After testing dozens of versions, I finally perfected a Tender Vanilla Cake thanks to one surprising pantry trick.

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I keep calling this the Best Ever Vanilla Cake because, honestly, it keeps surprising me. The crumb is so light it almost floats, and there’s a real depth of flavor from pure vanilla extract that makes you pause and wonder what I did differently.

I usually second guess myself, tweak things, then forget and still end up with the same soft, perfect result. You’ll probably think it’s too simple to be memorable but take one bite and you’ll be hooked.

I’m not perfect, I mess up sometimes, but this cake somehow forgives me and tastes amazing every time.

Ingredients

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Cake flour: softer, lower protein than all purpose, makes crumb tender, light but not dense.
Granulated sugar: adds sweetness and structure, mostly simple carbs, no fiber, use sparingly sometimes.
Unsalted butter: gives richness, fat for moistness, saturated fat yes but flavor worth it.
Eggs: bind and lift, good protein and structure, yolks add moisture and flavor.
Buttermilk: tangy, acids tenderize gluten, adds moisture, calcium and some protein too.
Neutral oil: boosts moistness and keeping power, healthy unsaturated fats, subtle, no flavor.
Vanilla extract: tiny amount changes everything, aroma, no calories worth mentioning but huge taste.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/2 cups (312 g) cake flour, sifted

1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter softened

4 large eggs at room temp

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk at room temp

2 tablespoons neutral oil like vegetable or canola

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8 or 9 inch round pans or one 9×13 pan, then lightly flour or use parchment; weigh ingredients if you can for best results.

2. In a bowl sift together 2 1/2 cups (312 g) cake flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, set aside.

3. In the bowl of a mixer cream 1 cup (225 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice.

4. Add 4 large room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl; add 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract with the last egg.

5. In a measuring cup combine 1 cup (240 ml) room temp buttermilk with 2 tablespoons neutral oil. With mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture alternately in three additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Dont overmix.

6. Turn the batter into prepared pans, divide evenly, smooth tops with an offset spatula and bang the pans on the counter once to release big air bubbles.

7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 25 to 30 minutes for 9 inch rounds (adjust time for other pans).

8. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting or serving.

9. Tips and hacks: use room temp eggs and buttermilk so batter emulsifies better, measure flour by weight or spoon and level the cup, dont skip the oil it keeps the cake extra moist, if you want super even layers chill the layers 30 minutes before trimming and frosting.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two 8 or 9 inch round pans or one 9×13 pan, plus parchment paper or nonstick spray for lining
3. Stand mixer or hand mixer with paddle attachment
4. Mixing bowls (one large, one medium for dry ingredients)
5. Kitchen scale for weighing ingredients and a set of measuring cups and spoons
6. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for the flour and leaveners
7. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
8. Offset spatula for smoothing the batter and frosting
9. Wire cooling rack to cool the cakes
10. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness

FAQ

Can I use all purpose flour instead of cake flour? Yes, you can. For 2 1/2 cups cake flour, measure 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, remove 5 tablespoons, then stir in 5 tablespoons cornstarch and sift well before using. It wont be exactly the same but it keeps the cake tender.

What can I use instead of buttermilk? Mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice, let sit 5 to 10 minutes until slightly curdled. You can also thin plain yogurt with a bit of milk to similar consistency. Use at room temp for best rise.

How do I get the cake really soft and fluffy? Make sure butter and eggs and buttermilk are at room temp, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then fold dry ingredients in gently. Dont overmix after you add the flour or the cake will get dense.

How do I know the cake is done? A toothpick in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. The top should spring back lightly when touched and the edges may pull away from the pan. If you use a thermometer, aim for about 200 to 205°F in the center.

Can I make this as layer cakes and how do I bake them evenly? Yes. Divide batter evenly between two 8 or 9 inch pans, line bottoms, and bake at a moderate temp (about 350°F) checking 5 to 10 minutes earlier than a single deep cake. Weighing the batter into each pan helps them bake level. If one side browns too fast, rotate pans halfway through.

How should I store or freeze the cake? Store unfrosted layers wrapped at room temp up to 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge up to 5 days once frosted. To freeze, double wrap cooled layers in plastic and foil and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting or serving.

The Best Vanilla Cake ~ Soft, Fluffy And Delicious! Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Cake flour substitute: use sifted all purpose flour plus cornstarch. For each cup of cake flour use 1 cup all purpose minus 2 tablespoons then stir in 2 tablespoons cornstarch, sift together. (Do that times 2 1/2 for the whole recipe.)
Buttermilk substitute: for 1 cup buttermilk use 1 cup whole milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, let it sit 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Works great and keeps the tang.
Egg substitutes: for 4 eggs you can use 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (adds moisture), or make 4 flax eggs by mixing 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water for each egg and letting them gel, or follow a commercial egg replacer package for 4 eggs.
Unsalted butter substitute: use the same amount of salted butter but omit or cut back the recipe salt to about 1/4 teaspoon, or for dairy free use a vegan stick butter 1 to 1. Note oil will make the crumb more tender so if you swap to oil try about 3/4 cup neutral oil for 1 cup butter and expect a slightly different texture.

Pro Tips

1. Weigh the flour if you can. Cup measurements hide a lot of variation and too much flour = dry, dense cake. If you must use cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off instead of scooping.

2. Make sure eggs, butter and buttermilk are truly at room temp. Cold ingredients make the batter seize and the cake textures suffers. Also cream the butter and sugar until very pale and aerated for a lighter crumb.

3. Add the eggs one at a time and alternate the dry ingredients with the buttermilk in several small additions, mixing only until just combined each time. Overmixing builds gluten and makes the cake tough.

4. Use an oven thermometer and watch doneness by a toothpick that comes out with a few moist crumbs, not fully dry. Let the layers cool a bit in the pan, then release to a rack; for ultra-even, easier-to-trim layers chill them briefly before frosting.

The Best Vanilla Cake ~ Soft, Fluffy And Delicious! Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

After testing dozens of versions, I finally perfected a Tender Vanilla Cake thanks to one surprising pantry trick.

Servings

servings

Calories

394

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two 8 or 9 inch round pans or one 9×13 pan, plus parchment paper or nonstick spray for lining
3. Stand mixer or hand mixer with paddle attachment
4. Mixing bowls (one large, one medium for dry ingredients)
5. Kitchen scale for weighing ingredients and a set of measuring cups and spoons
6. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for the flour and leaveners
7. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
8. Offset spatula for smoothing the batter and frosting
9. Wire cooling rack to cool the cakes
10. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (312 g) cake flour, sifted
1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter softened
4 large eggs at room temp
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk at room temp
2 tablespoons neutral oil like vegetable or canola
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8 or 9 inch round pans or one 9×13 pan, then lightly flour or use parchment; weigh ingredients if you can for best results.
In a bowl sift together 2 1/2 cups (312 g) cake flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer cream 1 cup (225 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
Add 4 large room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl; add 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract with the last egg.
In a measuring cup combine 1 cup (240 ml) room temp buttermilk with 2 tablespoons neutral oil. With mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture alternately in three additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Dont overmix.
Turn the batter into prepared pans, divide evenly, smooth tops with an offset spatula and bang the pans on the counter once to release big air bubbles.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 25 to 30 minutes for 9 inch rounds (adjust time for other pans).
Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting or serving.
Tips and hacks: use room temp eggs and buttermilk so batter emulsifies better, measure flour by weight or spoon and level the cup, dont skip the oil it keeps the cake extra moist, if you want super even layers chill the layers 30 minutes before trimming and frosting.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.