The simplest things are often the very best. Isn’t that lesson coming through loud and clear these days? That is what this classic vanilla buttermilk cake is all about. The perfection of the most delicious vanilla cake and the smoothest faux swiss meringue buttercream. Stacked evenly and smoothly frosted to perfection.
Mastering this basic cake recipe and presentation will build a foundation for your cake baking and designing dreams. Take a picture, because I know it won’t last a day in your home if you have kids or really, any adult sweet tooth.
Buttermilk is the secret to the dense yet delicately flavored vanilla cake. I trim the sides and tops of my cakes to create a level stacking field. Frost with the classic faux swiss meringue and you have a perfect basic cake to build your portfolio as a home or professional cake designer.
The Best Vanilla Cake
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and prepare 4 – 7” pans or 3 – 8” pans with spray release or grease and flour pans. Line pans with parchment.
- Place all dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low until ingredients are combined.
- With the mixer on low, add the chunks of butter. Mix until the mixture becomes crumbly and no large pieces of butter remain. Should resemble wet sand.
- Pour in egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated.
- Add in buttermilk in two installments, on low. Scrape the bowl between additions.
- Add vanilla and oil, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape sides of bowl and beat an additional 15 seconds.
- Bake in preheated oven for 28-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. A few crumbs are fine but if liquid is on the toothpick, return to oven.
- Let cool in pans for 10-12 minutes. Turn out onto cooling rack. When cakes are warm but cool enough to handle, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to finish cooling.
Notes
King Arthur is my go-to flour.
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature.
Bake your cake layers ahead and freeze them. They will last in the freezer for two months is properly wrapped. Wrap twice in saran wrap and once in heavy duty foil. To defrost, remove from freezer and allow to come to room temperature. Don’t unwrap the cake layer until they have defrosted.
No buttermilk? No problem. To make a substitute add 1 TBSP of either lemon juice or vinegar and add enough milk to measure 1 cup. Gently stir the mixture and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
Is this cake sturdy enough to stack and cover with fondant?
Hi Margie! Yes, this cake can be covered with fondant and stacked.
I’d this sturdy enough for a three tier wedding cake?
Yes, it is. Remember the dowels are supporting the tiers, not the cake.
I made cupcakes out of this recipe. They were a complete fail. They did not rise and stuck to the top if the pan. They had a crisp top. I weighed all my ingredients so they would be perfect. I have made this same recipe in
a cake and it was delishous. My family ate them anyway.
Starla I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t work for you. I have made the Best vanilla cake often as cupcakes with great success. Often when cakes don’t rise it’s do to old baking powder. I recommend you check the date.
Also, I’ve found that when baked as cupcakes there isn’t a large crown but that the cupcakes are flat. Hth
Thanks you for sharing your knowledge free of charge, may God bless you abundantly on every side in Jesus name.
You are so welcome!
Beautiful recipe! Thank you for your tremendous effort to create these delicious delightful cakes.
★★★★★
Thank you for your kind words! I love sharing my baking passion.
You are so very welcome!
You are simply amazing! I truly thank God for you. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us!
★★★★★
Thank you Shaunetta! I so appreciate your comment and I hope you love the buttermilk cake as much as I do.xo
I’ve been around the cake business a long time and I know how so many struggle in finding a good vanilla cake. This is it. Hands down. The cake has a beautiful flavor and perfect crumb. More importantly it is easy to make. It’s perfect for all levels of baking. Well done.
Thank you!! So glad you like the cake!
Tried this recipe a few months ago. It was delicious and had the perfect crumb. If I was still in the cake business this would become my new go to recipe for a great vanilla wedding cake!!
★★★★★
Reverse Cream method is so easy! Easy EASY recipe, and it tastes delicious. Note: Was out of buttermilk but I used her tip to add lemon juice to whole milk, and it worked perfectly. Very Good Vanilla Cake! Thanks Minette! So happy to have this recipe in my arsenal!
★★★★★
Love it!! Perfect recipe. Made it!! Thank you so much for this recipe Minette. I’ve been looking for a good vanilla cake recipe and this is it!!! I’m a baker. Moist, nice crumb, easy to make and easy to find ingredients especially here in Nigeria where some ingredients in foreign sourced recipes are not always available. Thank you!!
★★★★★
I tried out a cake with the above recipe. The cake was very soft and tasty. Thank you.
★★★★★
Thank you so much Minette, you are a gem. Can I use box egg whites/ pasteurized egg whites for this recipe or fresh egg whites only?
You sure can!
Hi Minette, can this recipe double or triple easily or I’d it best to make in smaller batches?
Thank you for sharing your beautiful talent with us!
Hi Michelle, I have doubled the recipe with success. I’ve never tripled it so can’t advise. If you do triple the recipe, please let me know. Thanks!
Outta this world!!! I am saving up to purchase your recipe book!!! I also can’t wait to visit you again, and take one of your master classes. You are the master “cake-ologist.” Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
That’s so sweet if you, Colleen!!! Thank you.
Best cake we have ever made/eaten! Is it possible to use two 9” springform pans instead? If so — what would you recommend for baking time? Thank you!
Thank you!!! You can use two springform pans! I would start checking at 24 minutes…I’m a check early and check often kind of baker. Glad you like the recipe.
I have tried many white cake recipes but this is by far the best recipe. It is now my go to white cake recipe!! I loved the texture and taste. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!!
Thank you, Karen! So glad you like the cake, too.
Minette
Hallo Minette,
Thank you for sharing your recipes and expertise .
Just about to try your vanilla cake recipe. Do you use castor sugar or granulated sugar ? Does it not matter which ?
Thank you .
Hi Nicky! I use granulated sugar. Thanks for trying the recipe and let me know how you like it.
Thanks for sharing. Pls can i use all purpoae flour instead of cake flour?
To make a cake flour substitute…for each cup of all purpose flour, remove 2TBSP of AP flour and replace with 2 TBSP of cornstarch.
Have you ever used this recipe for cupcakes? Bake time?
I haven’t used this recipe for cupcakes. If you do let me know what you think. As for time, I would start checking at 15 minutes just to be on the safe side.
Hi Minette! Thanks so much for all the wonderful information on your website! I’m not a new baker, but I am very new to the world of scratch cake baking and decorating. I made your absolutely delicious vanilla cake today! Question about texture… I read above about this being a dense cake (which I love!) but could you describe what the ideal texture/density is for this cake? I’m wondering if I got it just right, or if I worked the batter a bit too long (although I was careful). Also, since taste and texture can be such a subjective thing, could you describe what clients actually expect in terms of taste and texture? Thank you so much!
Thanks!!! Maria, I would describe the texture of The Best Vanilla cake this way, it’s not as light as a box mix and not as dense as a pound cake. It’s somewhere in between.
As for what clients expect, they want a moist, flavorful cake. Some like a denser cake and I recommend a pound cake. Most clients will pick the vanilla cake over the pound. I think today’s brides prefer a lighter texture cake. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the speedy reply! I think I may have taste-tested this recipe too soon after taking it out of the refrigerator. Upon letting it sit out for about an hour or so, the texture softened and was absolutely perfect! Thanks so much for clarifying, and for the info about client preferences! Looking forward to trying your other recipes! Best… Maria
Hi! The egg whites should be fresh eggs? Or you used the one in the box? Thank you!
Hi! The egg whites can be fresh. I use the whites in the carton because I always have them on hand but both will work.
Hi , I would love to try this recipe as i have been looking for a good vanilla cake recipe.But i m missing on cake flour, what should i do
Substitute all purpose flour. The texture will be a little different but will still be a good cake.
This was an amazing cake!!! I baked 1/2 recipe and baked 1/2 of my usual WASC cake,used your Faux icing on both, and had a “taste testing”- thus cake won, hands down, no contest.
Wondering how this would turn out if you whipped the egg whites and folded the in the batter?
So glad you like it!!! Please let me know if you try whipping the egg whites. I would love to know. Thank you REN!!!
Thank you!! I usually bake the day before frosting so it will be good and cold when I assemble. If well wrapped, it should hold 2-3 days in the fridge just fine. Any more than that I would wrap well and freeze. Yes, I would keep wrapped in Saran and then place in air tight container. HTH.
Excellent cake! How long will this keep in the fridge before decorating, instead of freezing it?
★★★★★
Thank you! If you wrap it well it will keep for 3-4 days. Frosted will keep for 5-7 days.
Hi there, can I use whole eggs instead of just the whites?
Hi Sarah, I haven’t used whole eggs in this recipe. If you do, please let me know how you like it.
I was so careful to make this cake exactly as per the instructions. The layers fell slightly in the center. Perhaps it needed the egg white to be whipped up a bit more? A photo of what the batter should look like when finished might be helpful. I got the perfect “wet sand” texture. Maybe my altitude had an impact.
I’m at sea level so can’t advise regarding baking at high altitudes. Sometimes checking for doneness too soon can cause a dip in center.
Hello I am excited to try this cake but I am making a 10 inch 2 layer . How can I adjust the recipe? Thanks
I would 2.5 the recipe.
Heard lots of good of this recipe and I would want to try it. But is it possible the whole batch in one pan instead of several ones cause I don’t that many. In that case what temp do you recommend and time?
If using one pan for a full batch, I would use a 10” round pan. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Hello! I was wondering if this cake is very dense or just dense enough but fluffy as well. Personally I prefer fluffy cakes and I want to know before trying this recipe! Thank you!❤️
Personally, I think the baked cake is more fluffy than dense. Let me know how you like it.
Hi Minette,
I making your Best Vanilla Cake recipe into cupcakes for a senior prom party tomorrow night. I’m frosting them with strawberry buttercream. This flavor combination is the favorite of the girl who is having the party. I’ll let you know how this recipe works for cupcakes. Donna
Thank you, Donna! The flavor combination sounds delicious!
Update on my comment about making this cake recipe for cupcakes. The recipe is very easy to follow and I had no problems with it. It made 31 cupcakes and they took 15-16 minutes to bake. I pulled them when there were just a few fluffy crumbs left on the toothpick. They were absolutely delicious. The crumb is fine and soft and they were very moist yet quite fluffy . Just a lovely texture and taste. I frosted them with strawberry butter cream and everyone loved them. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Donna
Thank you for letting me know!!
Forgot to leave 5 stars,
★★★★★
Thank you!!!
Hi Minnette, I can’t wait to try this. Would this make a good petit for base. Just wondering if you had ever used it for that?
Hi Sheryl! I have made petit fours but not with this cake however it would be a great cake for petit fours! Let me if how you like it.
The best ever cake recipe and the easiest to make. I was unsure if I could work on this recipe with a hand blender but then my baking guru said it is doable and it worked.
Love it
★★★★★
Hi Jasreen! I’m so glad you like the cake. Thanks for letting me know.
Truly- the BEST vanilla cake recipe! This will forever be my go-to. Thank you!
★★★★★
Thank you Larissa!!! I’m thrilled you like our Best Vanilla Cake. Appreciate the comment.
I’m making my second batch of this cake in 24 hours. The first came out very sweet and didn’t rise much, which I put down to my flour being old. Between batches I noticed that the recipe calls for more sugar than flower, depending on which column you use for amounts. Can you please comment on that?
Hi Gabe! Thank you for trying my Best Vanilla Cake recipe. As you know, baking is science and each ingredient must be in balance in order to produce a delicious cake. The amount of sugar in a cake recipe should be the same or a little more than the amount of flour…by WEIGHT, not volume. As you see by the ounces and grams columns, this rule of thumb holds true for the Best Vanilla Cake recipe.
If you are getting little to no rise, check your baking powder to make sure it is fresh. Baking powder is what causes the rise in this recipe. Baking powder has a shelf life of 6-12 months and is sensitive to moisture and humidity.
As far as the sweetness goes, I personally don’t find the cake to be overly sweet but taste is subjective. Please let me know if I can answer any other question. Thank you for your comment.
Can this be baked with a 9×13 metal pan? Temp and time? Thanks!
Yes it can! Bake at 350°F and check at 25 minutes. Will probably take longer to bake but better safe than sorry.
I absolutely love this recipe!! It really is the best vanilla cake ever! I made it will AP flour and it was still perfect. Thank you.
Thank you so much!!! I’m so glad you like it.
I am interested in making a coconut cake. Can I substitute coconut extract for vanilla?
You sure can! I often use this cake for a coconut cake adding 1 1/2 tsp of coconut extract. It’s delicious!
Hi Minette.
Thank you for sharing your recipes and knowledge! I have many many, many, many vanilla cakes, looking for flavor/crumb combo that I love. I think the addition of a little oil does help. Question is: is there a way to add some sour cream into your recipe, and if so, what other ingredient would I adjust? Thank you!
Hi Paula,
Thank you for The kind words. I love the recipe as it is written exactly. If you want to add sour cream you would probably need to back out some of the buttermilk. How much? I don’t know. Let me know if you try it with sour cream.
Hi Minette! I am excited to try this cake. I am wondering if I can use ghee for the butter and oil? Is the oil added for a moistier cake? Thanks a ton! JoAnn
Hi JoAnn, I’ve always made the recipe as written so can’t advise you about the substitution.
Yes, the oil is added for extra moisture. Let me know if you try the substitution. Thanks!
This cake is amazing! I love it!
★★★★★
So glad you like it!
Hi Minette
I am going to use this recipe for my granddaughters’ 1st birthday cake this weekend as it sounds amazing however I want to make a two tier 9″ cake but only have 1 tin so will bake separately. I don’t want to leave batter sitting whilst one is baking, so how could I adapt the recipe to suit? Also this recipe is suitable to cover with fondant correct?
Hi Linda! Why don’t you made half the recipe for one 9” pan? I think that will work.
I cover this cake with fondant…works beautifully. Happy birthday to your granddaughter. Hope y’all enjoy the cake.
Thank you so much for quick reply Minette, I will do that. Quick question re ingredients as they differ so much between countries. I take it that the cake flour is all purpose cake flour as you are adding baking powder? We have both all purpose and self raising cake flour here. The sugar is granulated and the vanilla extract is the normal brown extract? Also oven temp – conventional or fan forced?
Thanks so much