The Most Amazing Vanilla Cake Recipe

The Most Amazing Vanilla Cake is moist and flavorful and made completely from scratch. It’s the best homemade vanilla cake you’ll ever have!

Ever since my Most Amazing Chocolate Cake became a viral sensation, people have been begging me to create the most amazing versions of a variety of different cakes. I’ve already made the Most Amazing White Cake which has gotten rave reviews, as well as its cousin the Funfetti Birthday Cake. Today I’m bringing you a vanilla version. I think you’ll be equally as happy with it.  You’ll never used a boxed yellow cake mix again!

When making a a vanilla cake,  I highly recommend lining the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper. This prevents a thicker crust forming on the bottom as well as ensures that your cake will come out of the pan in one piece. I have used both butter and nonstick cooking spray to grease my pans for this recipe and I do not flour the pan. Both work great.

This recipe is written for three 9-inch layers. A three tiered cake produces the ideal cake to frosting ratio. A 9-inch pan is a standard size. 8-inch and 10-inch pans will require adjustments to the recipe.

Several of the ingredients in the recipe are listed as being room temperature. By following this method you’ll have a better texture in the end so it is worth the patience.  For the milk, I simply warmed it in the microwave for 30 seconds because the idea of leaving it out on the counter to reach room temperature didn’t sit well with me.

This recipe is developed using salted butter because that is what most people tend to buy and have on hand. I like to keep my recipes convenient for home cooks so salted butter is used whenever possible in my recipes. Unsalted butter certainly works, but you may need to add a pinch more of salt. There is a combination of butter and vegetable oil in this recipe. I find that vegetable oil gives the cake a lot more moisture.

Feel free to use whatever frosting you’d like with this cake. In the photos I used a chocolate cream cheese buttercream just like I used for my Most Amazing Chocolate Cake.

Watch the video below where I walk you through every step of this recipe and share even more tips and tricks for the perfect white cake. As always, you can find my complete collection of full-length recipe demos on my YouTube Channel.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Can this recipe be made into cupcakes?

A: Why yes it can! They are baked at 325 degrees for 20-22 minutes and this recipe makes about 36 cupcakes.

Q: Can I make this recipe into only two layers?

A: Yes you can, you’ll need to divide the recipe by 2/3rds. But no, I won’t do the math for you. I truly believe that the most amazing chocolate cake must be 3 layers.

Q: Do you have a substitute for eggs?

A: There are numerous options for substituting eggs in baking recipes. You can always try using one of those.

Q: Can I use a different pan size?

A: You are certainly welcome to try, but you’ll need to adjust cooking times and be careful as to how much you fill the pan. This recipe is written for 9-inch round pans, which is a standard size and is meant to be eaten as a 3 layer cake.

Q: Can I make this recipe gluten free?

A: Use gluten free flours at your own risk. Not all gluten free flours are equal and most don’t work as a straight forward substitute for all-purpose flour. I have not tested any gluten free flours in this recipe as I do not have Celiac’s disease.

Q: Do you have a chocolate version?

A: Why yes I do. I call it The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake.

Vanilla Cake Recipe

The Most Amazing Vanilla Cake

The Most Amazing Vanilla Cake is moist and flavorful and made completely from scratch. It's the best homemade vanilla cake you'll ever have! And it's easy to make too!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Print Pin Rate

Servings: 16 Servings or 1 3 layer cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup salted butter softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk room temperature
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Grease three 9-inch pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
• Add in flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until just combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything gets mixed in.
• Divide the batter among the three prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let sit in pans for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before layering and frosting with your favorite frosting.

Notes

This recipe can be made as three thin 9-inch layers, or two thick 9-inch layers. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 172mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Vanilla Cake