Name: Moist & Fluffy Vanilla Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups cake flour, (sifted); 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (room temperature); 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, (room temperature); 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste; 1 cup whole milk, (room temperature); Vanilla Buttercream Frosting ((or other frosting of your choosing))

This classic vanilla cake recipe is the absolute BEST! With a moist and tender crumb and real vanilla flavor you can actually taste, it's the perfect cake for a birthday, graduation, bridal shower, or any celebration... or just because. Bake it as a layer cake, sheet cake, or cupcakes - this one recipe can do it all!

Side view of a square slice of vanilla cake with vanilla frosting.

After my moist and fudgy chocolate cake went viral on Instagram, I knew I had to create a classic vanilla cake that was just as delicious! If the words dry, bland, or boring come to mind when you think of vanilla cake, then think again. This cake is moist, flavorful, and anything but boring when you pair it with creamy vanilla buttercream (or any frosting you like)!

And if you're baking this cake for a birthday or other celebration, consider adding a DIY edible cake topper!

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Special Equipment
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Allison's Top Tips
Frosting Suggestions
Storage Instructions
Recipe
Comments

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This is vanilla cake recipe makes the perfect celebration cake. It's easy to make, absolutely delicious, and can be made so many ways (and paired with any frosting you like)! You'll love it because it's:

Easy to Make - This classic vanilla cake recipe is so simple! Cream together butter and sugar, add eggs, oil, and vanilla, and blend in flour and milk.
Versatile - This do-it-all vanilla cake can be used any way you like! Bake it as a layer cake to for a birthday party. Bake it as a sheet cake for a bridal shower. Or bake it as cupcakes for a birthday party!
Rich Flavor & Texture - Getting the flavor and texture just right was key! You can actually taste the vanilla in this cake, which was really important to me when I was creating this recipe. And the texture had to be light and tender but still moist, which this cake definitely is.
Crowd-Pleasing - This cake is perfect for serving to a crowd, especially since it can take many forms. It's a deliciously flavorful and fluffy vanilla cake that everyone will love!

A slice of two-layer vanilla cake with vanilla frosting on a white plate next to the cake on a marble board.

Why This Recipe Works

This vanilla cake recipe is the most heavily tested recipe on this entire website. But why? Vanilla cake seems so simple, right? Wrong!

Getting the texture and flavor just right can be tricky. Vanilla cake has a tendency to be dry - or bland - and I wanted this cake to truly be something special.

I tried some of the most popular recipes on the Internet, finding things I liked and things I didn't with each.

I tested different ingredients: types of flour, types of fat, types of liquid, and types of vanilla flavor. Should I use all-purpose flour or cake flour? Whole eggs or just egg whites? Whole milk or buttermilk?

I tested different mixing methods, namely creaming versus reverse creaming. Reverse creaming (mixing the butter into the flour instead of beating it with the sugar) did not make a noticeable difference in the texture, so we stuck with the more traditional creaming butter and sugar here for simplicity.

Then I tested different ratios of ingredients until the texture and flavor were perfect.

And then... I tested some more to make sure that this recipe would work when baked as a layer cake, as a 9x13 sheet cake, or as cupcakes. I didn't stop until I was confident I'd nailed it.

So what makes this fluffy and moist vanilla cake recipe the best? It uses the perfect combination of ingredients in just the right ratios, blended together in just the right way. I'll explain more in the "Ingredient" section below.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient list and measurements.

Recipe ingredients with labels on a blue background.

Cake Flour - This cake uses cake flour, instead of all-purpose flour, for a crumb that is more tender. Sifting the cake flour helps to ensure there are no lumps in the cake batter.

Unsalted Butter - Butter adds necessary fat along with flavor and moisture to the cake batter.

Vegetable Oil - Oil also adds needed fat to the cake batter, and oil creates a cake that is more moist and tender than a cake that uses only butter.

Eggs - This is a yellow cake because it uses whole eggs, rather than just egg whites (which would make it a white cake).

Vanilla Extract & Paste - I wanted the cake to have a prominent vanilla flavor and found that a mix of pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste did the trick. Vanilla bean paste also adds beautiful flecks of vanilla bean to the batter. You can substitute an equal measure of additional vanilla extract for the paste, if you prefer.

Whole Milk - I tested the cake with buttermilk, which I love for how tender it makes cake, but I found that its flavor overpowered the vanilla so opted for whole milk instead.

Special Equipment

In addition to essential baking equipment (like a mixing bowl and whisk), I recommend some special tools for making this recipe.

Two 9 inch round cake pans (or a 9x13 pan or cupcake pans), for baking the cake.
Stand mixer or electric hand mixer, for mixing the cake batter.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

See recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed recipe instructions.

Dry ingredients whisked together in a glass mixing bowl.

Step 1: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Creamed butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar for 3 minutes until blended and smooth.

Wet ingredients blended in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Step 3: Add eggs and beat for one minute. Then add oil and both vanillas and beat until well blended.

Cake batter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

Step 4: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients alternately with the milk, mixing on low speed until blended.

Cake batter in round cake pans on a blue surface.

Step 5: Divide the batter evenly between the two pans sprayed with cooking spray and lined with parchment paper.

Baked cake in a round cake pan on a blue surface.

Step 6: Bake the cakes at 350º F for 25 minutes.

Allison's Top Tips

For the best cake texture, don't skip sifting the flour. It helps to remove any lumps in the flour, avoiding any lumps in the batter.

The butter and sugar after creaming won't be as light and fluffy as creamed butter often is, since the ratio of sugar to butter is higher than is typical when creaming the two ingredients together.

Be sure to line the pans with parchment paper to keep the cake from sticking when baking and ensuring that it can be easily removed from the pan.

Running a cake tester or knife around the edge of the cake when you remove it from the oven will stop the cake from sticking to the sides of the pan once cooled.

For the most even baking, bake the cake in a light metal pan, not a dark or coated metal pan, which will cause the cake to brown more quickly at the edges.

Half of a vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting and sprinkles on a speckled white plate with a knife surrounded by more cupcakes.

Frosting Suggestions

This cake is super versatile and pairs well with just about any frosting you like! Here are some of my favorite pairings:

Classic American buttercream frosting is always a great choice for pairing with this fluffy vanilla cake. This recipe makes the best-tasting American buttercream frosting, includes detailed-step-by-step instructions, and explains multiple ways to customize the flavor.
For a lighter and less sweet alternative to buttercream, whipped cream frosting that's stabilized with cream cheese is a delicious alternative that pairs perfectly with this cake. My popular strawberry vanilla cake pairs this fluffy vanilla cake with whipped cream frosting and fresh strawberries.
For an extra indulgent chocolate frosting, this chocolate ganache buttercream frosting is completely drool-worthy!
Classic cream cheese frosting also pairs beautifully with this cake! This recipe also includes fun flavor variations like brown butter and vanilla bean.
Salted caramel buttercream frosting is a rich option that takes this cake up a notch!

This guide will help you figure out how much frosting you need based on the shape and size of cake or cupcakes you're making.

Storage Instructions

Room Temperature: This cake can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Refrigerator: Depending on the type of frosting used, you may need to refrigerate the cake once frosted, which will cause the cake to dry out more quickly.

For cupcakes, wrap completely cooled cupcakes with plastic wrap before sealing in a plastic bag or airtight container and freezing. Cupcakes can be wrapped together in groups and do not need to be individually wrapped.

Defrost all cake or cupcakes at room temperature before frosting and serving.

Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review on the recipe below! And don't forget to subscribe to Always Eat Dessert for even more easy dessert recipes and helpful baking tips.

Recipe

Close up view of a partially-eaten slice of two-layer vanilla cake with vanilla frosting on a white plate with a fork.

Moist & Fluffy Vanilla Cake

With a moist and tender crumb and real vanilla flavor you can actually taste, this moist and fluffy vanilla cake is the BEST. Bake it as a layer cake, sheet cake, or cupcakes - this one recipe can do it all!

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Yield: 1 two-layer 9 inch round cake OR 1 9x13 cake OR 24 cupcakes

Calories: 258kcal

Author: Allison Ferraro

Special Equipment

Cake pan (9 inch round or 9x13) or cupcake pan
Stand mixer or electric hand mixer

Ingredients

2 ½ cups (300 grams) cake flour, sifted
2 ¼ teaspoons (9 grams) baking powder
1 teaspoon (6 grams) fine sea salt
½ cup (114 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ⅔ cups (330 grams) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
¼ cup (50 grams) vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon (14 grams) vanilla extract
2 teaspoons (10 grams) vanilla bean paste
1 cup (227 grams) whole milk, room temperature
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (or other frosting of your choosing)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray two round 9 inch cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. *See recipe note for baking a 9x13 cake or cupcakes.

Make the cake batter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2 ½ cups (300 grams) cake flour,, 2 ¼ teaspoons (9 grams) baking powder, 1 teaspoon (6 grams) fine sea salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar for 3 minutes until blended and smooth.
½ cup (114 grams) unsalted butter,, 1 ⅔ cups (330 grams) granulated sugar
Add eggs and mix on low speed until blended. Then turn mixer up to high speed and beat for one minute.
3 large eggs,
Add oil and both vanillas and beat until well blended.
¼ cup (50 grams) vegetable oil, 1 Tablespoon (14 grams) vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons (10 grams) vanilla bean paste
With the mixer running on low speed, add one third of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until blended. Add half of the milk, continuing to stir until combined. Add another third of the flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk, and then the final third of flour mixture, blending slowly between each addition. Gently fold in any final bits of flour, being careful not to over mix the batter.
1 cup (227 grams) whole milk,

Bake the cake.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.
Bake the cakes for 23-25 minutes, or until the top sprigs back when gently poked and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Run a cake tester or knife around the edge of the cake to keep it from sticking to the sides of the pan once cooled. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting or storing.

Notes

Storage: This cake can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you'll be frosting the cake, be sure to consider how the frosting needs to be stored. Depending on the type of frosting used, you may need to refrigerate the cake once frosted, which will cause the cake to dry out more quickly.

Freezing: This cake can be baked ahead of time and frozen. For round or square/rectangular cake, wrap the completely cooled cake in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil before freezing for up to 3 months. For cupcakes, wrap completely cooled cupcakes with plastic wrap before sealing in a plastic bag or airtight container and freezing. Cupcakes can be wrapped together in groups and do not need to be individually wrapped. Defrost all cake or cupcakes at room temperature before frosting and serving.

For baking a 9x13 cake, line a 9x13 metal baking pan with parchment paper. Add cake batter to pan and bake at 350º F for 33-35 minutes.

For baking cupcakes, line cupcake pan with paper liners and fill each ⅔ full with batter. Bake at 350º F for 16-18 minutes.

The recipe can be halved to make a single-layer 9 inch round cake, a two-layer 6 inch round cake, one 8x8 cake, or 12 cupcakes.