This perfectly Moist Vanilla Cake is a timeless dessert, full of sweet vanilla flavor and topped with my best vanilla frosting. It’s an easy cake recipe that you can make as cupcakes or a layer cake, too!
For a chocolate version of this cake recipe, try my Super Moist Chocolate Cake. Looking for more fun baking ideas? Check out my favorite Easy Cake Recipes!
Easy Homemade Vanilla Cake
I’m always chasing the perfect cake recipe. After months of trialing and adjusting to get it just right, this easy vanilla cake recipe might be my most versatile dessert ever. There’s rarely an occasion when this cake isn’t the answer, whenever I need a dessert for a special occasion, or just because I’m craving something sweet.
My cake recipe is a real classic. It makes perfect, ultra-moist cake, frosted with my all-time favorite vanilla buttercream frosting. The crumb is rich and spongey, and the batter comes together easily using either a stand or hand mixer.
Birthdays, parties, potlucks, bake sales – this cake is the best, perfect for frosting and decorating. You can even make it into a layer cake or cupcakes!
What to Expect
Over the years, millions of people have visited this recipe, and countless readers have made it. Here’s what you need to know.
- Taste: The cake itself isn’t overly sweet, allowing it to pair perfectly with the frosting. High-quality vanilla gives the best flavor.
- Texture: Dense but spongy. If you are looking for a light and fluffy vanilla cake, this isn’t it.
- Crumb: Very moist with a tight and tender crumb.
Readers Say:
My husband wanted a homemade, from scratch birthday cake. I have never made a cake from scratch. (Box cake mix queen here.) So I looked up recipes and this one caught my eye. Not complicated, easy read & best of all, delicious
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Below I’ve included the main ingredients you’ll need for this vanilla cake recipe and frosting. The full recipe details and ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card, so don’t forget to scroll to the end.
- Oil – Oil makes for a lighter, moist crumb. Vegetable oil and coconut oil will both work great.
- Sour Cream – My essential ingredient for an ultra-moist cake! Sour cream (either light or full-fat) brings lots of added moisture and richness to cakes and cupcakes. If you don’t have sour cream, substitute plain Greek yogurt instead. If you need to, you can omit it completely but note that this vanilla cake will not be nearly as moist. Sour cream should be at room temperature.
- All-purpose flour: I often get asked if cake flour can be used, and the simple answer is no. They’re not a 1:1 replacement. Sifted, all-purpose flour is the way to go. Be sure to sift it be for best results.
- Milk – You can use any kind of milk (whole, 2%, etc.) you have on hand. The milk should be at room temperature before you start, so they’re easier to combine with the batter.
- Unsalted Butter – for the frosting. My secret to perfect buttercream frosting is cold butter (trust me!), so keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Or milk, to adjust the consistency of the frosting. I prefer to use heavy cream as it always yields the creamiest, fluffiest vanilla frosting.
Oil vs. Butter In Cakes: Which Is Better?
Oil alllllll the way. Oil makes this cake bake up more light and tender than butter-based cake. The difference comes from butter being a solid fat at room temperature (even after baking), while oil stays liquid and moist.
Another major perk of working with oil? There’s no waiting around while your butter comes to room temperature! Many cake recipes often call for room-temperature butter so that it’s easier to whip, but not this one.
If you’d prefer to bake this cake using butter instead, use 1/2 cup of melted butter in place of the oil that’s called for in the recipe. Just know that it won’t come out quite as soft or moist, so I usually don’t recommend it.
How To Make a Moist Vanilla Cake
Here’s just how simple it is to make the perfect vanilla cake from scratch:
Combine the wet Ingredients. Begin by beating together the sugar, oil, and the rest of the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Next, you’ll beat in the sour cream, and set the bowl aside.
Sift the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt to combine. Slowly mix the sifted flour mixture into the wet ingredients, alternating with milk until you have a smooth batter.
Bake. Add the vanilla cake batter to a 9×13-inch baking dish, and then bake at 350ºF for about 30 minutes. Once the cake is done, take it out and leave it to cool completely before frosting.
How to Make the Vanilla Frosting
This cake is frosted with my favorite Perfect Vanilla Frosting. It’s honestly the most versatile buttercream frosting. I use it for everything, from this vanilla cake to Rainbow Cupcakes, Red, White, and Blue Layer Cakes, and Sugar Cookies!
The best buttercream frosting is whipped, fluffy, and very spreadable. Here’s how to prepare this easy frosting for decorating your vanilla cake. I have a more detailed tutorial on how to make frosting if needed (linked above- see my perfect vanilla frosting).
- Whip the butter. This is key. Since this frosting begins with cold butter, you’ll need to whip it a little longer at the start. Cut the cold butter into cubes, then add it to your mixer and whip it for a good 3-5 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally.
- Add powdered sugar. With the mixer on low, you’ll gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla, and lastly the heavy cream.
- Whip again. Continue to beat your vanilla frosting for an additional several minutes or so to get it nice and airy.
- Frost the cake. When your cake is completely cool, it’s ready to frost. Place dollops of frosting around the top of the cake and use an angled spatula to spread the frosting. Don’t press too hard or you’ll risk pulling the top of the cake along with you! See below for more helpful frosting and decorating tips.
Tips for Success
Below are some common mistakes and how to avoid them, along with a couple of handy tips for making the best moist vanilla cake:
- Room temperature ingredients: I’ve made this cake both ways, and I can assure you that room temperature ingredients does allow the ingredients to better incorporate together.
- Sifted flour. I know it’s a pain, but I’ve made this cake so many times over the years, and using a fine mesh strainer to aerate the flour is the way to go.
- Don’t over (or under) mix the batter. Once the dry ingredients have been added, low and slow is the name of the game. There’s a bit of a delicate balance when preparing cake batter. If you over-beat the ingredients, your cake won’t rise and will come out overly dense. Meanwhile, batter that’s not well mixed will bake unevenly.
- Try not to substitute ingredients wherever possible. You’ve heard the saying, “cooking is an art, baking is a science”. Think of the ingredients and ratios in a cake recipe as a tested and successful science experiment. Straying from the recipe can have unpredictable results.
- Avoid overbaking or underbaking. Baking times may vary depending on the type of pan you’re using (see the next point below) and your individual oven. Test the cake by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is ready to come out.
- Different types of pans will bake differently. Cakes in glass baking pans will always need to bake longer since glass doesn’t conduct heat as well as metal pans.
More Frosting and Decorating Ideas
A classic homemade vanilla cake is seriously the best dessert for any occasion! It’s just as delicious as a birthday cake as it is for everyday baking, and I’ll never run out of ways to decorate it. Here are more frosting options to pair with this easy vanilla cake:
You can be as creative or as basic as you’d like when it comes to how you frost your cake, too. Most of the time I just smear the frosting in an even layer all over so I can get to slicing ASAP. But the vanilla buttercream frosting is also perfect for piping! I have helpful tutorials on How to Use a Piping Bag and How to Use and Decorate with Piping Tips that walk you through it.
Then, try one or more of these fun topping ideas:
- Fruit – Top your cake with fresh berries, fruit, or a compote.
- Chocolate Ganache – Drizzle the top of the cake with an easy homemade chocolate ganache (borrow the filling from my Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes!)
- Caramel Sauce – Add a bit of caramel or butterscotch sauce over top.
- Sprinkles – Top your cake with fun and festive colorful sprinkles, nonpareils, or chocolate shavings.
- Crushed Cookies – Give your cake a crunchy texture thanks to a sprinkle of crushed cookies, like Oreos or Nilla Wafers.
Easy Recipe Variations
This recipe makes a very simple and very delicious single-layer vanilla cake. But it doesn’t have to end there. Here are some more recipe variations you can try:
- Cupcakes – This vanilla cake recipe can easily be made as vanilla cupcakes. The batter will make a hefty 24 cupcakes, with a little left over. For some helpful cupcake decorating tips, check out my post on How to Decorate Cupcakes.
- Layer Cake – I make this cake as an 8” three-layer cake in my recipe for Moist Vanilla Layer Cake. If you’d like to bake this as a 9-inch or 10-inch layer cake, the baking times will need to be adjusted accordingly. All the details are in the post.
- Bundt Cake – I’ll be honest, I don’t love the way this recipe bakes as a bundt cake. Luckily, I developed the perfect fluffy Vanilla Bundt Cake instead. The preparation is a bit different but just as easy!
- Gluten-Free – I’ve made a gluten-free vanilla cake using 1-to-1 gluten-free flour and it came out great. If you’re looking for another easy gluten-free dessert, try my Easy Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes.
- Poke Cakes- I’ve used this as a base recipe for many of my poke cake recipes.
How to Store a Frosted Cake
Whenever possible, this homemade vanilla cake should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature to keep it fresh and moist. However, if you live in a hot and humid environment, you may want to store this in the refrigerator instead. Take the cake out of the fridge ahead of time and serve it at room temperature. Either way, be sure you’re using an airtight container.
Can I Freeze Vanilla Cake?
Yes, though it’s best to freeze homemade cakes before they’re frosted. Once the vanilla cake is baked and cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, plus a layer of foil. Store your cake frozen for up to 1 month.
Before serving, thaw the vanilla cake completely and let it come to room temperature before frosting.
Print
Moist Vanilla Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 15 slices
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy and homemade Moist Vanilla Cake recipe is perfectly sweet and fluffy and full of rich vanilla flavor. Topped with a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting, it’s the best vanilla cake to make for any occasion!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups (380g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ cup(118 ml) sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 3 teaspoons (11.2 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) milk (any type), at room temperature
For the Frosting
- 3/4 cup ( 170g )unsalted butter, cold
- 2 1/2cups (325g ) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml ) pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (15ml ) heavy whipping cream or milk
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until well incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add the sour cream and beat until well combined.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl combine the remaining dry ingredients and sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half the dry ingredients, and half the milk, and beat on low speed just until the flour starts to incorporate. Repeat until all ingredients are added and combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure it’s well mixed.
- Pour the batter into a 9-inch by 13-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 28-32 minutes. Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely prior to frosting.
For the Frosting:
- Cut the butter into pieces. Using the paddle attachment, whip the butter for 5-7 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally, and beating until the butter is whipped and fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated into the butter then add the vanilla extract and heavy cream and mix to combine. Beat for about 60 seconds.
- Continuing beating, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 3-5 minutes to whip additional air into the frosting. Spread over cooled cake.
Notes
- The batter will be quite thin. It’s important that you stir the batter after mixing, to ensure everything on the bottom of the bowl is well mixed.
- This can easily be made into vanilla cupcakes or a vanilla layer cake
- Greasing the pan: if you are using a pan that isn’t nonstick, or you plan to remove the whole cake from the pan, be sure to grease and flour the pan first.
- Baking times will vary by pan type and true internal oven temperatures.
- Storing this cake: Whenever possible, cakes should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you live in a hot and humid environment, you may want to store this in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.
- Freezing this cake: I do not prefer to freeze cakes once they’re frosted/ If you need to freeze this cake, double wrap it in plastic wrap and then with foil. Thaw to room temperature to serve.
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Ingredient substitutions
- Sour cream: This is essential for keeping the cupcakes moist. If you don’t have sour cream. I recommend substituting it with non-fat Greek yogurt. The recipe calls for light sour cream, but you can also use full-fat sour cream. If you need to, you can omit it completely, but note the cake will not be nearly as moist.
- Butter instead of oil: You can use 1/2 cup of melted butter instead of oil, but I don’t think it is nearly as good. You can also use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.
- Gluten-free flour: I have tested this recipe with a one-for-one gluten-free flour and it worked out great
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 15
- Calories: 443
- Sugar: 47.5g
- Sodium: 187.5mg
- Fat: 18.9g
- Carbohydrates: 65.2g
- Protein: 4.7g
- Cholesterol: 65.4mg
I used all-purpose flour but replaced some of the ingredients with olive oil, greek yogurt, and lactose-free milk. It still turned out moist and fluffy. My husband liked it!
I’ll be sharing your recipe with my best friends. Thank you Julianne!
Hi! Can I replace vegetable oil with olive oil, milk with almond milk, and lastly, all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour?
Hi Kat, the recipe has not been tested with such substitutions. In theory it should be fine but I can’y guarantee the results, especially when it comes to texture.
Hey can I avoid using sour cream..? Is it okay..?
Hi Aysha, As noted in the recipe, you can omit the sour cream but the cake will not be nearly as moist. And also you can substitute Greek yogurt
Hi thank you for the receipt. Can i replace the sour cream by milk.
Hi there Diana, no you should not use milk in replace of the sour cream. You can either omit it or use greek yogurt.
Hi,
I want to make this cake for my son for his birthday and I test ran it in a round tin and ended up baking it for 50 minutes and it was amazing!
My only question is, is this cake firm enough to hold fondant icing?
Thank you!
Hi Whit, I’ve never tried using fondant with this cake, but it is very moist. I have only ever done one fondant cake, but my friends tell me they like to use a sponge cake type recipe, so it might work? What size pan did you use? I am just curious since it baked for so long!
Hi,
I used a 20 cm round tin. It came out so nice and moist!
Can I ask what recipe you used with the fondant?
I only ask because I am unable to use any type of butter in the cake because my son is not able to have this.
Thanks!
Hi Whit, I’ve only made my own fondant once and it was a marshmallow fondant, I find it is a lot easier to purchase fondant at the store .
Hi
I wud like to try this, but since i want a bigger cake and dont have a big pan, can i use a pot instead? Can I use a self raising flour and get the same moist cake?
Hi Bongi, what size pan are you trying to use? I am not sure a pot would be a good idea. Self rising flour is usually used for bread. This recipe is not tested with self rising flour so I cannot speak to the results it will product
I baked mine in a metal 13x 9 pan and it took way longer than allotted baking time (I have an oven thermometer so temp was correct). The sides are brown and the middle was still a bit undercooked when I took it out. I couldn’t leave it in any longer without fear of it burning. I do not feel good about serving this cake for my mother in law’s birthday. Any suggestions?
Hi Chris- how long did your bake for? Was it a dark non stick pan or a light metal pan? Did the middle of your cake sink? You edges will brown a little bit more due to the longer baking time.
It was a darker nonstick pan. Left it in a full 15 minutes past the time and the center was still not coming out clean with the toothpick test, but took it out of the oven anyway. Sadly, cake was heavy and dry.
Hi Chris, that seems strange. In all the times I baked this cake, I’ve never had it come out dry, but I also never have experienced having to bake the cake for an extra 15 minutes, which seems like quite a lot of time. So you baked this for 45 minutes in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan? And when you say the toothpick wasn’t clean was it still noticeably wet and unbaked? I am just trying to figure out why you had issues, because other have been very successful with this. With a dark non stick pan, you edges will definitely be darker than they would in a lighter color pan.
Hi i left a comment a few weeks ago but not sure if you received it . I really want to try this recipe as I think it would make a perfect birthday cake. My problem is I live in the U K and we do not have cup measurements. Are you able to convert the ingredients into grams for me . Thank you .
Hi Jane, This is the website I use to convert measurements, I will try to get this added to the recipe. Thank you!
https://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/cooking/
Hi! I left a comment earlier but not sure if it went through but I was wondering can I still use the sour cream with this if I’m doing pudding filled cupcakes? Or should I leave it out?
Thanks!
Hi Lisa, sorry I missed your comment. I would suggest to omit the sour cream if you already have a pudding filling. Enjoy!
Can i give you 100 stars? Finally, i found the perfect vanilla cake/cupcake recipe! I have scoured the internet [for years] & pinterest in particular for a vanilla cake recipe. The ones I’ve tried baking usually requires butter. I’m always disappointed with the results: too dry, too crumbly. Baking a cake using butter has always been a challenge for me. I was ready to throw in the white flag & succumb to the idea that there is no perfect vanilla cake recipe out there. And by some sheer luck, I was pinterest stalking a few nights ago when i saw your post. I got excited because I noticed right away that butter wasn’t in the mix. I baked it last night & I was so overjoyed after tasting it. This is the kind of cake I’ve been looking for. Thank you very much! My daughter’s 8th birthday is coming up. I’m definitely baking a couple of batches: one for her classmates in school & for her party. My husband & my daughter both tasted it & loved it. We ate the cake with no frosting at all.
The only thing i did differently while baking was reduce my electric oven temperature to 325 F. It domed a little bit kinda like what you have in your post. I tried a batch using 350 F & after it cooled down, the cupcakes collapsed.
Lastly, I have some questions. If I reduce the sugar to maybe 1.5 or 1.25 cup, will that affect the texture of the cake? Is it possible to add cinamon or nutmeg?
Thank you again for this recipe. Its definitely a keeper.
Hi Chona! First of all, I am SO glad that you loved this recipe! I spent so much time testing this recipe and making very little tweaks each time until I was happy with the results.
Regarding your question on reducing the sugar, the recipe would need to be retested. I find it usually changes the structure of the cake when I made more major tweaks like that.
After following your original recipe,i did 2 test runs.I reduced the sugar by half a cup in both cakes and it turned out perfect.not a lot of rise or dome,which is how i like it.in one batch,i used the kirkland greek yogurt.it was more dense and heavy.but still tasted great.i use a lot of greek yogurt at home.so now i know i dont have to buy light sour cream for this recipe.also, i use the wilton baking strips so the edges of my cake didnt turn out burned or too brown. Ive seen videos in youtube for diy baking strips-your readers might be interested in looking that up.
I have non- fat vanilla greek yogurt on hand instead of sour cream. Would that work? If there is a fat needed could I possibly use whole milk?
Hi Amber, yes you can use Greek yogurt instead!
Hi! Same measurement for the greek yogurt? Thanks
Yes, same measurements for Greek Yogurt!
Hi! If I needed to make this cake about a day or two ahead of time do you think it would be fine in a cake container in the refrigerator? I know cakes don’t always hold over to well but I just love this recipe!
Thank you so much Kelsey! Yes, you can refrigerate this in an airtight container. I suggest allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
Hi! Can I use a full fat yoghurt instead of sour cream?
Hi Pam, yes that should work, it might be a little heavier due to the increased fat. Greek yogurt would be a preferable substitute for me.
YUM YUM!! Fabulous cake!! Made it yesterday with my daughter and two grand daughters…well I instructed and they did all the measuring and mixing, and this turned out perfectly!! Yes, it is a dense cake but that is what we like and it’s MOIST!! The only change we did was add an extra teaspoon of vanilla, 4 total. We topped it off with some cinnamon flavored icing and it is totally a winner. Can’t wait to make cupcakes with this recipe.
Winner!!
WOW! That sounds amazing Bob! I am SO glad you made this and enjoyed it!
Thanks for this wonderful and easy recipe! The cupcakes turned out moist and light and delicious. And that at the first try!
Awesome Yvonne! I am SO happy you enjoyed these!
Thank you for such an easy recipe. I made it for my husband coz he loves cakes. Very tasty thank u soo very much.
That’s wonderful! I am glad to hear!
Would this recipe freeze well as mini cupcakes and 10 in square pan? Making it for my sons birthday next week and I wanted to make it ahead of time if possible. Thanks in advance
Hi Katie, yes you can freeze cupcakes. I would suggest to wrap them individual. I do a pre-freeze first then wrap in plastic wrap and put in a airtight container. I hope you enjoy!
Hello,
Would the same apply to the cake as to cupcakes? How long before i need to use it could bake and freeze.
Thanks
Ps love this cake thank you for posting x
Thanks Tania! I almost never freeze a cake or cupcakes. However if you wrap the cake a couple of times in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, then thaw at room temperature.
hi can I do this in a 10in round ?
Hi Chelsey, yes you can, but it has not been tested so baking time will vary
Hi, thank you for sharing your recipe, it looks delish!
Is it possible to use regular sour cream (14%)? Would there be a difference in the cake’s texture or taste?
Looking forward to your reply, I’m excited to give this a try!!
Thank you ?
Hi Anna, sorry for the delay. The additional fat in a full-fat sour cream would make this cake even more dense and it could throw off the baking time and rise of the cake. Best of luck!
My daughter and I made this recipe and it made 24 very moist cupcakes. It is true, this is more a sponge cake than your regular light and fluffy cake. Wow, it was good. We topped ours with chocolate frosting and the vanilla cake with the chocolate was a great pairing. This is a super easy recipe to pull together and the results are great.
Hi Jon! I am SO glad that you and your daughter has a chance to try this, and glad to hear the cupcakes worked out. Thanks for your feedback. Happy baking!
HI, in the body of the text you mentioned as ingredient baking soda, and salt, but in the recipe it does not show those ingredients, can you please confirm if they are required?
Gracias!
Hi Susana, the body of text was a mistake and thank you for calling my attention to it. The recipe is actually correct, listing 3 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt and these are added in step 4. Please let me know if you have any questions