Basic Vanilla Cake Recipe

This Basic Vanilla Cake Recipe is a moist and fluffy recipe, which is made with real butter and whole milk. It’s the perfect birthday cake, ready in about 2.5 hours (including cooling time).

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Basic Vanilla Cake Ingredients

The building blocks for a perfect, classic layer cake.

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk

How To Make Basic Vanilla Cake

A step-by-step guide to a moist and tender vanilla cake.

1. Prep the Oven and Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds, then butter the parchment and dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3 cups of flour, the baking powder, and the salt until well combined.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the 2 sticks of softened butter and the sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale, about 3 minutes.
4. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. (The batter may look a bit curdled or separated at this stage; this is normal).
5. Alternate Wet and Dry: With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the flour mixture (Flour -> Milk -> Flour -> Milk -> Flour). Mix until just combined and smooth after each addition, being careful not to overmix.
6. Bake and Cool: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool the Cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert them onto wire racks. Peel off the parchment paper and let them cool completely.

Recipe Tips

• How do I get the fluffiest cake? Using room temperature ingredients (butter, eggs, milk) is the most important step! This allows the ingredients to emulsify properly, creating a smooth batter that traps air for a light, fluffy crumb.
• Why does my batter look curdled? As the recipe notes in Step 4, the batter may look curdled after adding the eggs. This is perfectly normal. It will all come together and become smooth once you begin adding the flour and milk.
• How do I keep my cake from being dense? Do not overmix the batter. Once you start alternating the flour and milk, mix on the lowest speed and stop as soon as the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough.
• Can I use cake flour instead? Yes. For an even more tender and delicate cake, you can substitute the 3 cups of all-purpose flour with 3 1/4 cups of cake flour.

What To Serve With Basic Vanilla Cake

This is the perfect “blank canvas” cake for any celebration.

• A rich chocolate buttercream frosting
• A classic vanilla or cream cheese frosting
• Fresh strawberries and whipped cream
• A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream

How To Store Basic Vanilla Cake

• Room Temperature: Store the unfrosted cake layers tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerate: A frosted cake (with a buttercream or cream cheese frosting) should be stored in a cake dome in the refrigerator.
• Freeze: The unfrosted cake layers freeze beautifully. Once completely cool, wrap each layer tightly in two layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting.

Basic Vanilla Cake Nutrition Facts

(Per slice, assuming 16 slices, cake only)

• Calories: ~290 kcal
• Total Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Cholesterol: 80mg
• Sodium: 280mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 35g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 18g
• Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

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