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Vanilla Cake Recipe. The best homemade vanilla cake recipe with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. www.modernhoney.com #vanillacake #cake #cakerecipe #vanillacakerecipe

Vanilla Cake Recipe

The best homemade vanilla cake recipe with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. 

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.

Vanilla Cake Recipe. The best homemade vanilla cake recipe with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. www.modernhoney.com #vanillacake #cake #cakerecipe #vanillacakerecipe

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!

Vanilla Cake Recipe. The best homemade vanilla cake recipe with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. www.modernhoney.com #vanillacake #cake #cakerecipe #vanillacakerecipe

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.

Vanilla Cake Recipe. The best homemade vanilla cake recipe with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. www.modernhoney.com #vanillacake #cake #cakerecipe #vanillacakerecipe

How to make the Best Vanilla 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.
Vanilla Cake Recipe. The best homemade vanilla cake recipe with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. www.modernhoney.com #vanillacake #cake #cakerecipe #vanillacakerecipe

What are some cake baking essentials?

8-inch cake pans
Angled spatula
Kitchenaid Mixer

Vanilla Cake Recipe. The best homemade vanilla cake recipe with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. www.modernhoney.com #vanillacake #cake #cakerecipe #vanillacakerecipe

Best Homemade Cake Recipes:

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

Vanilla Cake Recipe. The best homemade vanilla cake recipe with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. www.modernhoney.com #vanillacake #cake #cakerecipe #vanillacakerecipe

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4.95 from 36 votes

Vanilla Cake Recipe

By: Modern Honey - www.modernhoney.com
Vanilla Cake Recipe. The best homemade vanilla cake recipe with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients  

  • 2 large Eggs
  • 3 large Egg Whites
  • 1 cup Buttermilk
  • 2 Tablespoons Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups Sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups Cake Flour
  • 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter (softened and cut into cubes)

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  • 1 cup Butter (softened)
  • 4 ounces Cream Cheese (softened)
  • 4 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla or Vanilla Bean Paste
  • 1 Tablespoon Cream or Milk (optional)

Instructions 

  • 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.
  • Lightly spray two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. 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.

Vanilla Buttercream 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. 

Nutrition

Calories: 515kcal, Carbohydrates: 67g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 63mg, Sodium: 262mg, Potassium: 238mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 51g, Vitamin A: 510IU, Calcium: 76mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Calories: 515
Keyword: vanilla cake recipe
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Hi, I'm Melissa Stadler!

I am an Award-Winning Recipe Creator. Cover of Food Network Magazine. Two-Time Pillsbury Bake-Off Finalist. I am passionate about sharing the best recipes so you have success in the kitchen!

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60 Comments

  1. Hello. I haven’t read all the comments so please excuse any redundancy. The recipe calls for two 8 in or two 9in pans which is how I have them in my oven right now. However I just read some of your blog and it said to use three 8 in pans. So which is it? I didnt seem to have alot of batter and I filled two 8inch pans a little over half.

  2. 5 stars
    Delicious!! A soft, fluffy crumb and very easy instructions. Made a one-pan 7”x3” layer cake and enough left for nine cupcakes! My new go-to white cake recipe!

  3. How might I adapt this recipe if I wanted to bake it in a 9″x13″ pan? Would I just cook it for a bit longer?

  4. I’m a little confused with the amount of eggs. Do you mean a total of 5 eggs but with 3 of them using just the egg whites?

      1. I was wondering if I could add anything to make this recipe chocolate. If so please make suggestions below! Thank you

        1. There’s a recipe on this sight called Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake…it is, hands down, the very best chocolate cake! The best ever!!

  5. Sounds lovely ✨ Have you ever tried to freeze the cake? My son’s Birthday is a few days after Christmas so want to get organised and get the baking out of the way. Thinking of just baking & freezing cake, but would ice fresh once defrosted.. thoughts?

  6. I’m so excited to make this but I only have How much all purpose flour. Will this affect the taste and how should I portion it without the cake flour?

    1. I had this same situation, but found an article saying sift 1 3/4 c AP flour with 1/4 c cornstarch to mimic cake flour. I sifted this togetehr a few times and used it!

  7. Wow, I NEVER comment on blogs but I just had to today. I made this cake for my son’s birthday. I was not allowed to have any frosting and I was a little worried but it was BEAUTIFUL! I made it as one large cake so cooked it for longer but it came out perfectly flat, and it was SO light and fluffy. I will definitely be using this as my go to vanilla cake from now on!! THANK YOU!!

  8. Hi, I would love to make this cake but it’s just 2 of us. Could I halve the ingredients and make a one layer cake? What would you recommend?