When I say this recipe took me MONTHS to perfect, I honestly mean it! This vanilla cake has the most soft, tender, melt-in-your mouth crumb and is bursting with vanilla flavour. A moist vanilla cake that acts as a great base recipe that can be paired with literally any type of frosting and filling!
What makes this vanilla cake so soft and moist?
Well, there’s a few different things at play here! I’ll explain them all briefly below.
Ingredients
When developing this recipe, I took great care in experimenting with different ingredients, and adjusting their quantities as needed to achieve the perfect texture and flavor.
The first notable ingredient is cornstarch. This recipe uses a cake flour substitute, which is a mixture of all purpose flour and cornstarch. This is because cake flour is banned here in New Zealand, which is why I can’t just use regular cake flour (to read more about this, check out my cake flour substitute blog post). Cake flour has a lower protein content than regular flour, which results in a more tender crumb. By substituting some of the flour with cornstarch, you get a similar result to cake flour as cornstarch doesn’t have any gluten, therefore reducing the overall protein content.
Secondly, this recipe uses oil, vinegar and buttermilk to really amp up the softness! Oil is liquid at room temperature, resulting in a moist cake. Vinegar and buttermilk help to break down the protein in the flour, resulting in a fluffier cake. This is due to the acid in both vinegar and buttermilk. For more on the magic of vinegar in baking, click here.
Mixing Method
Another factor is the mixing method.
Firstly, this recipe relies on the creaming method. The creaming method is a technique used in baking to incorporate air into a mixture, typically when making cakes and cookies. This method is crucial for achieving certain desired characteristics in the final baked product, such as the light and fluffy texture of this vanilla cake.
What creaming does is it introduces air into the mixture, creating small air pockets. During baking, these air pockets expand due to the leavening agents (like baking powder or baking soda), leading to a light and fluffy texture.
Another notable step in the mixing method, is the hand mixing at the end of preparing the cake batter. This recipe uses an electric mixer at first, but when it comes to folding in the dry ingredients at the end, you want to use your hands. By being ‘gentle’ with the flour, you’re going to prevent too much gluten from forming, which is great for things like bread, but we don’t want TOO MUCH gluten in a cake!
Why it took me months to come up with this recipe
I’ve tried so many vanilla cake recipes, and even have an old recipe of my own on YouTube! Many of you love that original recipe, but many were also struggling with the initial creaming process because of the high oil content.
When I launched my new blog, my goal was to create simple recipes that people could easily recreate. Because many people were struggling with my first vanilla cake recipe, I was determined to come up with another recipe that was simpler, and less dense.
Trialling the Reverse Creaming Method
Now for some reason I became OBSESSED with the reverse creaming method. This is where you first beat the butter with the dry ingredients and sugar, coating the dry ingredients with a layer of fat which prevents gluten formation. You then mix the remaining wet ingredients into the flour.
I read so much about the reverse creaming method and was determined that it would be the new method I use to make my vanilla cake. I PROBABLY MADE 30 CAKES over the span of a few months trying to get that perfect texture, but I just couldn’t get it right. I think the problem was that I was using a cake flour substitute instead of actual cake flour (cake flour is banned here in New Zealand so I use a flour and cornstarch mix instead). I tried with just regular flour too but my cakes kept coming out a little dense. When I would reduce the fat content, then the cakes would dry out really quickly. I FINALLY GAVE UP.
Sometimes when you know something works, you don’t need to try and be fancy or different to recreate something similar. I decided to go back to the original mixing method I used for my first vanilla cake, but instead of using my mixer to mix in the dry ingredients, I decided to hand mix the dry ingredients at the end. This method combined with different ingredient combinations finally led me to this cake – THE BEST VANILLA CAKE RECIPE I’VE EVER TRIED! 😀
How to make this vanilla cake
This recipe comes together relatively easily, but does require some careful steps. Follow them exactly and you’ll be on your way to success!
Start off by preheating your oven to 165°C/330°F with the fan on (if your oven doesn’t have a fan option, then you will need to increase the baking temperature to 175°C (350°F), and grease and/or lining two 8 inch cake pans. I like to grease my cake tins with my homemade cake release. I find this works well without having to use parchment paper to line my pans.
For the cake batter, start off by sifting together your dry ingredients. By premixing our dry ingredients, it helps ensure that everything is mixed well, preventing us from overmixing our batter when we come to combining our wet and dry ingredients.
Set your dry ingredients aside and in another bowl cream together your butter, oil and sugar for 2 minutes. This is going to incorporate air into our batter which will give us a fluffier cake!
Next add in your eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition. Eggs add structure and moisture to our cake.
Next add in vanilla extract or essence, white vinegar and half a cup of buttermilk, and mix until well combined.
Now the last step is to fold in our dry ingredients while alternating with our buttermilk. So to do this, add in half of your dry ingredients and fold it into the wet mixture until just combined. Then add in your buttermilk, and fold that through until just combined. Lastly, add in your remaining dry ingredients and fold through until just combined.
It’s important to do this step by hand as this will prevent us from overmixing our batter and developing too much gluten. Gluten is what gives bread great structure, and although we want SOME structure for cakes, we don’t want too much otherwise it’ll make our cake tough and dense.
Once the batter is done, evenly distribute it into the two 8 inch cake tins and cook for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to completely cool before frosting.
How to make easy vanilla buttercream
This vanilla buttercream is literally the easiest thing ever! It is an American buttercream so is a ‘sweeter’ frosting, although my recipe does use a lot less icing sugar compared to a regular American buttercream. However, if you still want a less sweet frosting, I’d recommend a Swiss meringue or French buttercream.
So to make this easy buttercream, begin by adding your butter, icing sugar, vanilla and milk to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on a low speed for about a minute until the ingredients are combined (this will prevent the icing sugar from flying everywhere!).
Once combined, turn up the speed to a medium-high and mix for a full 10 minutes. This is going to lighten up the buttercream in both taste and texture. It also helps to reduce the grittiness that you normally get with a traditional American buttercream. For a completely grit-free alternative, try out my grit-free American buttercream!
And that is it! You’re left with a beautifully smooth buttercream.
How to decorate this vanilla cake
You can go ahead and decorate this cake however you like, but here’s a little ‘how-to’ on how I did mine.
So to start off I trimmed off the brown bits around my cake layers, which in all honesty is not necessary at all – I just wanted the perfect thumbnail (haha!). You can skip this step if you want 🙂
I then went ahead and placed my first cake layer in the middle of a cake stand and smoothed out some buttercream on the top with my offset spatula.
I then placed the next cake layer on top, and again smoothed out some frosting on top of that layer with my offset spatula. I then used any excess frosting from the sides and top to cover the entire cake in a thin layer of frosting. This is what we call a crumb coat.
A crumb coat traps in all the crumbs, and is then chilled, before we place our final layer of frosting on.
Once the crumb coat is chilled, I then placed a generous amount of frosting all around the cake. I used my offset spatula to smooth out the top, and then a cake scraper to smooth out the sides.
Now when you scrape the sides of a cake, you usually end up with a lip of frosting around the top edges. To get rid of these and get a ‘sharp edge’ on the top, slowly bring your offset spatula into the middle of the cake, catching that lip of frosting as you go.
I then finished off by piping some little swirls on the top using a 1M piping tip.
And that is it! This vanilla cake is ready to serve 🙂
Commonly asked questions
How do you store vanilla cake?
This cake can be left at room temperature for a few days, but after that it’s best to refrigerate. When placing the cake in the fridge, be sure to place it in an airtight container to prevent the cake from drying out.
Can I freeze this vanilla cake?
I haven’t tried freezing this cake myself, but I have recieved feedback from others who have frozen this cake with success. The key to freezing cakes is making sure they’re wrapped really well in plastic wrap, with an additional layer of foil, and then placed into an airtight container before being placed in the freezer. This will help prevent freezer burn.
Can I use this cake for wedding cakes or birthday cakes?
You can absolutely use this cake for both birthday and wedding cakes. The only thing I will say is that the cake layers are very soft, so up to 3 layers it will be just fine (when using a good stable frosting), but I would recommend adding in additional supports if making a cake that is 4 layers or higher – just for extra security!
Can I make vanilla cupcakes with this recipe?
I haven’t tried this recipe as cupcakes yet, but I have recieved great feedback from others who have. Just be sure to reduce the cooking time when making cupcakes.
Soft Vanilla Cake
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2¼ cups (300 g) flour - regular all purpose (see note 1 if you want to use cake flour)
- ¼ cup (25 g) cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt - omit if using salted butter
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- ½ cup (105 g) unflavoured vegetable oil - I use canola
- 1⅔ cups (332 g) white granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- 1¼ tbsp vanilla essence/extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1½ cups (337 g) buttermilk - room temperature, see note 6 if using a homemade buttermilk substitute
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (see note 4)
- 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar - also known as icing/confectioners' sugar
- 1½ tsp vanilla essence/extract
- 1½ tbsp milk - heavy or whipping cream okay too
Instructions
- IMPORTANT: For this recipe I would highly recommend using gram measurements, especially for the flour for accurate results. It has a high fat/liquid ratio so slight adjustments to the quantities can throw off the balance of the cake 🙂
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat oven to 165 °C (330°F) with the fan on (see note 5 if you don't have a fan function) and grease and/or line two 8 inch cake tins (I use my homemade cake release).
- In a bowl, sift together your flour, cornflour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk or fork, mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, add in your butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine - see note 2), cream together for 2 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add in eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition (about 10-15 seconds between eggs).
- Add in your vanilla, vinegar and half a cup of the buttermilk, and mix until well combined. Now set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
- Finish off by adding in half of your premixed dry ingredients to your wet mixture, and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Then add in the remaining 1 cup of buttermilk, and fold it in until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold it into the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix (see note 3).
- Distribute the batter evenly into the two 8 inch cake tins, and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once baked, allow the cake layers to cool in the cake tins for about 15-20 minutes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack to completely cool before frosting with the vanilla buttercream recipe below, or another frosting of your choice.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (see note 4)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the icing sugar, butter, vanilla and milk.
- Using the paddle attachment, mix on the lowest speed until the ingredients are combined (about a minute), and then turn up the speed to a medium high and mix for a full 10 minutes. Scrape the bowl down half way through.
- The frosting is now ready to use.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
1129 Comments
Greetings, Maryam,
I just discovered your recipe today and will be baking it tomorrow to give as a birthday cake on Friday (after trying three other white cake recipes that did NOT impress me).
My friend’s favorite is “white wedding cake”, but with a “cooked milk icing” which I learned is called ermine icing (I tried two different versions of this and neither was successful).
My question is regarding storage and freezing. Since your icing is a buttercream, will the cake need to be stored in the fridge tomorrow night and/or by the recipient after I deliver it on Friday if our local temps tomorrow and Friday will be mid 60s-mid 70s? I don’t want the cake layers to become dry if I refrigerate and I don’t want the buttercream to melt if I leave the cake on the counter overnight. I would be grateful for suggestions from anyone.
Can slices of this cake be frozen without the icing separating?
Thank you so much for all your hard work perfecting your recipe. I hope it’s as moist as it looks. 🙂
Hi there! 🙂 For a white cake recipe you may want to try this recipe: https://cakesbymk.com/recipe/moist-white-cake/
I also have a YouTube video for ermine frosting if you’d like to check that out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVIGHK5-y3c
This vanilla cake is also great, it’s just not as white in colour as the white cake recipe I linked earlier 🙂
If you decide to use the buttercream for this recipe then you can leave it out at room temp overnight and it’ll be fine. Although I would suggest decorating the cake with the icing (ensure the cake layers are completely covered in the frosting) then refrigerating it overnight to allow everything to firm up to make it easier for transporting the next day. As long as the cake layers are completely covered, the cake will stay nice and moist as the frosting acts as a barrier which prevents air from getting to the cake. Just ensure the cake is left at room temp for a few hours before eating it to allow it to fully come to room temp and soften up.
I’m not too sure about the freezing part as I haven’t tried this myself sorry, though I feel with this type of buttercream icing, freezing should be okay 🙂
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Thank you for the prompt reply! How lovely of you!
Am in the middle of cake batter. Looked great until I added the vinegar, 1/2 c buttermilk, and vanilla and now looks curdled. Am I still okay to begin folding in dry by hand?
Thank you for your reply, Maryam! How kind of you.
Batter looked perfect until I mixed in vinegar, 1/2 c buttermilk, and vanilla and now batter looks curdled, not smooth and creamy like it should. Keep going with hand-folding steps? Yikes! Help please!
You’re so welcome! 🙂 And that’s okay if the batter looks a little curdled, flour acts as a stabiliser and the last stage of hand mixing will bring the batter together. The main thing is that the batter doesn’t look curdled right at the end before it goes into the pans, that’s when you know you have a problem! But sounds like yours turned out just fine. For the future, best not to add additional flour as this can make the cake less soft and fluffy, though a couple of tablespoons won’t make a huge difference so I’m sure it still turned out great 😀 and totally understand the anxiety around baking for others and feeling like things aren’t going to plan!! One reason why I stopped selling cakes haha it was just too stressful! But again, sounds like you did a great job with this one 😀
Thank you for the prompt reply! How lovely of you!
Am in the middle of cake batter. Looked great until I added the vinegar, 1/2 c buttermilk, and vanilla and now looks curdled. Am I still okay to begin folding in dry by hand?
Maryam,
Sorry for the multiple posts. They didn’t show up and then all of a sudden, three popped up at once. Hopefully you can delete them.
So, I knew I had to do something so I added a couple tablespoons of flour and put the mixing bowl over a pan of hot tap water and blended by hand. It came back together (lost curdled appearance, but still looked like I could see butter around the edges of bowl). I followed the rest of the hand mixing instructions and it looked fine when it went into the baking pans.
Unless I’m invited to share a piece tomorrow after delivery, I won’t know how the taste and texture turned out and the recipient is too kind as to be honest and hurt my feelings if it’s ‘less than’ yummy.
I’ve been scratch baking for years so always have ingredients room temp, weigh ingredients, etc. I don’t know what the Universe is trying to teach me, but without fail, whenever something negative happens, it’s always when I’m doing something for someone else. It’s really frustrating.
Please feel free to delete this post as well. I just wanted to share a follow-up to my panic post. 😉 Have a lovely day and thank you for the other links, too.
Just a tip, cake flour is banned in EU too but I’m able to find them at the asian store imported from Thailand. You should be able to find it there too.
MK,
Love your recipes..
In making this cake can I use a 9×13 pan instead of round pans. I need it for a Birthday Party of 20..
MK hi
Love your baking.
I have a question I’m having a Birthday party for 20 people. Can I make this cake in a 9×13 pan instead of round ones? Also should I double recipe
Debbie
Thanks so much Debbie! 🙂 Yes that should be fine just make sure there isn’t too much batter in one cake tin. Enjoy 😀
MK
Would 1 batch of batter should I use? I’m putting holes and pouring strawberry filling in the holes then using your buttercream recipe to cover cake. For a 9×13 pan would 1 batch of buttercream be enough or 2 batches?
Debbie
Hi Debbie! 🙂 1 batch will be enough for a 9×13 inch pan. I love the idea of pouring strawberry filling on top, sounds delicious!! Enjoy 🙂
I will really love to give this a try 😊👏
Hope you enjoy it Omoregbe! 🙂
Hi MK. For this type of cake can I make tall cake 4layers? Thank you🥰
Hi Bee! Yes that should work fine as long as you use a good stable frosting 🙂
Absolutely the best and the most moist vanilla cake I’ve ever made. The frosting is creamy and not too sweet. Just perfect! It was a hit with my friends and family. My search is over since this will be my go-to recipe for a vanilla cake from now on..
Awesome!! So so happy to hear your friends and family loved the recipe Jacqueline 🙂
I made this cake yesterday, I followed your recipe instructions, my daughter had the first slice and she raved on it. I usually buy a slice of vanilla cake from Whole Foods and it’s $4.49/slice, and yesterday they were sold out., so remembered your recipe and decided to make my own. I’m eating my first slice this morning, as I’m writing this review and I have to say bye bye Whole Foods. This cake is amazing, I love the crumb and the frosting is the perfection. Thanks for sharing, I am going to checkout your other recipes.❤️👍🏽
That’s awesome Carol! So so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe 😀
Hello, how long do I cook the half recipe in a loaf pan? Will that work?
Hi Michelle! Yes half the recipe should work fine in a loaf tin. In terms of cooking time it really depends on the size of your loaf tin. I would check at the 25-30 min mark and go from there 🙂
I have tried loads of vanilla cake recipes and this one is by far The best vanilla cake.
Very pleased with the texture and the taste.. Would just recommend to reduce the sugar amount if you’re not used to too much sugar in your diet.
Thank you for sharing this one MK 🙂
So so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Kenza! 😀
Hi MK, I made your cake last night and what a hit it was. The last vanilla cake I made was so dense and heavy so I was really looking for one to be so much lighter. This really was exactly that, so light and airy…and I really appreciate how you explain everything in your recipes and replies from how to mix everything so the gluten doesn’t activate, to why you may need a certain amount of sugar to maintain the moistness, etc etc.!! Thank you so much!
Hi Lia! So so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and that you’re finding the extra tips helpful 😀 really appreciate the feedback!