend to bleed their color. Or try this confetti birthday cake, which is quite similar to this recipe.
Reader Comments and Reviews
how long could the batter be left out at room temp before baking? i have two pans that work but the other is two big so i thought maybe baking in batches, would that work?
Hi Zoey! You can let the batter sit covered at room temperature until your pan is ready to use again. It should be ok!
thank you so much! also i was wondering if theres a quick method to get the buttermilk to room temperature?
A very short zap in the microwave can do the trick. Just be careful not to over-heat it. You want it room temperature, not warm or hot!
Can I make this gluten free with gluten free
Cake flour? What ratio??
Hi Shannon, we havenโt tested this cake with gluten free flour, so weโre unsure of the results. Let us know if you do any experimenting.
I haven’t made this yet, but im going to today or tomorrow and I was just wondering if the milk/heavy cream for the frosting should be room temp or not. Also, does it make a difference whether I use milk or heavy cream?
Hi Becca, room temperature would be best, yes! Heavy cream will yield a richer frosting, but whole milk works great too.
Why is there no sugar?
Hi Amira, This recipe has 2 cups (400g) of granulated sugar in the cake batter.
My batter turns out super thick, what could I be doing wrong?
Hi Aj, could you be over-measuring the flour? Make sure to spoon and level (instead of scooping) to avoid packing in too much flour into your measuring cups – or use a kitchen scale. You can read more about properly measuring baking ingredients in this post.
The cake was completely raw in the middle at 24 & 26 minutes. Itโs still in the over now for 10 additional minutes itโs too dark and still RAW and giggling in the middle. Disappointed as I made this for my husbands birthday.
Hi Melissa, are you baking the cake batter in three 9 inch cake pans?
Hi Sally, thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe. I do have a question. I followed all the steps of the recipe, but unfortunately, the cake was still uncooked in a couple of spots on the bottom. I put it back in the oven for a few extra minutes, and it dried out. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thanks again. Lillian
Hi Lillian, it sounds like the cake could use an additional minute or so in the oven if the bottoms were unbaked. To prevent the cakes from drying out, you can tent the pan with aluminum foil. That will help prevent the tops from browning while allowing the middle and bottom of the cake to bake through. We hope this helps for next time and we’re so glad you still enjoyed the cake!
if i use duck eggs is it a 1:1 conversion?
Can this be made in 3 8inch pans
Hi Nikki, you can use this recipe with 8 inch cake pans for slightly thicker layers in a three layer cake. Evenly distribute the batter between the three pansโdo not fill to the top. You may need an extra minute or two of bake time since the layers will be thicker โ use a toothpick to test for doneness. Or, you can fill the 8 inch pans a little less and use the leftover batter for some cupcakes.
Question, if I bake and assemble the cake the night before serving, will the icing crust or harden? Will it still be fresh serving the following day?
Hi Taylor! The buttercream won’t harden overnight. We recommend storing it covered at room temperature overnight
Looking forward to trying this cake!! If I wanted to do a fruit filling in the middle instead of a frosting, would it hold up well to that? Much love to the Sallyโs Baking team!
Hi Robin, yes it should! Here’s our favorite raspberry cake filling recipe.
Hello! Can I use 3 10 inch pans for this recipe? Tnx!
Hi Vanessa, We are unsure exactly how much batter you would need but here is everything you need to know to calculate cake pan sizes and conversions.
This truly was the best vanilla cake! It was just perfect, no words. Thank you
Hi Sally
Loyal follower here. I have made this delicious cake a few times but unfortunately the last time I made it (it was frozen until ready to frost) the cake was dry. Just wondering if I add a sugar syrup to the cake before freezing it would that help it from drying out? Thanks as always for your amazing recipes.
Hi Barbara, you can certainly add a bit of simple syrup before freezing the cake layers. We also have this post on how to prevent dry and dense cakes, if you’re interested. Thank you for making and trusting all of our recipes!
Thanks Sally.
Sincerely
Hello, I love this cake and make it for my kiddos birthdays!
Wondering how I convert this to a square cake, with the layers. It seems like it would convert to a 20×5 tin, but do I make two of those and layer them on top of each other? Hoping to make it the base for a minecraft cube cake. Thank you!
Hi Amanda! I’m glad to help. For a cube-style cake, Iโd recommend baking the batter in two 8-inch square pans (rather than one very tall pan), then layering and stacking them. One full recipe will comfortably fill two 8-inch square pans with similar thickness to the round layers; just keep an eye on bake time and use a toothpick test. Tent with foil towards the end of bake time. If you truly want a tall โMinecraft cubeโ look, you can make 2 full recipes total and stack four 8-inch square layers for extra height and sharp edges. Be sure to chill the layers before trimming and frosting because itโll make getting those clean, straight sides much easier.