Description
This homemade vanilla cake is incredibly soft, fluffy, and bursting with rich vanilla flavor. Made with simple pantry ingredients, this easy-to-follow recipe creates a perfectly moist cake that’s great for birthdays, celebrations, or any occasion. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert baker, this recipe guarantees a delicious and foolproof vanilla cake every time.
Ingredients
For the Cake
All-purpose flour – 2 ½ cups
Granulated sugar – 2 cups
Unsalted butter (softened) – 1 cup
Eggs – 4 large
Whole milk or buttermilk – 1 cup
Pure vanilla extract – 1 tablespoon
Baking powder – 2 ½ teaspoons
Salt – ½ teaspoon
For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Unsalted butter (softened) – 1 cup
Powdered sugar – 3 cups
Heavy cream or milk – 3 tablespoons
Vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons
Salt – A pinch
Instructions
For the Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined
In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
Mix in vanilla extract
Alternately add dry ingredients and milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients
Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing
Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
For the Buttercream Frosting
Beat butter until creamy and smooth
Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until fluffy
Add vanilla extract and heavy cream, then beat for another 2 minutes until smooth
Spread a thin crumb coat of frosting over the cooled cake, then chill for 15 minutes
Apply the final layer of frosting evenly and decorate as desired
Notes
For extra moisture, substitute whole milk with buttermilk
Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake light and fluffy
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: Homemade vanilla cake vanilla cake from scratch easy vanilla cake fluffy vanilla cake classic vanilla