Made from scratch basic Vanilla Cake that yields tall and sturdy cake layers that are great for stacking tiered cakes. It’s buttery, tender, and full of vanilla flavor – a great base cake for all occasions!
Do you need the chocolate version? Head on to Sturdy Yet Moist and Fluffy Chocolate recipe.
Great for Wedding Cakes and Tiered Cakes (for Stacking)
I’ve been looking for a great basic vanilla cake that can be my go-to vanilla cake recipe whenever I make tiered cakes. I tried many and never found one that is for keeps, until now.
I’ve used this recipe to make a 3-tiered wedding cake so I can say that while it is soft and fluffy, it is firm enough to use in multi-tiered cakes. As we know, for tiered cakes, it is suggested to stay clear of softer, less stable cakes and filling like chiffon cake, pastry cream, and whipped cream.
Are you thinking of doing a DIY wedding cake? I’ve shared all the recipes, timeline, resources, and tips in this DIY Wedding Cake post.
Thick layers for Tall Cakes
This recipe yields a tall vanilla cake, that’s why you would need a cake pan that is at least 3 inches in height.
If you don’t have a tall cake pan, you can line some parchment paper around the pan for extra height.
The photos you see here were taken while I was doing my final cake for my cousin’s wedding. Unfortunately, I have forgotten to take a photo of the cake right out of the cake pan.
I then further cut each round into half to give me a total of 4 layers, which is what you see in the photos.
Ingredients for vanilla cake
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- fine salt
- unsalted butter at room temperature – What is room temperature butter?
- granulated white sugar
- vanilla extract
- eggs (large size) at room temperature
- fresh milk (whole / full-fat)
Tools and equipment you’ll need
Ditch your cups and weigh your ingredients – it will give you consistent results every time. Try it and you will never look back on using cups again!
There are a lot of reasons why you should measure by weight and entirely a topic of its own. This recipe uses a lot of flour – measuring it incorrectly would greatly affect the outcome of your cake.
I use and recommend Fat Daddios brand. They heat faster and cools quicker, preventing overbaking. It has straight sides for perfect layers!
If your existing pan’s height is below 3 inches, see recipe note no. 1.
- mixing bowls and spatula
- toothpick or cake tester
How to Make
Preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 350 F (180 C).
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature.
- Grease the bottom of two 8x 3 round pans, then line with parchment paper (Note 1 in recipe card).
Make the vanilla cake batter:
Making this cake involved 3 parts: Creaming the butter and sugar, adding the eggs, and adding the remaining dry and wet mixtures alternately.
In a bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer bowl, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5-8 minutes.
RELATED: Stand Mixer Speed Guide
Add eggs to the mixture, two at a time. Blend until incorporated and scrape the sides as needed.
Add the flour mixture in four parts alternating with the milk in three parts, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Remember to add the next flour or milk until just incorporated; be careful not to overmix!
Bake the vanilla cake
Pour the cake batter into prepared pans and spread it so that is it smooth and flat in the pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
Cool the cakes on a wire rack before removing them from the pan.
Torte each cake into 2 to get 4 layers like in the photo below.
FAQs
Do I really need to sift the dry ingredients?
The process of sifting breaks any lumps in flour that would weigh down the batter so your Vanilla Cake will yield a tender (not delicate) crumb. When flour is sifted with other dry ingredients, such as baking powder, sifting helps to combine them evenly before they are mixed with other ingredients. It is important not to skip this step!
Why do I need to cream the butter and sugar?
When creaming the butter and sugar together, the sugar is like punching little holes in the butter and those holes, in turn, will capture air. These little bubbles capture the gases released by your leaveners when baked, giving your cake a lighter texture. A properly creamed butter and sugar should have the color of pale yellow, not white.
Using a stand mixer, I typically whip the butter and sugar on medium speed for 5 minutes.
My cake came out dry – What did I do wrong?
There are several possible reasons why your cake came out dry. One common mistake is NOT measuring your flour correctly. If you’re still using cups to measure your flour and other baking ingredients, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of using a food scale !
Baking is an exact science, so one ingredient that’s not measured correctly can totally break the outcome.
Another common reason is overcooking them. As not all ovens are the same, remember to treat the cooking time stated in any recipe as a guide.
Your cake is perfectly done and needs to be removed from the oven when the toothpick/ cake tester comes out either clean or with a few dry crumbs.
Always begin checking your cake at the earlier doneness time specified in the recipe. I like to set my timer a few minutes earlier than the shortest baking time called for.
You can always bake something longer, but over baked or burnt products are ruined! Always check for doneness about 5 minutes before the suggested bake time.
Can I Make This Into Cupcakes?
One of the most frequently asked questions – How do I turn this cake into a cupcake? Simply half the recipe of the 6-inch vanilla cake to get about 12 cupcakes.
I did the math for you!
To make 12 cupcakes (50g of batter for each cupcake), you’ll need:
- 175 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 tsp regular table salt
- 130 grams unsalted butter
- 150 grams granulated white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs (about 100g without shell)
- 140 grams whole milk
For cupcakes, bake at 350F for about 15-17 minutes.
Adapting This Vanilla Cake to Different Pan Sizes
The photos you see at the beginning of this post are the 6-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch vanilla cake, with all the layers sliced and leveled.
Here is a chart of the amount of ingredients you’ll need depending on pan size.
NOTE: This is on the assumption that the height of the cake remains the same – only the circumference of the pan changes.
Batter Weight (before baking): 6-inch is around 1,310 grams, so 655 grams of batter per pan.
Follow the same procedure as written in the recipe but you may need to adjust the baking time. Remember that the time indicated below is only a guide as not all ovens are the same.
It is a good habit to check for doneness 5 minutes earlier than the shortest baking time called for. If the cake isn’t done yet, check again after 3-4 minutes.
Recipe for round cakes from 4-inch up to 12-inch pans
This Fluffy and Buttery Vanilla Cake is one of the most popular recipes at Bakeologie . Over the years, a lot of people made and loved this cake and have been asking how to make it in different sizes.
I’ve put together a resource with all the ingredient quantities for round cakes from 4-inch up to 12-inch. Now, no more guesswork!
If you have tried this recipe and wanted to make it in other different sizes , this is the answer for you!
Check out my shop page or grab the Master Recipe for Fluffy and Buttery Vanilla Cake directly through this link.
What Frosting Goes Well With This Cake?
I recommend pairing this vanilla cake with swiss meringue buttercream. I love swiss meringue because it’s smooth, silky, and not tooth-achingly sweet! It can be used on a variety of cakes and cupcakes as it can easily be flavored.
You might want to try:
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Quick and Easy Cheater’s Swiss Meringue
Sturdy Yet Moist and Fluffy Chocolate Cake
❤️ Tried this recipe and loved it? If you made this recipe or any other recipe on this site, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating + review below – or tag @thebakeologie on Instagram and hashtag it #bakeologie !
Fluffy and Buttery Vanilla Cake
Ingredients
- 625 grams all-purpose flour (22 oz )
- 18 grams baking powder (1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons )
- 6 grams salt (1 teaspoon)
- 454 grams butter, unsalted, at room temperature (16 oz )
- 533 grams white granulated sugar (19 oz )
- 9 grams vanilla extract (2 teaspoons )
- 400 grams eggs (weight is without shell) (approx 8 large eggs) at room temperature
- 488 grams whole milk (17.2 oz )
Instructions
- PREPARATION. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease the bottom of two 8x 3 round pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper (Note 1).
- PREPARE THE DRY INGREDIENTS. In a bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.625 grams all-purpose flour18 grams baking powder6 grams salt
- CREAM THE BUTTER, SUGAR AND VANILLA. In a stand mixer bowl, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5-8 minutes.454 grams butter, unsalted, at room temperature533 grams white granulated sugar9 grams vanilla extract
- ADD EGGS TO THE MIXTURE. Add eggs to the mixture, two at a time. Blend until incorporated and scrape the sides as needed.400 grams eggs (weight is without shell)
- ADD THE DRY AND WET INGREDIENTS. Add the flour mixture in four parts alternating with the milk in three parts, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Remember to add the next flour or milk until just incorporated; be careful not to overmix!488 grams whole milk
- BAKE THE VANILLA CAKE. Pour the cake batter into prepared pans and spread it so that is it smooth and flat in the pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Cool the cakes on a wire rack before removing them from the pan. Divide each cake into 2 to get 4 layers.
Do you weigh your eggs with or without the shell?
Without the shell
Would this do well in an ice cream cake?
Sorry, I have not tried. I would love to know in case you decide to give it a go!
This is absolutely the best recipe ever 🙂 However, one issue arises when making this in cupcake form. I find that there is too much liquid, and cupcakes all tend to shrink 😕
Hi Trish! Thank you so much for your recipe and I cannot wait to make it for my son’s first birthday! I was wondering where I can find the video to this recipe? I can’t seem to find the link.
Thanks!
Hello, Tina. You are welcome! Just before the recipe card there is a heading “Watch to make this video”. Also a quicker access is in the table of contents of this post, you would also see the link to watch the video. Let me know if you’re still having troubling finding it. 🙂
Are cakes like sponge cakes?
This is denser than a sponge cake as this recipe uses butter and raising agents.
Hi, can we add some flavors to this batter so we can use it like a base for different flavors? Like orange juice, or coconut, almond etc etc?
Thank you
Yes, you can add flavors. Just one thing to note though – putting additional liquids to the batter (ex. orange juice) might throw off the balance between wet and dry ingredients (affecting the texture and consistency).
Help!!! I really really want this recipe to work as you have the conversion chart which is so handy. I’ve made it twice now, 8” and 10” and I’ve had similar problems to others- “when it was layered up with Swiss meringue buttercream looked fantastic but on cutting the cake it was really dense and pretty solid not at all nice”. Yes I weigh all the ingredients, I use an oven thermometer, it was completely raw in the middle after recommended cooking time. 165 C fan seems so low? Second time I did 180 C and still needed lots more cooking and still somehow comes out dense in places once layered. I didn’t open the oven early either, all ingredients were room temp, and the batter looked same as yours in the video. Please help 😥
Hi, Julia. I’m sorry you are experiencing this. There are multiple reasons why your cake came out dense. It’s hard to specifically pinpoint since I did not see how it was made, but given that you measured by weight, used an oven thermometer and did not double the recipe…
– check your leaveners: are your baking soda and baking powder still good/ fresh?
– did I over-creamed my butter or over mixed my batter?
– are all my ingredients at room temperature?
– was the batter divided between 2 pans?
Followed every instruction…was very surprised by the addition of so much milk which made the batter more wet than I would expect. 1 hour in 2the oven and its soup in the middle. Are we sure this recipe works?
Hi, Xander. I’m sorry that has happened to you. The amount of milk in the recipe is correct. The batter should be on the thicker side, just like in the video. There could be several reasons. Were you measuring your ingredients by weight?
Can I substitute the unsalted butter for cake butter in the tubs? 🙂
Hi, Sophie! Sorry, I am not familiar with butter in the tubs?
Cake is great, I am using it for a four tiered wedding cake. It is very helpful that you have provided quantities for all the tiers.
2 questions
1. In the oven I am using, I have used the cake oven setting at 180 and it seems to take way longer and so I have now tried it at 180 for half the time and then 185 for the rest and that seems to work a bt better. Any thoughts on this was the 180 a fan setting?
2. If I am going to freeze layers, how long in advance could I make it ie how long can they stay in the freezer?
Thank you for this it is a wonderful website.
Hi, Heather! The temps listed in this website are for ovens without fans. Do you use an oven thermometer? Mine is 5 degrees off so for a 350F temp I set my oven at 355F.
If wrapped and stored properly, you can store this in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Once thawed, you can brush each layer with simple syrup mixture to add more moisture.
Hey! I made this recipe the other day for my sisters wedding cake.
I didn’t do any test runs as I was short of time and ingredients.
I have made a few different cakes throughout my experience as a baker and this recipe by far is one of the best!
This cake was so easy to make! I managed to fill 3, 8inch cake tins generously. This gave me 6 decent layers. I filled the layers with white chocolate ganache and raspberry jam. Then did the final coating in whipped cream.
This cake stayed moist and delicious despite being uncovered in the fridge for 2 days prior to everyone actually eating it.
Every other cake I’ve made tends to dry out in the fridge a little.
I will definitely be making this vanilla cake again. Now to try the chocolate one!
Thankyou so much for this recipe!
That is wonderful, Radiya! Thank you so much for sharing your feedback – this helps me a lot! =)
Can this be done as a sheet cake? I need additional cake for a wedding…
It should be ok though I have not tried making this in a sheet pan yet so I don’t have the exact proportions.
This first attempt was an epic fail for me. I did the 6” and weighed the ingredients. Baked 40 minutes.. cake deflated and ie underdone. I’m totally ready to give up baking
I tried this in a 6” cake today. Ohhh my heart!! This is the cake… I put a raspberry filling with Swiss meringue. Perfection!! My first attempt was a mess,.. I must have over mixed. I made mine with a hand mixer this time and I am over the moon happy with the results!!
DeAnna, I’m seriously glad you didn’t give up – that’s the spirit! Though I know how frustrating it is when your baked goods don’t come out right. I always feel I wasted time and ingredients, but that’s how we learn! =)
Hi lovely, thanks for sharing your recipe. It sounds like it’s a goody.
Iv got a wedding next week to bake a cake for and hopefully this will sing my praises.
Quick question, my oven is tan assisted. Could you please recommend a setting to put it on.
I usually cook all my vanilla cakes on 140 for 40mins (based on 3 6”cakes)
Thanks Becca
Hi, Becca! If your oven has a fan, reduce the temp by 20 degrees Fahrenheit so that would be 330 F/ 165 C. As each oven is different, check a few minutes ahead of suggested baking time and watch for visual cues. Hope this helps!