This is the Best Vanilla Cake Recipe I’ve ever tasted! So delicious. It’s quick and easy to make! Made from scratch, this cake is perfect for every occasion!

Looking for more delicious dessert recipes? I think you’ll love my chewy sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and peach cobbler.

Photo of homemade vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream frosting on a white cake stand.

If you have been looking for a fluffy, moist, and delicious – not to mention quick and easy – vanilla cake, here it is…The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe! It’s the recipe that many of you requested by emailing, commenting, and messaging me for some time.

And topped with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting? Oh, my word! It is perfection!

The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe!

One of the many things that I love about this recipe is that it is as versatile as any cake could ever be! It is perfect served with a thick coating of my chocolate buttercream my vanilla buttercream, as vanilla cupcakes or cut into pieces and served as part of a trifle and so much more!

Best Vanilla Cake Recipe - A one bowl vanilla cake recipe that is quick, easy, and delicious! Made from scratch, this cake is perfect for every occasion! // addapinch.com

How to Make the Best Vanilla Cake Recipe!

This delicious recipe is so simple and easy to make and uses ingredients that you most likely have on hand!

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

  • Flour – I use soft, light, all-purpose flour for this recipe. You can also use cake flour to make sure that it is light and fluffy.
  • Baking Powder – I prefer to use aluminum-free baking powder in my baking.
  • Baking Soda – Since this recipe includes buttermilk in the ingredients, you will also use baking soda.
  • Salt – A pinch of salt is also needed.
  • Butter – I generally use salted butter, but if you prefer, you can absolutely use unsalted. You will want to make sure that your butter is softened to room temperature.
    [Resource: How to Soften Butter]
  • Sugar – I use granulated white sugar. You can also use your favorite sugar alternative made for baking.
  • Eggs – Make sure that your eggs have reached room temperature for the best mixing in this recipe.
  • Buttermilk – This cake uses buttermilk. If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make your own buttermilk substitute with any of the easy methods I share in this guide.
    [Resource: How to Make Buttermilk]
  • Vanilla Extract – I love to use my own homemade vanilla extract, but in baked goods, you can also substitute with imitation vanilla flavoring if that is what you have on hand. The taste difference is most noticeable between vanilla extract and vanilla flavoring in unbaked goods such as whipped cream, frostings, icing, and no-bake cookies. For those, definitely use vanilla extract.
  • Chocolate Buttercream Frosting – The combination of chocolate frosting is just a classic in this recipe. You can also use Strawberry Buttercream, Caramel Frosting, and any of your other favorite frosting flavors!

Step-by-Step Instructions

  • Preheat. Preheat oven to 350º F.
  • Prep Pans. Prepare three 8 or 9-inch cake pans for baking by coating them with softened butter, lining them with a piece of parchment fitted to the cake pan, brushing the top of the parchment with more softened butter, and then lightly flouring the pans and parchment. You can also use baking spray if you like.
  • Whisk dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
  • Cream butter and sugar. Cream the butter with an electric mixer. Then add the sugar. Cream together for about 8 more minutes.
  • Add eggs. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just combined.
  • Alternate wet and dry. Add one-third of the flour mixture and mix until well combined. Add half of the buttermilk and mix until well combined. Repeat with another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk, and then ending with the remaining flour mixture, making sure to mix each addition until well combined.
  • Add vanilla. Mix in the vanilla extract until well combined.
  • Distribute and bake. Divide the cake batter among the pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges of the cake turn loose from the pans and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. You can follow my tips for how to tell when your cake is done.
  • Cool. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Then, carefully turn out onto wire cooling racks and allow it to cool completely.
  • Frost. Frost with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, or your desired frosting.

Recipe Variations

Like my Chocolate Cake Recipe, this recipe works well with a few modifications as well:

Gluten-Free Recipe:

To make a gluten-free recipe, I’ve successfully used an equal amount of gluten-free flour instead of the all-purpose flour listed in the recipe.

Egg-Free Recipe:

To make an egg-free recipe, I’ve used 2/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce in place of 2 large eggs in the recipe. You will note that you may have to bake for just a few minutes more. Be sure to check with the skewer for doneness.

Update Notes:

Some people were having issues with the cake falling after baking, so I went back to the kitchen with the recipe and found that this variation of my cake tested perfectly for me as well as other recipe testers that I asked to test the recipe. The original recipe that I published was based on my very popular chocolate cake recipe. Still, I found that using my butter cake as a base produced the most successful results by a wider range of recipe testers. If you prefer the original recipe that I shared, use my Chocolate Cake Recipe and replace the cocoa powder with the same amount of flour.

Best Vanilla Cake Recipe - A one bowl vanilla cake recipe that is quick, easy, and delicious! Made from scratch, this cake is perfect for every occasion! // addapinch.com

Storage Tips

Both the cake and the chocolate frosting can be made ahead. Allow the cakes to cool completely, wrap them well in plastic wrap, and place each layer into a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze the layers for up to one month.

To frost, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator with the wrapping intact. Then, frost once it has completely thawed.

Store at room temperature on the counter. I like to store it under a cake dome to keep fresh.

Other Favorite Cakes

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever} – decadent, rich, delicious, and loved by so many of you!

The Best White Cake Recipe {Ever} – a delicious favorite that’s tender yet more of a sturdy cake! It’s perfect for birthdays and more – many have even used it as a wedding cake!

Cream Cheese Pound Cake – such an easy pound cake; this has been a family favorite for years!

Here’s my The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe! I hope you love it as much as we do!

The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

4.98 from 72 votes
The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe – A vanilla cake recipe that is quick, easy, and delicious! Made from scratch, this cake is perfect for every occasion!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 24 people

Ingredients 

  • 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, or cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
  • 1 pinch (0.3 g) kosher salt
  • 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 cups (396 g) sugar
  • 4 large (200 g) eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (227 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons (11.6 g) vanilla extract
  • Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Instructions 

  • Preheat. Preheat oven to 350º F.
  • Prep Pans. Prepare three 8 or 9-inch cake pans for baking by coating them with softened butter, lining with a piece of parchment fitted to the cake pan, brushing the top of the parchment with more softened butter and then lightly flouring the pans and parchment. You can also use baking spray if you like. 
  • Whisk dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. 
  • Cream butter and sugar. Cream the butter with an electric mixer. Then add the sugar. Cream together for about 8 more minutes. 
  • Add eggs. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just combined. 
  • Alternate wet and dry. Add one-third of the flour mixture and mix until well combined. Add half of the buttermilk and mix until well combined. Repeat with another one-third of the flour mixture followed by the buttermilk and then ending with the remaining flour mixture, making sure to mix each addition until well combined. 
  • Add vanilla. Mix in vanilla until well combined. 
  • Distribute and bake. Divide cake batter among the cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges of the cake turn loose from the pans and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. 
  • Cool. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Then, carefully turn out the cake onto wire cooling racks and allow to cool completely. 
  • Frost. Frost cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, or your desired frosting.

Notes

Nutrition information does not include frosting. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Recipe Review




454 Comments

  1. That’s looks so yumm😋 I can’t wait to try it ….
    Are you able to give the quantity in grams please?

  2. 5 stars
    Delicious cake! I bake a LOT and have created many recipes but, this choc cake is the BEST hands down!!! Btw……you have the patience of Job with some of these commenters 🙄😂😁

  3. Hi! Looks great and loved your chocolate cake recipe!!! Question, how long would I need to bake if I made cupcakes with this recipe instead? Many thanks!!!

    1. Raman, the full recipe should make about 36 cupcakes. You will need to bake the cupcakes at 325º F. for about 15 to 20 minutes. I hope you enjoy!

  4. Hi Robyn,
    Your chocolate cake recipe has been my go-to for a few years now – it’s super easy and I always get great results, and my whole family loves the moist yet light texture. So thank you for that! Yesterday was my twin daughters’ birthday, and they requested a marble cake (with salted caramel buttercream, which was to die for!). I had thought I’d make your chocolate batter and then look for a recipe for vanilla, but the marble cake recipes I found all suggested making a butter-based vanilla cake, and then set aside some of the batter and mix melted semi-sweet chocolate in and then swirl together. The result was tasty, but (I found) a bit too dense. I often find this with butter- based cakes, so I want to try it again with your suggestion above – using your chocolate cake recipe but replacing the cocoa with flour to make a vanilla cake. I just wanted to check – I still use the boiling water? I had thought that was specific to the cocoa, but I also suspect that the boiling water is partly responsible for the light texture of that fantastic cake. Also, do you have any suggestions for marbling? I found mixing the melted chocolate into the other batter I tried resulted in the batter turning kind of chunky and crumbly. I wonder if cocoa would mix in better …
    Thank you!

    1. Jenny, the vanilla cake made like the chocolate cake does contain boiling water. You make it just like the chocolate cake but flour in place of the cocoa. I would not make a marble cake using the chocolate cake recipe or the vanilla one made by the chocolate recipe. The batter is too thin for a marble cake, I think. I have a Chocolate Marble Squares Recipe that you can use as a 9×13 marble cake. I haven’t made this as a round layer cake but I see no reason you could not make it as one.

    2. Hi! If I follow the old vanilla cake recipe based off the chocolate recipe do I still add the espresso and boiling water? I’m guessing so since you didn’t mention omitting it, but just wanted to double check. Thank you!

    3. You will omit the espresso powder, Anna. That is only for the chocolate cake. You will add the boiling water. Hope you enjoy!

  5. Hi Robyn,

    Wanted to thank you for sharing all your delicious recipes with the world, you are so generous and kind to answer all of our questions, god bless you.
    I’ve so far tried your carrot cake, famous chocolate cake, strawberry cake, white cake and I have yet to try this vanilla cake now.

    I am curious, if you were to rank your favourite top 5, what would they be? 😉

    Thanks
    Anne

    1. I’m happy you have enjoyed all those cakes, Anne. I couldn’t rank my cakes because I like each one for different reasons.

    2. I have not tried this cake recipe using oil in place of the butter and am not sure how it would work. In my post, I tell how to make the vanilla cake based upon my Best Chocolate Cake. Simply use my Chocolate Cake Recipe and replace the cocoa powder with the same amount of flour.

  6. Hi Robyn,
    I want to make this cake for my daughter’s birthday. As I have only two 9″ cake tins, and you have used three 8″ tins. What can I do for this?

    1. Sara, you can bake this cake in the 2 9-inch pans but may have a little batter left over. If so, you can make cupcakes with the leftover batter.

    2. This recipe is for 3 8-inch pans, Meredith. Just follow the recipe and bake 25-30 minutes.