The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

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How Do I Make A Cake More Moist

The BEST Vanilla Cake Recipe

I have always added something like buttermilk or sour cream to my cakes and bundts. It gives a great texture to the cake and keeps it moist too. Another ingredient that makes your cake moist is adding oil, and for this cake, I used canola oil. They also say that cake flour will give a moister cake. I have tried cake flour but dont like the results compared to using all-purpose flour it will give you a completely different cake, I find.

For baking, I have to say I dont use unsalted butter I find that for most recipes, I just cut back on the salt, and it is perfect. Otherwise, I find I have wasted money on unsalted butter with any of the leftovers I have as I then dont tend to use it.

The recipe provides enough icing to do the simple decorations we have done. If you want to make things more elaborate, just up the amount of icing you are making.

My Best Vanilla Cake Stays Moist 4 Days

Perfect golden sides and base10. Knock out big bubbles 11. Sweetness note Please do not reduce sugar12. Different measures in different countriesFor absolutely certainty13. Storage 14. Frosting 15. Nutrition

Pastel Blue Buttercream Frosting

Other than the addition of blue gel to colour the frosting, its just your usual Buttercream Frosting ingredients!

Gel vs Food Colouring

Gel works better to achieve the pictured pale blue colour because its stronger than food colouring. While that might sound counterintuitive for a pale pastel coloured frosting such as what is pictured, the challenge is dealing with the effect of the yellow colour of butter: because yellow + blue = green!

So if you use food colouring which is not as strong as gel, you will end up with more of a pastel green frosting colour which, mind you, is still lovely.

But if you want to achieve the pictured pale blue frosting colour, you will need to:

  • Use Navy Blue Gel colouring

  • Use a European butter which is a much paler yellow colour than Australian butters and

  • Beat, beat, beat the butter for 3 minutes which makes the butter transform from yellow to white through aeration.

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    The Most Amazing Vanilla Cake Recipe

    The Most Amazing Vanilla Cake is moist and flavorful and made completely from scratch. Its the best homemade vanilla cake youll ever have!

    The Most Amazing Vanilla Cake is moist and flavorful and made completely from scratch. Its the best homemade vanilla cake youll ever have!

    The world of cakes can be a bit confusing. White cake, yellow cake, vanilla cake arent they all more or less the same? Honestly, we love them all, but there are some key differences. White cake is the lightest of the three. It uses oil rather than butter to keep the end result as white as possible, not to mention egg whites only. Yellow cake uses whole eggs and butter to give it that classic yellow color. Vanilla cake doesnt have the same rules to follow. It can use whole eggs and butter, but it isnt required. The most important aspect of a vanilla cake is that it uses enough vanilla to really make that flavor pop. With a whole tablespoon of vanilla in this recipe, you are sure to find that this is the most amazing vanilla cake ever. Youll never use a boxed cake mix again!

    Analysis Of The Best Vanilla Cakes

    The Best Vanilla Cake &  Fluffy Marshmallow Frosting

    Baked: a light-crumbed, soft but slightly dry and very subtly sweet vanilla cake

    I originally found this recipe via Sweetapolita, which offers an abundance of vanilla cakes. While it was hard to choose just one to test, I ultimately picked this cake by Baked because of a few unusual qualities. It uses a combination of butter and shortening , 3 whipped egg whites in addition to a whole egg and a mix of all-purpose and cake flour. Most notably, it uses ice water as the main liquid. All other recipes used milk or sour cream as additional liquid, and I was curious to see what this less rich liquid addition would mean. Lastly, this was the only recipe to use an ermine frosting laced with white chocolate.

    The good: this cake had a soft, light-crumbed texture. However, it erred slightly on the drier side and felt almost bready thanks to a lack of sweetness and thick, almost coarse crumb. Overall, the flavor felt quite bland and almost a little stale. I personally am not an ermine frosting lover and also found the flavor of the frosting to be a little bland . However, for those who love a soft, fluffy, glossy frosting thats not so in-your-face sweet as a buttercream, this is an excellent choiceit almost reminds me of a swiss meringue.

    Taster comments:

    Foodess: a dense, moist, plush cake that almost melts in your mouth

    Taster comments:

    Preppy Kitchen: a soft, plush, finely-crumbed cake that virtually melts in your mouth with good vanilla flavor

    Taster comments:

    Taster comments:

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    The Purpose Of Alternating Flour And Milk

    Once the eggs have been incorporated, scrape the bowl and beater with a flexible spatula, then resume mixing on low. Sprinkle in about a third of the flour and when it disappears, add about a third of the milk, and so on until you’re done.

    Alternating these ingredients does a few things: It coats the flour in buttery batter, which interferes with gluten development, and it prevents the flour and milk from combining with each other in a lumpy mess. It also prevents the batter from being overwhelmed, preserving the air bubbles created through creaming.

    If you notice the finished batter has a slightly curdled appearance, scrape the bowl and beater with a flexible spatula, then mix on high for just two or three seconds.

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Thanks to the high proportion of butter and sugar, that short burst won’t encourage much gluten formation, but it will restore the emulsion, giving the cake a more even texture. After mixing, fold the batter once or twice with a flexible spatula to make sure it’s perfectly homogeneous.

    Can This Recipe Be Used For Cupcakes

    I also tested this cake as cupcakes and they turn out just as delicious which is a wonderful thing. Any time you have a great vanilla recipe that works as both a cake and a cupcake, its a big win.

    Its hard to describe exactly how all these versions are different, but Ill say that this one is a nice blend of things that people like and dislike about some of the others. The final cake is moist, super soft and delicious, with relatively straight forward ingredients and method. Its a winner in my book, so I hope you enjoy it!

    • Prep Time:1 hour 20 minutes
    • Cook Time:25 minutes
    • Total Time:1 hour 45 minutes
    • Yield:12-14 Slices

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    Why I Love This Vanilla Cake Recipe:

    • Its fluffy and light from using cake flour and egg whites.
    • The vanilla flavour really comes through from the pure vanilla extract we use.
    • The perfect crumb consistency that makes frosting it a breeze!
    • It creates the perfect cake base to spruce up with flavoured buttercream, fillings, sprinkles etc.
    • It requires simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.

    Should I Use Imitation Vanilla Extract Or Pure Vanilla Extract

    The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

    Now listen, dont tell anybody I told you this but I low-key prefer imitation vanilla in my vanilla-flavored baked goods. It does create a stronger vanilla flavor that many of us are used to when something is vanilla. Nonetheless, I usually always use pure vanilla in my baking because thats what I have on hand, and have come to appreciate the natural subtle flavor of real vanilla.

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    The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe With Oil

    This is the ultimate vanilla cake recipe with oil! It is fluffy, moist, flavourful, and truly the best vanilla cake Ive ever had! We use a combination of oil and butter to maintain the buttery taste but not compromise on moistness! Try it, I bet it will be your new favourite too!

    Vanilla cake. I honestly have never been the biggest vanilla cake fan. When I first began baking cakes I found vanilla cake really challenging to perfect. The number of dense, flavourless cakes that Ive ended up with yuck. After plenty of vanilla cake catastrophes I can assure you this is the best vanilla cake recipe with oil that you will ever have.

    You all know how big of a chocolate fanatic I am that is until this recipe!! Its moist, flavourful, and has the perfect crumb consistency!

    Why Is This The Best Vanilla Cake That Ive Ever Had

    • Its so buttery and its super easy to make.
    • This homemade vanilla cake is light, with a soft crumb, thanks to the oil in the recipe.
    • Deliciously moist cake, even better than a bakery style cake!
    • Great vanilla flavor that pairs well with a variety of frostings.
    • Recipe works perfectly as a layer cake, sheet cake, or even cupcake! Its incredibly versatile.
    • Stays fresh for days!
    • And most of all, I show you how and why things work the way they do, so that you can adapt the vanilla cake recipe to your taste!

    This cake is also FANTASTIC as a birthday cake. I know, because Ive made it for dozens and dozens of birthdays, and other special occasions. Since the cake has a lovely vanilla flavor, it pairs very well with any vanilla buttercream frosting, or chocolate buttercream frosting too ! You can even frost the cake with a delicious cream cheese frosting.

    My homemade vanilla cake is different from my butter cake, because the crumb is lighter here and the cake is a little sweeter. This is because I use half butter and half oil for the creaming stage. Its also not too eggy, or too buttery which means the flavor of vanilla is very prominent in this cake. Unlike my white cake, this cake uses whole eggs, which give the cake a yellow tinge, and a richer taste.

    So, heres how to achieve Classic Vanilla Cake Perfection, step by step.

    Tips to make the recipe even easier

    Tips for decorating the cake for a professional look

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    What Is Red Velvet Cake

    Red Velvet Cake is not just a chocolate cake with red food colouring added. This cake is softer than most, velvet-like, and the chocolate taste is actually quite mild. Its more like a cross between a vanilla and chocolate cake with a very subtle tang from buttermilk. And it is generously smothered in a fluffy cream cheese frosting.

    Its wildly popular in America and theres a cult following in Australia. Give it a few years, it will become a firm favourite soon!

    The cake tastes buttery and moist, because it has butter in it for flavour, and oil for moisture. Yes, you need both, I promise you. It is not the same if you use only one of them.

    Can You Use This Vanilla Cake Recipe For Cupcakes

    Best Vanilla Cake Recipe: How to Make It

    This recipe is formulated to bake up perfectly flat so its not the best in my opinion for cupcakes. If you really want to use them for cupcakes, try my vanilla cupcake recipe instead.

    If you really want to use this recipe, youll want to make a few adjustments.

    • Reduce the liquid in the recipe by half and omit all the oil.
    • Bake them at 400º F for 5 minutes then reduce the temperature to 335º F for 10 more minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The extra heat at the beginning will help the cupcake dome up and make a tight connection to the cupcake wrapper.
    • Dont fill the cupcake liners more than 2/3 of the way full or they will overflow and go flat.

    This recipe made 36 cupcakes.

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    Keys To Success With This Vanilla Cake Recipe

    Or any cake recipe, really. When it comes to baking, especially cakes, its best not to take shortcuts. You want to follow the recipe exactly as written and pay attention to any notes.

    Here are the key things you should keep in mind to help bake cakes successfully:

    Following these steps will really help ensure your cakes are successful. It will also make your life easier and less stressful, trust me!

    If youre looking for a delicious vanilla cake recipe, whether it be for a birthday, anniversary, or any celebration , you will love this cake!

    How To Make Homemade Cake

    Listen guys, I know homemade cakes can be a little intimidating. But Ive struggled through it so you dont have to. A few tips before we get started:

    • Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. SO IMPORTANT. This will help everything come together smoothly and allow you to beat the air into the batter to get that fluffy cake youre looking for.
    • Use high quality vanilla.Rodelle Vanilla is my vanilla extract of choice and they are THE BEST. Especially in vanilla cake, where like the only flavor isvanilla, duh.
    • Dont over mix your batter! Obviously you dont want huge clumps of straight flour in your batter, but as soon as everything is smooth, resist the temptation to keep mixing, and trust that youve gotten enough air in it during the early stages.
    • Bake at a low temperature. By baking your cake at 325°F, you ensure a slow steady bake that keeps all the moisture locked in.

    Alright. Lets get cookin good lookin.

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    Tips For Homemade Naked Cakes

  • Make a plan. Think about what style of cake you want naked or semi-naked and any decorations or garnishes. This will determine how much frosting you need.
  • Prepare your cake pans appropriately. Use quality cake pans and grease them well so the cakes release easily I always use nonstick spray. For even layers, ensure each pan has an equal amount of batter. The easiest and most accurate way to do this is to use a kitchen scale. Place your cake pan on top and begin pouring batter into the pan repeat for all pans, making sure each pan weighs the same.
  • Level your cakes. Level off the top of each cake layer so both sides are flat. This is important because flat and even layers add stability to your finished cake. You can use a cake leveler or large serrated knife. I always use my serrated knife.
  • Keep it simple. Make it easy on yourself! My recipe and instructions are simple and straightforward. Ive seen many naked cake recipes that call for a soak in simple syrup to prevent it from drying out. You can absolutely take this route, especially if youre making a true naked cake, but I dont find it necessary if your cake is moist to begin with . Instead of piping frosting between each cake layer, use an icing spatula to spread the frosting another timesaver and simplified step. The frosting recipe below yields about 4.5 cups. Use 1.5 cups between each layer and 1.5 cups on top & around the sides.
  • How Do You Make White Cake

    The Best VANILLA CAKE I’ve Ever Made VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

    To make the best white cake recipe ever, you need to make sure youre using the right ingredients. For this recipe we are using AP flour because it is the most versatile. We are also using a high-quality butter that does not have any artificial dyes in it The whiter the butter, the whiter the cake. Traditional white cake uses almond extract which happens to also be clear. Now, I myself do not love the taste of almond extract so I prefer to use vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract.

    BUT WAIT! You said that the ingredients had to be clear!

    True, I did say that but here we come to one of those taste over color rules in my book. There are not a lot of ingredients in this recipe that bring flavor to the table but the quality of the extract is #1. The vanilla bean paste and the extract WILL slightly tinge the batter to not a PURE white but for me, Id rather have that than no flavor at all. If you absolutely must have a white color then feel free to halve the vanilla in this recipe and add 1/2 tsp of almond extract.

    Another reason you might want to use almond extract or you can even use clear vanilla extract is if youre using this white cake recipe as a base for another cake recipe like my strawberry cake where color is really important. The whiter the cake batter, the truer the color will be after adding colors.

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    Vanilla Cake Recipe Ingredients

    • All-purpose flour Gives the cake such a stable, tender crumb texture.
    • Baking powder Used for rising
    • Baking soda Used for rising
    • Salt- Used for taste and rising
    • Butter-flavored shortening- Provides the texture that only shortening can give and the flavor of butter.
    • Canola oil- Provides moisture to the texture
    • Egg whites- Gives the cake light, springy, tender crumb
    • Vanilla extract- Gives vanilla flavor
    • Almond extract- Compliments the vanilla flavor
    • Whole milk vanilla bean yogurt Gives vanilla flavor and moisture
    • Vanilla almond milk- Give moisture and flavor

    Homemade Vanilla Cake Success

    After lots of trial and error, here are my best tips and tricks for making a delicious vanilla cake recipe the first time around.

    • Follow the recipe. Use the listed ingredients in the recipe card below.
    • Use room temperature ingredients. Believe it or not, using butter, eggs, egg whites and milk all at room temperature yields you a smoother, better incorporated cake batter and thus, a better cake.
    • Do not over-bake. Moist vanilla cake comes with just the right amount of time in the oven. Start checking your cake for doneness after 30 minutes and then go from there. Every oven is different so be sure you are checking your cake for doneness every few minutes once youre getting close to it being completely baked.
    • Line baking pans with parchment paper. Parchment paper is my favorite kitchen tool. Your cakes will come out with ease!
    • Cool completely before frosting. Frosting is primarily made up of butter and the butter will melt if your cakes are not cooled completely.

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