This is my favorite from-scratch vanilla cake recipe that was created after TONS of recipe testing in search of the perfect vanilla cake – one that has the light and fluffy texture of box cake mix, is packed with vanilla flavor, and super easy to make. This one checks all of those boxes and has become a go-to for me and for many of you, which makes me so happy! Pair it with vanilla buttercream and pretty sprinkles for the ultimate vanilla birthday cake, or pair it with any of my other frostings to mix it up. It goes well with everything!
One reader, Haley, says: “1000% this is the best vanilla cake recipe I have ever made. I quite literally NEVER leave reviews on things that I try, but there is no way that I could go without telling you how DELICIOUS this cake is.” ★★★★★
From-Scratch Vanilla Cake that Rivals Box Mix
I have a little confession to make: when I first started making cakes, my secret go-to for far too long was the box vanilla cake mix by Betty Crocker.
Phew. Now you know.
Since I became accustomed to the light and fluffy texture of said box mix, every time I tried to make a vanilla cake from scratch, the result seemed off. Blame it on the lack of Propylene Glycol Mono (or the handful of other ingredients in box mixes that you’ve never heard of), but my from-scratch vanilla cakes always ended up too dense, tasted a little cornbread-ish, and just didn’t have that fluffy appeal. Finding a go-to vanilla cake recipe from scratch felt like a mountain I had to climb, but after (what felt like) five hundred tries and a whole lot of not giving up, I’ve found a recipe that is beyond my wildest cake dreams.
Perfect Vanilla Cake Ingredients & Substitutions
This vanilla cake is soft and moist, so easy to whip up, and tastes like a dream. There are some key ingredients that make it this way, and I’ve listed them below. I’ve also shared some substitutions that can be made just in case you’re in a pinch:
- Cake Flour. To achieve the super soft texture in this cake, I swear by cake flour. It produces a much fluffier cake than all-purpose (or plain) flour because of its lower protein content (the more protein in your flour the stiffer the dough and less ability to maintain moisture). You can find cake flour at most grocery stores, but if all you’ve got is all-purpose flour in your pantry, here are instructions for how to make your own cake flour. Keep in mind that if you do use the homemade version, the gram measurement will weigh more (325g instead of 290g) since all-purpose flour is heavier than cake flour.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda. The leavening agents in this recipe. Using both makes it the perfect amount of fluffy.
- Unsalted Butter. The main fat in this recipe, which adds lots of moisture, great structure, and rich flavor. If you only have salted butter on hand, you can substitute that but be sure to omit the salt in the recipe if you do.
- Granulated Sugar. This not only sweetens the cake, it creates a tender crumb as well. You can substitute this with caster sugar if you wish and it will be even more soft.
- Whole Eggs + Egg Whites. I use two large eggs and two large egg whites in this recipe. The egg whites keep the cake lighter while adding the perfect amount of protein and binding power.
- Sour Cream. Sour cream adds the perfect amount of moisture to this cake. If you don’t have that locally you can substitute it for plain yogurt or Crème fraîche.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. I use an entire tablespoon of vanilla extract in this cake, which takes the flavor beyond! I recommend using a quality vanilla extract here (not imitation). You can substitute the extract for vanilla bean paste if you wish.
- Whole Milk. Since it has the highest fat percentage of any milk (aside from buttermilk), the whole milk creates a rich crumb while binding the ingredients together. You can technically substitute this for another kind of milk, but whole milk is going to yield the best results.
Vanilla Cake Baking Tips for Success
Even if you have all the right ingredients, it’s important to follow a few ground rules when it comes to baking this cake (or really any cake). Here are a few best practices that will really set you up for success:
- Start with room temperature ingredients. Cake baking is a science, and when ingredients like eggs, butter, and dairy are at room temperature, they form an emulsion which traps air in the batter. Once you place that batter in the oven, the trapped air expands and gives your cake a good rise and lovely, tender crumb. It’ll only happen when you use room temperature ingredients, so if you want your cake to live up to it’s true potential, don’t skip this step.
- Use fresh baking powder and baking soda. Each of these leavening agents are responsible for helping your cake to rise. Once their containers are open, they only have a six month shelf life! When they’re past their expiration date, the chemical reaction that causes your cake to rise won’t happen. If you want those cakes to rise beautifully, make sure your baking powder and baking soda are within that 6 month window.
- Use the paddle attachment on your stand mixer. Also known as the “flat beater” attachment, the paddle attachment helps incorporate just the right amount of air. Other attachments might add too much air to your cake batter, causing them to become over-mixed and potentially sink in the baking process. If you don’t have a stand mixer, an electric hand mixer works just fine.
- Be careful not to over or under mix. Under-mixing the batter will prevent important chemical reactions from happening in your cake batter, and over-mixing will lead to too much gluten development (aka a dense cake). In order to help you mix for the right amount of time, I’ve listed all of the mixing times in the recipe below. Follow those exactly for best results!
- Know your oven. I’ve written this recipe (and all of my recipes) for a conventional oven. If you have a convection or fan-assisted oven, you’ll want to reduce the baking temperature to 325ºF (163ºC) and check for doneness a few minutes earlier than specified.
Here’s a quick video to show you the process for making this vanilla cake:
If you love recipe videos like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube channel! I’ve got a growing collection of cake recipes, decorating tutorials, and Cake Basics over there. Hit the subscribe button on my page so you never miss a new video.
What Frosting to Pair with Vanilla Cake
This vanilla cake pairs well with so many buttercream flavors, but if you want to keep things on the vanilla spectrum, try pairing it with a double batch of my Vanilla Buttercream Recipe. It does not disappoint!
If you’d rather switch things up, a double batch of any of my frosting recipes will work great! I’ve got recipes for alternative cake fillings here as well.
Updates
In 2022: I slightly changed the measurements of these same ingredients to make this cake even more soft and light! The original recipe is in this youtube video if you’ve come to love that one.
In 2025: I finally updated the photos to show more of the inside of the cake! The exterior decoration changed to reflect a simpler design as well. Basically a smooth buttercream finish, these pretty rainbow sprinkles, and swirls on top created with Wilton Tip 4B.
Perfect Vanilla Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2 3/4 Cups (290g) sifted cake flour* DIY recipe in notes
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 Cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 Cups (300g) granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs + 2 egg whites, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 Cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature
Vanilla Frosting
- 2 batches vanilla buttercream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 6-inch cake pans or two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with a cooking spray (Baker's Joy is my favorite) and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom of the pan.
- Sift the cake flour and then measure by spooning and leveling it in your measuring cup. Add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), beat the butter on high for two minutes until it's light and creamy. Add in the sugar and continue to mix on medium-high for another two minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs and egg whites, one at a time, mixing until just combined and scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the vanilla and sour cream, turn the mixer to high, and beat for one full minute. It will look curdled at this point, but don’t worry – it will become smooth cake batter at the end.
- Add in the dry ingredients all at once and turn the mixer to low speed. Mix until just combined, then slowly pour in the milk. Continue to mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs with a whisk to make sure there are no lumps. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. They're done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack for an additional few hours of cooling. Make sure they're entirely room temperature before filling and frosting with a double batch of my vanilla buttercream (or any frosting!).
So far so good ! now time to decorate super excited 😀
Hi! I really want to try this recipe for my son’s birthday party, but I always find plain vanilla cake a bit boring. Can I add some raspberries to the batter before putting it in the oven?
Thanks for the videos! They are so easy to understand and follow!
Hi Luisa! I love the taste of this plain vanilla cake as-is but you can certainly try adding fresh raspberries to the batter to change things up! I would coat them in a few teaspoons of flour first so they don’t sink as they bake. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Hi!
If I want to make the cake the day before an event, can I store the iced/frosted cake in the fridge over night? Or will that make the cake dry?
Thanks for your help
Hi Anna! You can absolutely store the frosted cake in the refrigerator overnight and it won’t dry out. I do it all the time!
Do you think this cake recipe would work in a silicone md shaped like a bunny?
Hi Megynn! I’ve never tried baking this recipe in a silicone mold before but my hunch is that it would work. I know people have baked it in bundt pans before with success. I’d say give it a go!
Hi! I want to make coconut cake layers, can I replace the whole milk with coconut milk and the vanilla extract with coconut extract? Thank you
Hi Niqua! I recommend using the coconut cake recipe from this post – it’s one of my faves: https://sugarandsparrow.com/almond-joy-cake-recipe/
Hi! I would like to make coconut flavoured layers. Is it possible to substitute the milk for coconut milk and the vanilla extract for coconut extract?
Thank you.
Hi! I would like to know how tall the cake is if made in 2 8 inches tin. The description says 2- 9 inches or 3-6 inches tin. Is that right?
Hi Bolu! The cakes will be about 2 inches tall if you bake two 8-inch layers. Just be sure to fill the tins no more than 2/3 full so they don’t overflow. You might have a little more than you need. Enjoy!
Hi! I would like to use this recipe to make a 12 inch 3-layer cake. Would you be able to help me figure out your recipe for this size cake?
Thank you!
Hi Gizela! I’ve never baked this recipe in a tin that large but since the total volume of a 12 x 2 inch pan is about 15 Cups and this recipe yields about 6 Cups of batter, you’ll need 4.5x the recipe to fill three tins 2/3 full. I would either make three separate batches of 1.5x the recipe unless you have a really large mixer that can accommodate scaling by 4.5x. Hope that helps!
Hello Whitney! I’m going to use you recipe for cake pops and I wonder if the measures for flour and sugar in grams are correctly? 2 3/4 cups is more that 1 1/2, right? I’m from Europe so I prefer metric system and I’m little bit confused 🙂 Thank you for clarify.
2 3/4 Cups (290g) sifted cake flour
1 1/2 Cups (300g) granulated white sugar
Hi Leny! These measurements are correct. Since sugar is heavier than cake flour, it will weigh more in grams even though it’s the lesser volume. Hope that helps!
How do you prevent cake moving in a box? Your cake board looks like same size as cakes (I like it!). I’m afraid cake is moving in the box and smudge to the side. I like cake board same size as cake better then oversized cake board.
Hi Chi! My cake board is always the same size as my cakes. When I move it into a box I usually place it onto a larger cake board with either a piece of scotch tape in between the boards or a nonslip mat. This way the bottom edge doesn’t get messed up and the cake doesn’t slide in the box. I hope that makes sense!
It worked! Thank you! Another question, what do you do with trimmed off cakes and left over buttercream? Cake pops?
I just snack on them 🙂 but you can definitely make cake pops out of the scraps!
Can’t wait to try it, I too have tried so many recipes trying to find that perfect white cake; I sure hope this is finally the one. They usually are dry, not fluffy or too yellow (no egg whites), etc…..
thanks! We loved your salted caramel apple cake, that was our first cake to try from your site.
Yay, Pam! I’m so happy you loved my salted caramel apple cake recipe and I hope you love this one as much as I do!
I’m excited to try your updated version! How would I adjust the recipe for 3 8-inch layers?
Yay, Sarah! I can’t wait to see what you think! For 3 8-inch layers, make 1.5X the recipe (multiply each ingredient by 1.5). Enjoy!
Thank you!
Why did you change the recipe?! I have been using this recipe for years now but always check it for reference. All the measurements are different now
Hi Dolly! I’m so happy you’ve been enjoying this vanilla cake for years! I put a note before the recipe about why I changed it. Essentially, I found out a few ways to make it lighter and fluffier while still keeping it moist and packed with vanilla flavor. I hope you give this new version a try! But if you prefer the old version I kept the youtube video with the old measurements embedded in this blog post.
Thank you so much for your Vanilla Cake recipes. I try your recipes and soft and yummy, I wait for your next recipes.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear you love this recipe as much as I do!
This recipe looks amazing! I’d love to try it for my daughter’s cake smash, but would need it to be dairy free. For butter I can use smart balance and for milk, I would do almond milk, but what can I use instead of sour cream? or can I just skip it altogether?
Thanks this blog is so perfect!
Hi Hana! I’d recommend making my vegan vanilla cake instead: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vegan-vanilla-cake-recipe it’s super soft and fluffy and completely dairy free already!