Made from scratch, this traditional vanilla cake is fluffy and tender.
Having a reliable vanilla cake recipe is essential for every baker, and that is precisely what you will find in today’s recipe.
It is really juicy, fluffy, and incredibly soft. This recipe, which should not be mistaken with my white cake, yields a stunning pale golden cake with a flavor that is clearly vanilla. It works wonderfully with any kind of frosting, but my favorite is classic chocolate.
This cake recipe has been a fan favorite for years, right up there with my chocolate cake. You might even know it as the foundation for my marble cake and pineapple upside-down cake. It’s a vanilla cake—plain, traditional, and delicious. Even though the recipe hasn’t changed at all, I figured it was time for a makeover with some fresh visuals after seeing how many of you have enjoyed it.
Compared to box mix, this cake is light years ahead in taste and texture, and it’s practically as easy to make. Please read the following notes carefully before beginning, as I have given some suggestions to assist you in succeeding. The following components are necessary for a nice vanilla cake, according to my extensive testing of many forms and combinations. Fats and oils. For the most delicious and moist cake ever, use these two ingredients. Oil adds moisture and prevents it from being too dry, while butter gives flavor. While an all-butter cake would be drier and more buttery tasting, an all-oil cake would be more moist and flavorless. Canola or vegetable oil are good choices, but any neutral cooking oil will do. To get the most out of the cake’s flavor, unsalted butter is ideal.
Cane sugar. The ideal ingredient is plain granulated sugar. Adding brown sugar would make the cake more moist, but it would also make it taste less vanilla and make it heavier.
Laying an egg. The four eggs should be brought to room temperature before being added to the batter; this will allow them to be mixed in more evenly.
Vanilla flavor. Without vanilla, you just cannot make vanilla cake! Using high-quality vanilla extract is my recommendation, so feel free to whip up a pot of your own if you happen to have some on hand.
Wheat bread. Because I always use all-purpose flour, I made sure to include it in my vanilla cake recipe. But cake flour would work just as well. If you are using measuring cups, you will need to appropriately substitute the flour, but if you are using weight, you would use the same amount.
Amino acid. A spoonful of baking powder is the exact amount—I know it sounds like a lot. Fresh baking soda is essential; generic brands have given me mixed results in the past, so I try to avoid them whenever possible.
Sea salt. Simply use regular table salt.
Cream of butter. For the most flavorful and velvety texture, use full-fat buttermilk. I used to have a buttermilk substitute on hand, but it just doesn’t cut it when it comes to this vanilla cake. You can thank me later, but now I insist on using real buttermilk. No, baking soda is not required when using buttermilk; its flavor and moisture are sufficient in this case.
In a stand mixer bowl, cream together the butter, oil, and sugar.
Gradually add the eggs while vigorously beating after each addition. Thereafter, mix in the vanilla extract.
In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Then, transfer approximately 3/4 of the mixture to your bowl. Just incorporate by gently stirring with a spatula. Thereafter, add around 1/4 of the buttermilk and whisk one more time until just blended.
Before adding the rest of the buttermilk, whisk in half of the dry ingredients. Do not overmix the batter; instead, use a spatula to finish adding the last of the dry ingredients and smoothing it out.Pour the batter into two oiled baking pans and spread it out equally.
After baking, insert a toothpick to check if it’s done. After the cakes have cooled slightly in the pans, turn them upside down onto a cooling rack. Allow them to cool fully before icing.
