Vanilla Cake
There’s something magical about a perfectly made classic vanilla cake, and this one checks every box. This cake is soft, moist, fluffy, and full of rich vanilla flavor. Finished with a silky vanilla bean buttercream frosting, it’s a perfectly sweet, comforting classic that never goes out of style.
Vanilla Cake
This vanilla cake with vanilla bean buttercream frosting is simply the best! Dare I say, better than all the rest?
The vanilla cake layers bake up incredibly soft, fluffy, and tender with a perfectly moist crumb that melts in your mouth. The silky vanilla bean buttercream takes it over the top with its creamy texture and those beautiful specks of real vanilla.
It’s sweet, timeless, and comforting in a way that never goes out of style. When it comes to vanilla cake, this one doesn’t just look good… it’s guaranteed to be good to you.
If you think vanilla is anything but boring, check out my vanilla cupcakes, vanilla cheesecake, and vanilla buttercream frosting.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Incredibly soft & fluffy texture: The cake bakes up light, tender, and perfectly moist, giving you that dreamy bakery-style crumb in every bite.
- Real, bold vanilla flavor: Made with pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste for that warm, rich vanilla flavor that shines through the cake and frosting.
- Silky vanilla bean buttercream: Smooth, creamy, and speckled with real vanilla bean for an extra layer of flavor and a beautiful finish.
- Easy, approachable recipe: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps make it perfect for both beginner bakers and anyone wanting a stress-free classic.
- A classic that never fails: Simple, timeless, and perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or anytime you want a reliable crowd-pleaser.
Recipe Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- Cake flour
- Baking powder + salt
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil – Use your favorite neutral baking oil.
- Eggs + egg whites – Room temperature.
- Sour cream – Full-fat. Room temperature.
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Whole milk – Room temperature.
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy cream – Room temperature.
- Vanilla bean paste
- Salt
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Vanilla Cake
Yield: 12 servings
This vanilla cake is incredibly soft, fluffy, and perfectly moist with rich, true vanilla flavor in every bite. It’s topped with a silky vanilla bean buttercream that’s smooth, creamy, and speckled with real vanilla. Easy to make and wonderfully classic, it’s a timeless dessert that’s perfect for any celebration.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 3 cups (375 g) cake flour
- 3 tsp (3 tsp) baking powder
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 ¾ cup (350 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 (2) large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 (2) large egg whites (room temperature)
- ¾ cup (173 g) full-fat sour cream (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk (room temperature)
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla bean paste
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper circles.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil for a few minutes until light and creamy.
- While mixing on low speed, add in the room temperature eggs and egg whites one at a time, mixing in between each addition, until well combined. Add in the sour cream and vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste, and mix on low speed until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed in between each addition, until the ingredients are mostly incorporated. This is how you will add the ingredients: ⅓ flour mixture (mix) ½ milk (mix) ⅓ flour mixture (mix) ½ milk (mix) ⅓ flour mixture (mix). Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are well incorporated. Mix the cake batter on low speed just until the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Divide the cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Use a kitchen scale to create even layers.
- Bake the cake layers for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake layers spring back when gently touched. If your finger leaves an indent, they need to bake a bit longer.
- Remove the cake pans from the oven and allow the cakes layers to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing the layers and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined.
- Add in the heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, and salt, and continue to mix on low speed until combined and smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Then, turn the mixer to low speed and mix the buttercream for several minutes to remove air bubbles.
- Optional: To smooth out the buttercream, melt 1 cup of the frosting in the microwave for 15 seconds. Pour the melted frosting back into the mixing bowl and mix the frosting on low speed until the buttercream is super smooth and creamy.
Assembling the Vanilla Cake
- Use a serrated knife to level the cake layers by cutting off the domed tops. If desired, remove the caramelization (browning) on the bottom and sides of the cake layers.
- Place one cake layer on a round cake board. Add a thick layer of the vanilla bean buttercream frosting to the top of the cake layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Add the second cake layer, another layer of buttercream, and spread evenly. Then, add the final cake layer to the top of the cake.
- With an offset spatula, add a crumb coat, a thin layer of buttercream frosting, to the top and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting to smooth the sides. Chill the cake for 20 minutes to firm the buttercream.
- Add a generous layer of the buttercream to the chilled cake with an offset spatula. Use a cake scraper to remove the excess buttercream and smooth the sides of the cake or create a more swirled and rustic look, as pictured.
Notes
Storing & Serving:
- Room temperature: Store the cake in an airtight container or cake box at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Cover any exposed cake with plastic wrap to prevent the cake layers from drying out.
- Refrigerator: Store the cake in an airtight container or cake box in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Cover any exposed cake with plastic wrap to prevent the cake layers from drying out. Serve the cake at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
- Freezer: Freeze the cake slices wrapped individually in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 946kcal | Carbohydrates: 105g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 437mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 81g | Vitamin A: 1654IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 1mg
Made This Recipe?
Please leave a comment with a star rating to let me know how you enjoyed the recipe!
About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
I love this cake, however have only made the 1x in the 7in pans. I am going to make the 2x serving size. Would you recommend using 8in pans instead?
Hi Laura! You can use 8 inch pans filled about half way. You will have extra cake batter if you double the recipe, so you could use the extra batter to make cupcakes 🙂
I am planning to make this cake for an event, and the person I am baking them for would like the cupcakes to be the same recipe as the cake. Would you say this recipe could be used for cupcakes too, and turn out with the same flavor and density?
Hi Samantha! I actually haven’t tested this specific recipe as cupcakes, so I can’t say for sure how they would turn out, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work as cupcakes. The bake time for cupcakes would be 20 minutes at 350 degrees F for standard-sized cupcakes.
I’ve made this cake and the flavour was good, but wondering if it is more of a dense cake? I also made your white cake and the white seemed more fluffy than this one. Does that sound accurate?
Hi Leigh! I would describe the vanilla cake as somewhere in between. It’s meant to be moist which often can cause the cake to be a bit more on the dense side, but it should still have a light crumb. My white cake recipe is a bit lighter than this one, in part due to the egg yolks in the vanilla cake recipe.
Hi want to try this ,can I substitute the sour cream with buttermilk?
Hi there! I haven’t tried substituting the sour cream for buttermilk, so I can’t say for certain how it would turn out. Plain greek yogurt is a substitution I typically recommend to replace sour cream.
Hello! Would the bake time be the same for a 10×3 pan?
Hi Julia! The bake time would likely be a bit different because the pan is larger. I haven’t specifically tested that size. Are you doing multiple pans or just one?
How to change measurements if I want a small cake?
Also, can u share for the eggless recipe.
Hi there! I would divide the recipe in half to make a smaller cake. Unfortunately, egg-free baking is not my area of expertise! I highly recommend checking out Caked by Katie for great recipes!
hi! i tried your vanilla cupcakes and loved them i wanted to give the cake a try too. do you know how this recipe would work if used in two 12in round pans? would i need to add any to the recipe?
Hi Savannah! So glad you enjoyed the vanilla cupcakes! I haven’t made this recipe with 12 inch round pans so it is hard for me to say exactly what the measurements would be. If I had to make an educated guess, I would say that you may need to use 3/4 to 1 whole recipe per layer, depending on how thick you would like the layers. The bake time would also be longer.
I’ve made this recipe a few times already, always comes out so soft! Would this cake be able to be a three tier cake? Or is it too soft and will collapse?
Hi Senia! With the appropriate structures in place, this cake could be used in a three-tier cake.
Hello!,
Thank you so much for these incredible recipes!
I love your Vanilla Cupcakes and I was wonderful if this cake recipe is similar to the taste and texture of your cupcakes?
Thank you!! 😊
Hi Liz! Thanks so much! This recipe is a bit different than my vanilla cupcakes due to the ingredient formulation. The cake is made with butter and also contains cake flour which will give it a different taste and texture than the cupcakes. It is not a dense cake, but I would say that comparatively, it is denser than the cupcakes.
Thanks Courtney! Can I bake the cake at 350 instead?
Thank you for your help!
I’ve made this a few times and the flavor is amazing. I struggle to find gluten free cake flour where I live, or just cake flour in general. I got it right one time, but for the life of me cannot figure out what I did again. The flavor is always amazing, but feels dry. I do have to use all-purpose with some “bakery flour.” But they are both gluten free. Any recommendations for me? Increase any of the liquid elements?
Hi Ali! It is hard for me to say because I haven’t formulated this recipe using gluten-free flour. I’m not sure how the recipe could be adjusted to account for that, unfortunately. I’m so sorry!
I want to make sheet cakes to try carving my first cake for my sons birthday – any tips for doing this that way?
Hi Jessica! That sounds like fun! I recommend lining the sheet pan with parchment sheets to make sure the cake easily comes out of the pan. The baking time will vary depending on the size pan you are using. I can’t say for sure what that will be because I haven’t made this recipe as a sheet cake. The best way to tell if the cake is done baking is to touch the top of the cake – if it bounces back and doesn’t leave an indentation, it is ready! And be sure to wait until the cake is completely cooled before carving. You might want to chill the cake before you carve to prevent it from crumbling. Hope this helps!
If you want to read my whole experience keep reading…there is a happy ending:-) I did almost everything wrong. Here we go: Used metric to weigh ingredients for the first time (no problem with that), kept adding vanilla extract because it wasn’t showing the weight on my scale, Again, too much vanilla is not a problem for me! I had greased and floured a 1/2 sheet pan which is bigger than a 9×12 casserole dish so when I put the batter in the larger pan, I realized I needed to put it in the smaller 9×12. I scraped it out of the larger pan and put it in the oven and went back to look at the recipe. OMG, I forgot the milk. So, I put it all back in the mixing bowl and started adding the milk little by little. I got low on the milk, so I used 1/2 and 1/2:-). Poured the batter in the 9×12 and in the oven and I just knew it would be a total disaster. I kept my eye on it. It looked beautiful, but I still didn’t have much hope. The timer went off and I took it out of the oven…I couldn’t help it, I had to try it (nobody would know) It was delicious!!! A little flat, but not so bad. I won’t have to make another cake for my daughter’s baby shower after all! All of that to say, it’s a great recipe!
I can say that I have had baking adventures very similar to yours, but I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
H! I made this recipe over the weekend and my 8” cake turned out great. This weekend I’ll be making my niece a smash cake for her 1st birthday. Do you have a recommendation of how long I should bake the cake with a 6” pan size?
Hi Sarah! I would start checking between 25-30 minutes for a 6 inch pan. It may be a bit longer than that, but that’s a good place to start! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Thanks so much, Courtney! I was able to make two 6” layers and 11 cupcakes all with the same batter recipe and they smell & taste delicious! 😁Can’t wait for family and friends to try them tomorrow at the party.
Amazing! Sounds perfect! Hope you enjoy the cake and the party!
I’m a baker myself and honestly, I just don’t know what happened. I followed the recipe to a T, but my cakes sank and turned out grainy, and fell apart, with a bitter aftertaste.
Hello Noor! I’m sorry to hear you had that experience with this recipe. It’s difficult to troubleshoot exactly what happened, however, the sinking and bitter aftertaste to me indicates that something with the leavening agents may have been off – either incorrect amounts or perhaps old product?
I would love to share a picture of how wonderful the cake turned out. Everyone just LOVED this cake. I used your strawberry buttercream on the inside and your vanilla buttercream on the outside. Chefs kiss.
I would love to see a picture! Feel free to DM me on Instagram! Vanilla cake with strawberry buttercream sounds fabulous! Thank you so much for trying the recipe!
Making this recipe tonight! Will this cake turn out moist on its own or do I need to apply simple syrup between layers? Thanks!
Hi there! You certainly can add simple syrup if that is your normal practice with cakes!
thanks for your impressive post..
Thank you so much for visiting! 🙂