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.
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 piñata 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 the alternative.
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.
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 piñata cake), rainbow sprinkles, 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.
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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 pans and conversions.
Ingredients
- 3 and 2/3 cups (433g) cake flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs + 2 additional egg whites, at room temperature*
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (yes, Tbsp!)
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 5 and 1/2 cups (650g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). 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: 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 rubber 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 rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a hand-held 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, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with the third cake layer. 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 cake 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): Stand Mixer or Handheld Mixer | 9-inch Cake Pans | Kitchen Scale | Large Icing Spatula | Cake Turntable | Bench Scraper | Cake Carrier (for storing and transporting)
- 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: 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 at 350°F (177°C) 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: 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 don’t have buttermilk, you can make a DIY sour milk 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 won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Why is everything at room temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about why room temperature ingredients are important.
- Want chocolate frosting instead? I recommend the recipe/amount of chocolate frosting I use for Piñata 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.
Keywords: vanilla cake, vanilla frosting, birthday cake
I was wondering how I can keep this cake moist? I have tried this and it was amazing but after a while it starts to get a bit dry. Could you add oil to increase the moistness?
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Hi Smaira, butter creamed with sugar makes up the base of the cake and oil is not a suitable replacement, unfortunately. Slightly over baking or using too much flour can cause cakes to dry out. This post on how to prevent dry and dense cakes should be helpful. Covering the leftover cake tightly in the refrigerator will help preserve freshness for up to five days, too. Thanks so much for giving this one a try!
Hi, this recipe was really good. Just wanted to know if you could add oil to this recipe to make the cake moist? The last time I tried this cake, it went a bit dry after a while.
Hi Mo, butter creamed with sugar makes up the base of the cake and oil is not a suitable replacement, unfortunately. Slightly over baking or using too much flour can cause cakes to dry out. This post on how to prevent dry and dense cakes should be helpful. Covering the leftover cake tightly in the refrigerator will help preserve freshness for up to five days, too. Thanks so much for giving this one a try!
You have made my birthday parties incredibly successful! I made this for my daughter’s 1st birthday and it was a huge hit. (Double chocolate cake for my sons birthday and received even more compliments) you are my first stop for all my baking needs and I’ve never had a fail. Every time I bake my son goes “is this Sally’s?” Thanks all your amazing recipes and saving me from boxed mixes!
Thank you so much for making and trusting our recipes, Janelle — we’re thrilled they’re favorites for your family!
This recipe was so so so amazing . I always cooked with my dad, but I started baking during quarantine.this was a perfectly simple and yummy recipe for teen bakers like myself. And I recently made this with him and it was the best cake I’ve ever made! It’s a lot of sugar at least for our liking, so I enjoyed this as a plain Bundt cake with additional spices. Amazing amazing recipe. Thank you for sharing.
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This recipe was so so so amazing . I always cooked with my dad, but I started baking during quarantine. And I recently made this with him and it was the best cake I’ve ever made! It’s a lot of sugar at least for our liking, so I enjoyed this as a plain Bundt cake with additional spices. Amazing amazing recipe. Thank you for sharing.
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I normally love you recipes but I have attempted this cake 5 times and not once has it come out as it should. The flavours are there but the texture is either dense and undercooked or burnt if fully cooked. And no scenario has it risen!
I’ve tried various pan sizes, I always use fresh ingredients, I’ve tried cleaning my oven in case there was an issue with temp. Nothing works. I’m stumped and so frustrated…
Hi Lacie, from what you’re describing, it sounds like the cake would benefit from a little more flour. More flour could help soak up some of the liquid which would actually lighten up the crumb. (Especially since you mention it’s not rising at all.) Could you add another 1/4 cup of flour, about 31g. Let me know if you try the recipe again. Also, check your baking powder and baking soda. I find both begin losing strength after 3 months.
Hi Sally,
I’ve made this case many times using your cream cheese frosting and it never disappoints. I am trying to duplicate a cake from many years ago with this recipe. My intention is to fill the layers and top with stabilized whipped cream. Can I use whipped cream instead of the cream cheese or butter cream. I’m not planning on any piping only a smooth finish on sides and top. If so how much whipped cream per layer?
Thank you.
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Hi Diane! Stabilized whipped cream would work great! We recommend using this stabilized whipped cream recipe. See recipe notes for scaling up the recipe for a three layer cake.
Hi, I wanted to add a layer or two of raspberry sauce. What advice would you give me
Hi Julie, We would spread a thin layer of frosting and then a layer of raspberry filling between the cakes. You may even want to create a ring of buttercream around the edges so that the raspberry filling doesn’t squeeze out between the layers. Let us know how it goes!
Could I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Hi UA, cake flour is strongly recommended here for best results. The cake will be much too dense and dry without it.
Hey i’m wondering what exactly cake flour is and how it is different to all-purpose flour. I am from NZ and i’m unsure on anywhere that sells it as I haven’t seen it in the supermarkets. Is there anyway I can add ingredients together to make it? I saw somewhere that you can substitute 2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour for every cup to make cake flour. Is this true and would it work?
Can I freeze this cake until the 16th of August?
I’m baking this cake right now and after I was done mixing everything my batter was a bit thicker than in the video. I followed all of the ingredients and rules. Would that be a problem?
Hi Sally! I’m in a bit of a pickle. I’m sitting in my living room with 8 layers of cake I baked using this recipe (8 inch thin pans). I’ve just re-read the article because I was looking for your recommendations on storing/freezing (my 2 year old’s birthday is on Sunday) and I read that you don’t really recommend this for tiered cakes (you link to a substitution). Is there any way I can make the cake now? Any tips so I can tier the 8 layer?
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Hi Lucia! This cake does hold up for tiered cakes. It’s very close to what we use for our tiered homemade wedding cake. We recommend using cake dowels and cake rounds for extra support, like we do for our wedding cake. Hope this helps!
Hi sally! Thank you so much for this recipe.
However what do you mean by spoon and levelled in your flour measurements?
Thank You!
Hi Ayandoyin, check out this post on how to properly measure baking ingredients; specifically the section about how to measure flour.
I want to use this cake recipe and use vanilla custard for the layers and whipped cream on top. Is this recipe very sweet? I need a less sweet cake for the layers.
Love this recipe! Although my cakes come out springy and full but then after a few minutes begin to sink and pull away from the sides. Is there any way to stop this? Also what brand flour do you use, as I’m from Ireland and we don’t have cake flour here and I’m looking to order some.. thank you!
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Hi Ella! Often when cakes shrink, they’ve been slightly over-baked. An easy fix! We usually use Swans Down or King Arthur brands for cake flour.
I love this recipe!
Do you think I would be able to add maybe 6 oz of grated white chocolate? And a little pink swirl by mixing in some raspberry fruit spread with a little of the batter?
This flavor combination has been requested of me…and I’m unsure of some of the recipes I have seen online. I know your cake recipe is perfect.
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Hi Carol, I’m so glad to hear that you love this cake recipe. I wouldn’t add white chocolate to the batter, however you could use this white chocolate frosting. I would double it to ensure there’s enough for the tall layer cake. You could absolutely swirl each layer with raspberry jam before baking and decorate with raspberries.
Hi! Can I use oil instead of butter for the cake? I have no butter right now
Hi Ana! Butter creamed with sugar makes up the base of the cake and oil is not a suitable replacement, unfortunately.
I made this cake yesterday and I can tell you, it lives up to its name. It is *The* best cake I have ever made. The crumb was so light and moist and full of rich vanilla flavor. I had set out to re-create the amazing (and expensive) bakery cake my husband got for my birthday. Boy, oh boy, it’s not only as good, it’s BETTER! To complete this cake, I dehydrated some organic strawberries, pulverized them and whipped them with heavy whipping cream and confectioner’s sugar to make a filling/frosting. I wrapped a few slices and froze them, and it’s even delicious right out of the freezer (I couldn’t wait to thaw it out – that’s how good it is.) Thank you, Sally, for this recipe ~ it’s a true winner and will be my go-to recipe from now on!
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I made this today to freeze for the weekend. My three layers are a little flat. Only about 1” high. I’m a pretty good baker so don’t know what happened.
Hi Barb, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. First, make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. We find they start to lose their potency after about three months. If the cakes are squat and dense, it’s possible the batter was over mixed. This post on how to prevent dry and dense cakes will be helpful to review. Thanks so much for giving this cake a try!
Once the batter is ready , how do you prepare & bake in the pans? One pan at a time? Do you leave the batter in the fridge or on bench top while the first pan is baking? Many thanks
Hi Anita, you can bake multiple layers at once, as long as they can all fit on the same rack in the oven. If not, you can leave the leftover batter, covered with a clean towel, at room temperature while the other layer(s) are baking). Be sure to grease and line your pans with parchment paper rounds as mentioned in the post. Hope this helps!
Hi! Would this work for a tiered cake? or is it too light to support it? Thanks!
Hi Emma, this batter holds up well as a tiered cake. It’s actually close to what we use for this homemade wedding cake recipe.
I’m so in love with the recipe !! The cake was super soft and fluffy !
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This is the best vanilla cake I have ever made. Excellent texture, plush, tender yet sturdy. I used Vanilla Chobani Greek yogurt since I had some I needed to use, and it worked perfectly! This recipe made 34 cupcakes. Truly a keeper!
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This is my go to recipe for my girls’ birthdays- it is absolutely perfect. Thank you!
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Hi Tea, you usually only fill pans around 1/2 way with batter, not completely full. So you would use 2 cups of batter for each 6 inch pan
ooh ok thats really clear! thank you
My kids loved this cake so much!! I was wondering, was the cake supposed to be so dense? I believe I over mixed it but wasn’t exactly sure. Or I added to much cake flour when I tapped the cup.
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Hi Madeline, if the cake was overly dense, it could be over mixed like you mention. Also be sure to spoon and level your flour (or use a scale if available) to ensure just the right amount of flour. Tapping the cup will actually cause the flour to settle and will lead to more flour than necessary. Here are more tips on how to prevent a dry and dense cake. Glad the cake was a hit!
Hi Sally – do you think this could work if I added in m&m baking bits? My daughter is obsessed with M&Ms and wants an M&M cake for her birthday. I mostly am finding recipes for M&M cookie cakes, not regular cakes. Let me know what you think!
Hi Claudia, That should work. We recommend about 1 – 1.5 cups of mini M&Ms. You can add them at the end and gently fold them into the batter — being careful not to over mix. Let us know if you give it a try!
would this work for a 4 layer 6″ cake? i only have 6″ pans
Hi Tea, This post has everything you need to know about making 6 inch cakes (including a vanilla cake recipe). If you want to use this recipe to get more cakes, you can reference our cake pan sizes and conversions guide to find out how many 6 inch cake rounds you would get from this batter (this recipe yields 8 cups of batter). Happy baking!
Hi I was wondering what you used to grease the pans?
Hi Melissa! We use baking spray (like Pam) to grease cake pans.
Me encantaría saber si puedo reemplazar la mantequilla por aceite y harina de pastel con harina all purpose flour? Gracias
Hi Maria, it’s best to stick with butter and cake flour in this recipe.
HI, I am making a vanilla cake and want to decorate /serve it with kiwis and strawberries. Should I use a vanilla buttercream frosting or sweetened/vanilla whipping cream for the most complimentary result? Love your website.
Hi Rose! We love using whipped cream with fresh fruit like we do in this fresh berry cream cake.
Hi, Can I pour over mango ganache for this vanilla cake ?
This recipe is amazing I love it so much
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I struggled to make a good vanilla cake from scratch. Not any more! I have made this cake several times, with different frosting and it is always delicious!
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