Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

The best homemade vanilla cake recipe with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. If you’re looking for the best homemade vanilla cake recipe, this is it! This moist and fluffy vanilla cake is easy to make from scratch using simple ingredients. Perfect for birthdays or celebrations. This white cake recipe features a light, airy crumb and the most tender texture. This is a bakery-worthy dessert!

White Cake Recipe

I can’t believe I haven’t shared my favorite vanilla cake recipe on Modern Honey yet! This is a classic vanilla cake with homemade vanilla buttercream frosting. Don’t underestimate vanilla cake. Some may call it plain or boring but it is definitely a classic and when done right…it is perfection.

I wanted to create a moist and flavorful vanilla cake recipe because so many times they end up dry and flavorless. This is achieved by using a mix of fats — butter, a touch of oil, and buttermilk. The buttermilk is a real game changer as it creates the moist texture. Butter makes everything better and it is no exception with this cake — it brings the flavor!

I also love to use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour as it contains less gluten and makes this homemade vanilla cake more tender.

The vanilla buttercream frosting is made with softened butter, a touch of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla beans. I use vanilla bean paste in the frosting because it has a deep vanilla flavor.

I am sharing all of my tips and tricks for making the perfect vanilla cake.

Vanilla Cake Ingredients:

Here is everything you need to make the best vanilla cake with vanilla frosting. It all starts with making a light and fluffy homemade vanilla cake and topping it with a vanilla frosting made with butter, a touch of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste.

VANILLA CAKE INGREDIENTS:

• Eggs
• Egg Whites: Whipped egg whites provide extra volume and a fine, airy crumb. It helps to create a light and airy cake.
• Buttermilk: Adds a tangy note that balances sweetness. Its acidity tenderizes the cake, making it especially soft.
• Oil: I suggest using a neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil. Helps keep the cake layers moist.
• Vanilla: Essential for that warm, aromatic vanilla flavor.
• Sugar
• Cake Flour: Lower protein content than all-purpose flour, resulting in a lighter, more tender cake.
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Unsalted Butter (softened and cut into cubes): Adds rich flavor and helps create a tender crumb through the creaming process.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

• Butter (softened)
• Cream Cheese (softened)
• Powdered Sugar
• Vanilla or Vanilla Bean Paste
• Cream or Milk (optional)

The Difference Between a “White Cake” and a “Vanilla Cake”:

• White Cake typically uses only egg whites (no yolks) to keep the color very light, and often has no additional flavor besides vanilla extract.
• Vanilla Cake can be very similar—many “white cakes” also taste like vanilla. Sometimes vanilla cakes include a bit of egg yolk or more robust flavor from extra vanilla.
• In practice, the terms can be used somewhat interchangeably—the biggest difference is often color and whether yolks are included or not.

How to make the Best Vanilla Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.

• In a stand mixer, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Beat the butter into the flour mixture, one cube at a time. Continue to beat until it resembles coarse crumbs.

• Add the 1/2 of the egg-milk mixture and beat the batter is light and fluffy. Add remaining egg-milk mixture and mix just until combined.

• Generously spray two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. See below for additional tips and options for greasing the cake pans. Pour batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake for 20-24 minutes, depending on the depth of cake pans. Remove cakes from oven when toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pans.

TO MAKE Frosting:

• In mixing bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese for 4 minutes.
• Add powdered sugar and beat for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and milk (if needed).
• Once the cake layers have cooled, frost with vanilla buttercream frosting.

How to make Vanilla Cake Frosting:

The key to making the best frosting for a vanilla cake is to ensure that you use softened ingredients, whip the ingredients well, and use high-quality vanilla, if possible. Make sure your butter is at room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugar. Adding a small amount of cream cheese helps the frosting hold its shape while giving a slight tang that complements the vanilla.

• In mixing bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese for 4 minutes.
• Add powdered sugar and beat for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and milk (if needed).
• Once the cake layers have cooled, frost with vanilla buttercream frosting. 

Tips on Frosting a Layered Cake:

1. Level the Layers: If the tops are domed, use a serrated knife to trim them flat. Homemade cake recipes generally don’t dome as much as boxed cake recipes do so you most likely can skip this step with this vanilla cake recipe.
2. Crumb Coat: Spread a thin layer of frosting around the sides and top to lock in crumbs. Chill briefly.
3. Final Frosting: Apply a thicker coat of frosting, smoothing with an offset spatula.
4. Decorate: Top with sprinkles, fresh berries, or piped rosettes if you want a fancier look.

Tips for making the Best White Cake Recipe:

• Use both Egg Whites and Whole Eggs. It creates the perfect fluffy texture. I tried using only egg whites and the texture was very similar to angel food cake. Adding one egg yolk added the right amount of fat and created an extra moist texture.
• Use Cake Flour. Cake flour contains 7-8% gluten while All-Purpose Flour contains 10-12%.  When cake flour is used in cakes, it creates a more tender texture.
• Use Baking Powder. Since there is only sugar in this cake, I use baking powder and a lot of it. This helps the cake to rise and give it loft.
• Add the Butter, in cubes, to the Flour. This recipe doesn’t call for the typical cream butter and sugar together. The butter is added to the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt mixture and beat just until coarse crumbs are formed.
• Use Buttermilk. It creates a perfectly moist and tender texture.
• Bake just until the cake tester comes clean.  Use two 9-inch pans or three 8-inch pans. The cooking time will depend on the depth of the cake batter. The best way to figure out if the cake is baked through enough is to place a cake tester in the center of the cake.

Tips on how to grease cake pans and how to get the cake out of the pans:

Grease the Pan: Use softened butter or cooking spray, coating the sides and bottom thoroughly.

Flour or Parchment: Dust with flour, shaking out the excess, or place a circle of parchment on the bottom for extra insurance.

Removing Layers: After baking, let them rest 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen, then flip the pan gently onto a cooling rack. Peel away parchment if used.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):

Can I Use All-Purpose Flour Instead of Cake Flour?

Yes, but the cake might be slightly denser. Cake flour has a lower gluten amount which creates a more tender crumb in cakes. You can substitute all-purpose flour but the texture may be slightly different.

What if I Don’t Have Buttermilk?

Make a quick substitute by mixing 1 tablespoon vinegar into 1 cup regular milk and let it sit for at least 5 minutes to sour.

Is White Cake Always the Same as Vanilla Cake?

They are very similar cakes. A “white” cake often focuses on light color and generally uses egg whites only. A “vanilla” can use whole eggs and generally has a more pronounced vanilla flavor because more vanilla extract is used in the recipe. Many people use these two cake terms interchangeably since they are so similar.

Best Homemade Cake Recipes:

Yellow Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting
Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake
Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Coconut Cake

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If you love this homemade vanilla cake with vanilla frosting recipe, I would love it if you could make a comment and let me know you baked it. I love hearing from you! Here is an image below to pin on Pinterest as well.