Vanilla Cake Recipe

Made from scratch with only a handful of ingredients, this Vanilla Cake Recipe is the perfect dessert for any occasion. Far from boring, this classic cake is flavorful and has a tender and moist crumb. It’s so light, fluffy, and easy to make that you’ll never go back to box mix!

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• ▢2½ cups all-purpose flour (280g)
• ▢2¼ tsp baking powder
• ▢¾ tsp salt
• ▢1⅔ cups granulated sugar (333g)
• ▢¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature (170g)
• ▢3 large eggs room temperature
• ▢1 Tbsp vanilla (15mL)
• ▢1 cup buttermilk (240mL)

For the Frosting:

• ▢1½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢¼ tsp salt
• ▢5 cups powdered sugar
• ▢¼ cup cream or milk plus more as needed
• ▢2 tsp vanilla (10mL) plus more to taste if desired

Instructions

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F and line two 8 inch pans with parchment paper and butter the sides. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, then whisk together and set aside.

Cream the butter in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer. Add the sugar and beat on high for 3-4 minutes, scraping the bowl down as needed. Add the vanilla, then eggs one at a time while mixing on medium speed, then scrape the bowl down and mix in high for a minute.

Reduce speed to low and add the flour in three batches alternating with the buttermilk. Once almost combined, remove the whisk attachment and fold in any remaining butter/flour using a spatula. Do not over-mix the batter.

Divide batter equally between the two pans, then bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until the edges pull away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan for about two minutes, then invert layers onto a cooling rack, remove the paper, and set aside to cool completely.

For the Frosting

Cream the butter and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer. Add the sugar a few cups at a time while mixing on low. Drizzle in the cream and vanilla, then scrape the bowl down and increase speed to high. Mix for about three minutes, then reduce the speed to low and mix an additional minute.

Use a spatula to press some of the larger bubbles out of the buttercream, then spread over the first layer of your cake, add the second and cover the top and edge in buttercream. Smooth or finish with rustic swoops or a spiral pattern.