This vanilla cake recipe is the perfect birthday cake for your party. Learn how to make vanilla cake and pair with our vanilla buttercream frosting or chocolate buttercream frosting recipe!
If you’re looking for an easy vanilla cake recipe this is it! You don’t need to buy a box mix to when you can make the best vanilla cake recipe from scratch!
I’ve been making this homemade vanilla cake recipe for years! My family loves when I bake sweet treats and I stopped baking for quite a bit, and now I’m happy to be back in my baking apron! Cakes were always my favorite to make, I love piping and really need to practice cake decorating, I’m pretty rusty since I made my first Wilton cake in 2009!
I’ve always loved baking but didn’t really make huge cakes until 2009 actually. I would make cakes in a square pan and use a box, not dissing the box, but homemade always has a better aftertaste. I can definitely tell the difference between store-bought and homemade cakes. I always add more ingredients to a cake mix actually.
vanilla cake ingredients
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- butter
- sugar
- eggs
- milk
- vanilla
how to make vanilla cake
Place the oven rack in the center of the oven so that the cake will get even heat. Once you have the rack placed in the correct spot you can preheat your oven to 350 degrees f. You can now either use nonstick spread or grease and flour your pans. We like to use two 9″ rounds for our vanilla cake recipe.
Now you’ll want to sift together the dry ingredients, once that is done you can set aside.
Cream together the vanilla, butter, and sugar until nice and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Once the sugar and butter is creamed you can add in 1 egg at a time.
Alternate the milk and flour mixture and mix until combined.
Pour the vanilla cake batter into your pans and bake.
You’ll want to bake cakes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Once they’re done you can place the pans on a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing cakes from pans
baking tip: always start with room temperature ingredients.
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Vanilla Cake Recipe
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Vanilla Cake
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 2 3/4 cups flour all purpose
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup butter softened, we use country crock plant butter for dairy free
- 1 3/4 cups sugar granulated
- 3 large eggs
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 1/2 cups butter
- 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 5 tablespoons milk we use oatly full fat for dairy free
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Toppings
- 1/4 cup sprinkles optional
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour two 8" round pans and set aside.
- Mix the milk and vinegar together and set aside.
- Sift together the flour baking soda, and salt.
- In a stand mixer cream the vanilla, butter and sugar together until nice and fluffy, 2-3 mins.
- Add in the eggs one at a time.
- Alternate the flour mixture and milk mixture into the batter and mix until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared pie pans.
- Bake cakes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Place pans on a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing cakes from pans.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Beat the butter until nice and fluffy, and add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. If you're not using salted butter (most vegan butter is salted), you can add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Add more milk if the buttercream is too thick or more powdered sugar if the buttercream is too thin.
- To frost place one layer of the cake onto a cake plate level the cake and then cover the top with frosting.
- Level the other layer and then place on top of the frosted cake. Frost the entire cake and decorate as desired.
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The nutritional information is automatically calculated and can vary based ingredients and products used. If the nutrition numbers are important for you we recommend calculating them yourself.
Beautiful stacked cake. I’m experimenting with cake flavors too. My goal is to find a good but easy chocolate cake recipe. I plan on trying these two recipes you recommended. I can’t wait.
Awesome cakes Courtney!!! I love the monotone decor… Very nice
you are definately making my wedding cake when/if i ever get married!!! keep practicing! your so talented! i love and miss you! – Bree
I wouldn’t have it any other way!! I love you!! Hopefully when I see you I’ll have lots of cupcakes for you to try 😉 I love and miss you so much!!
I’m so impressed! Beautiful!
Such lovely cakes! My oldest son only likes vanilla cake, can you believe he doesn’t like chocolate???
What a Beautiful cake!