From now on this will be your go-to Vanilla Cake recipe. It is tried and true! It’s easy to make and turns out great every time. The vanilla buttercream frosting is to die for, and you can decorate it in whatever way you want. Great for any occasion, moist, and with the perfect crumb density!
My Favorite Vanilla Cake Recipe
This is the vanilla cake I come back to every time. It’s plush, moist, and fluffy—without feeling overly soft or artificial like some store-bought versions. No more dense or heavy cakes!
It stays amazingly fresh too: perfect on Day 1, and still about 96% just-as-good on Day 4. That’s pretty rare for a homemade cake!
You’ll love the balanced vanilla and buttery flavor—rich but not greasy. The crumb is soft and smooth, with no big air pockets or uneven holes.
It bakes up nice and flat, so there’s no need to trim the top. It also works great for cupcakes!
It’s not too sweet, and it’s tender enough to melt in your mouth, but still sturdy enough to hold up to layers of frosting, whipped cream, or fresh berries. Unlike super light sponges or chiffon cakes, this one won’t collapse under a little extra weight.
Ingredients for Vanilla Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Eggs
- Fine sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Canola oil
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Vanilla Cake
1. Grease 2- 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs for 30 seconds.
4. Slowly and gradually, add the sugar and whisk on high speed, until white and fluffy, about 7 minutes.
5. While you beat the eggs and sugar, heat the milk and butter in a medium-sized bowl and microwave for 2 minutes or until the butter has melted. Mix in the oil and vanilla extract. Set aside.
6. Once the eggs and sugar are fluffy and white, and using the paddle attachment, add ⅓ of the flour mixture on low speed and beat for 5 seconds until you no longer see any flour streaks. Repeat with the next ⅓ of the flour mixture, then with the remaining ⅓.
7. Into the bowl with the milk and butter mixture, whisk in 1 ½ cups of the batter until frothy.
8. Turn the mixer back on low, and slowly add the milk mixture just until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
9. Divide the batter into the two prepared pans and tap hard on the counter 3 or 4 times to remove any large bubbles.
10. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
11. Let the cakes cool down in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto cooling racks to cool down completely.
12. Make the frosting: using a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until light in color, about 3 minutes. Slowly and gradually (on low speed) add the powdered sugar. It may look like sand, it’s ok. Remember to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
13. Add the vanilla extract and milk, and mix until light and fluffy.
14. Once the cakes have cooled down completely, frost the top of one cake, place the other cake on top, then frost the top and sides of the larger cake.
How to Store a Best Vanilla Cake Recipe
This frosted vanilla cake will stay fresh on the counter for up to 4 days, unless your kitchen is too hot. If you live in a warmer-weather place, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate. You can freeze the cake for up to 3 months when wrapped in 3 layers of plastic wrap.
Is This a Good Cake Recipe for Ad-Ins?
In reality, any add-ins will sink to the bottom of the cake. If you add fruit, chocolate chips, funfetti, or any other add-in, they will only sink to the bottom, so I would recommend adding extra ingredients into the frosting instead.
My Eggs are Cold, What Can I Do?
Place the cold eggs in a bowl with warm water (not hot) for 5 minutes. This will warm the eggs enough to use in this recipe.
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Vanilla Cake Recipe
From now on this will be your go-to Vanilla Cake recipe. It is tried and true! It’s easy to make and turns out great every time.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups fine white sugar
- 1 stick (½ cup) butter, sliced
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp canola oil
For the frosting:
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 16 oz confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
- Grease 2- 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs for 30 seconds.
- Slowly and gradually, add the sugar and whisk on high speed, until white and fluffy, about 7 minutes.
- .While you beat the eggs and sugar, heat the milk and butter in a medium-sized bowl and microwave for 2 minutes or until the butter has melted. Mix in the oil and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Once the eggs and sugar are fluffy and white, and using the paddle attachment, add ⅓ of the flour mixture on low speed and beat for 5 seconds until you no longer see any flour streaks. Repeat with the next ⅓ of the flour mixture, then with the remaining ⅓.
- Into the bowl with the milk and butter mixture, whisk in 1 ½ cups of the batter until frothy.
- Turn the mixer back on low, and slowly add the milk mixture just until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Divide the batter into the two prepared pans and tap hard on the counter 3 or 4 times to remove any large bubbles.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool down in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto cooling racks to cool down completely.
- Make the frosting: using a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until light in color, about 3 minutes. Slowly and gradually (on low speed) add the powdered sugar. It may look like sand, it’s ok. Remember to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the vanilla extract and milk, and mix until light and fluffy.
- Once the cakes have cooled down completely, frost the top of one cake, place the other cake on top, then frost the top and sides of the larger cake.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 390Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 70mgCarbohydrates: 80gFiber: 1gSugar: 63gProtein: 5g
Sos Recipes is not staffed by nutritionists or dietitians, and any provided nutritional information is an approximation. If calorie count and nutritional value are crucial to you, we suggest inputting the ingredients into your preferred online nutritional calculator. The actual calorie and nutritional content may differ based on the brands used.