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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!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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.
Key Ingredients
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.
For the Vanilla Cake
- Oil – I use oil in place of butter in many of my cake recipes. Oil makes for a lighter, moist crumb. Vegetable oil and coconut oil will both work great.
- Vanilla – Vanilla is the star here, so make sure to use a high-quality vanilla extract for this recipe.
- 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.
- 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.
- Milk – I use nonfat milk because that’s what I keep in my fridge. You can use any kind of milk (whole, 2%, etc.) you have on hand. You’ll want to let your milk as well as the sour cream come to room temperature before you start, so they’re easier to combine with the batter.
For the Vanilla Frosting
- Butter – This is a basic buttercream so, naturally, it starts with butter. 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.
PrintMoist Vanilla Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 15 slices
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.
-
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
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
I have been using this vanilla cake recipe for my cake orders for a year now and everyone absolutely loves it! It’s moist, flavourful and perfect. The negative reviews on here blow my mind 😅.
I appreciate that so much Ashleigh. People have very strong opinions about what a vanilla cake should be, but this one is overwhelming popular with readers.
Hello, I said it would be a crime not to share how wonderful this recipe is. I have baked using this recipe over and over and even using it as a base for my banana cake and it’s been amazing.
The only used less sugar but everything is fantastic.
Keep up the good work
It sure would be a crime! I am so glad you stopped by to share your experience!
I have been using this recipe for a few years now. I replace the sour cream with buttermilk and it comes out super delicious. I use a caramel buttercream and it is just to die for. I have baked this for family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues and it’s a winner. My go-to recipe for a wonderful vanilla cake!!!!!
The caramel buttercream sounds delicious!!
I’ve been using this recipe for 3+ years now for our family birthday cakes. It’s a winner every time, especially with the cream cheese frosting. It’s common for people to ask me for the recipe once they’ve tried it. Thank you!
Love that Vanessa! It is so good with cream cheese frosting!
You said “this is a Moist Vanilla Cake recipe is perfectly sweet and fluffy and full of rich vanilla flavor” and you’re so far from the truth. If I would have know that you only taste the sugar in the frosting and the actual cake itself is bland and just over all gross. I would have picked a different recipe . The frosting wouldn’t even blend together because of how much sugar there was. No only didn’t I waist all of those ingredients but also waisted my time.
It sucks to feel like you have wasted time and ingredients, I understand the frustration. Unfortunately Vanilla cake/cupcakes are one of the hardest recipes to please everyone with, as each person has a different idea of what they want or think it should be. This particular cake is overwhelming popular on my site, but I can’t please everyone. If you had trouble with the frosting blending together, that’s a red flag for me that something wasn’t right. Were you using a hand mixer? Or perhaps the butter wasn’t beaten for long enough. Anyhow you can also try adding some more liquid to help it incorporate.
Suuuuper dense, heavy, and bland. So dense it’s comical. Followed recipe exactly. Probably doesn’t need 3 large eggs… Horrible. Taste like nothing with hint of egg and that’s it. Not fun to chew
Hi Saeed, I am not sure what you expected, given I stated this cake is “Dense but spongy. If you are looking for a light and fluffy vanilla cake, this isn’t it.”. The thing about vanilla cake is that everyone has their own idea of what it should be. It’s too bad this didn’t meet your expectations. If your cake was as dense as your describing, I am wondering if you over-measured the flour, especially since you mentioned the chew.
My husband who doesn’t really bake, made this for me tonight for my birthday and it was delicious. It’s a keeper. Really great texture and moist. Used two snack pack vanilla puddings instead of the sour cream, and everyone really loved it too. Simple recipe too. Thanks!
Wow, what an interesting swap, I might just have to try this!
Can you make this cake using an 8″ round spring pan?
Yes, under Easy Recipe Variations there is a link to the layer cake version of this. https://beyondfrosting.com/moist-vanilla-layer-cake/
Can this cake be used for 3 leches?
These turned out great, thank you!
Glad to hear that Sarah!! Thank you so much!
The his was an absolute fail for me 😩 It completely sunk in the middle of baking & looked like a donut. Strange as there’s so many positive reviews. Any ideas?
Hi Nena, I have followed up with you via email, it would be helpful to have some more details from you to try and troubleshoot the issue
The only issue I had was the recipe instructions say to mix dry ingredients but then the sugar is in the “mix wet ingredients” step. So I jumped ahead I suppose, and mixed all dry and then all wet then combined the two. The instructions got confusing the first time around.
Hi Danielle, thanks for the feedback, I can see how that could be confusing and I can look to make it a little clearer.
I make this for every birthday we have in our house. It’s delicious. Sometimes my batter has small lumps in it, but I’m concerned about overmixing. Can you tell me if this is just from not mixing well enough, or is it just the way some batters look before they go in the oven?
The lumps in the batter are likely clumps of flour that are not incorporating into the batter. I have made some updates over the years and I’ve found them a combination of room temperature ingredients, sifting the dry ingredients and mixing at a low speed once the flour is added will produce the best results. Also slowly adding the flour, and incorporating the milk will help.
Can I use cake flour for this?
Nope, it is not designed to work with cake flour, as it’s a liquid-heavy batter
Hi,
Could I use buttermilk?
I would typically add a little baking soda to use with the buttermilk
Unfortunately this cake was so dense, I followed everything to the dot but I used the metric versions of the measurements so I’m unsure if those were maybe incorrect? I even used light sour cream and read all the trouble shooting! Such a shame!
Hi Emily, this cake is meant to be more dense than light and airy. It’s very spongy. I make this all the time, only uses the weighted measurements, so it’s hard to know if the cake texture was actually correct and just didn’t meet your expectations or if something was actually off that that caused the cake to be too wet or dense.
This is my favourite vanilla cake recipe! I have baked it many times with multiple fillings and everyone loves it. I have a few questions.Anne
1. Can this recipe be converted into a marble cake?
2. Is this enough batter to fill a sheet pan(12x17x1”)?
3. What temp and time for a sheet cake?
Thank you
Thank you so much Anne Marie. I have a marble cake that is based off my yellow cake instead, it’s a thicker batter and lends better to marbling. https://beyondfrosting.com/marble-cake/. I have not specifically made a sheet cake size.
I just made this cake .. it is amazing , light and fluffy , full of flavor . It called for 2 cups of sugar I backed it to 1 1/2cups , tasted perfect 👍
Yeah! Thank you for sharing Christine!
Love this cake! I Make it all the time. Super moist and delicious. And is great tasting even several days later, if there is any left the day I make it! 😉 My go to cake all the time. Also shared it with family.
Thank you for sharing. 🙏🏽🥰
I am SO happy to hear that! Thank you!
I made this cake in January for my daughter’s birthday. It was easy to make and gone so quick. I asked my soon-to-be 4 year old son what he wanted for his birthday and he requested this cake. If a 4 year old remembers a cake 4 months after, it means it’s good. Don’t look further.
LOVE that! How special, thank you for sharing!
Excellent recipe! This is my go to recipe for a simple vanilla cake. I have made this a couple times, the first with out sour cream. It was perfect, I made it with lime and lime glaze. The second time I added the sour cream, and made lemon. The third time I replaced half of the flour with whole wheat flour, and I like it even better. Thank for the recipe, and the ingredient breakdown.
Wonderful Jenna, thanks so much for sharing!
Was really good! Followed the recipe exactly except for adding in 1 tbsp cake batter extract along with the vanilla. I also used almond milk and the cake was fluffy and very moist. I added 1/2 Cup rainbow sprinkles to the mix as well. Everyone had 2 pieces and wanted more!
Love that! Thank you so much Jodi for your review.
Made this cake to take into work.
I did swap sour cream for Greek yogurt because that’s what I had on hand and made an almond butter butter cream. Matched perfect.
This weekend I will try it with chocolate buttercream or even might try to make cupcakes
Thx again
Wonderful Marion, thank you so much!
Can I freeze the frosting?
Yep, the frosting can be frozen for about 2 months in an airtight container, or try and remove any excess air from a Ziploc bag.
Can I refrigerate frosting if I’m not icing the cake for a couple days?
Yes, keep it in an airtight container, and then let it come to room temperature and rewhip in your mixer before frosting the cake for best results
Grease the pan or not?
Depends on your pan. I use a nonstick pan and I don’t remove the entire cake from the oven, so I don’t find it necessary to grease my pan
This cake is FANTASTIC! It took me much longer than 30 minutes, both times I made it, closer to 45-50 minutes.
Thanks so much for sharing. Not sure if it’s your oven or pan that would have caused a longer bake time, but I am glad to worked out for you!
This cake is perfect ! It took me much longer to cook though, 54 minutes to be precise. It is perfect, a base vanilla cake recipe to keep and have fun with different toppings.
Thank you so much Caroleann! I really am curious to know why you had to bake it for so long. Did you change the pan size or do you have a special type of oven?
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Is it possible to use a 9 in round pan instead of a 9 x 13 pan? Thank you very much for sharing this!
Hi Ashley, yes you can. YOu may find the layer cake version of this cake more helpful, there is a section that specifically discusses how to make the cake in various size pans, including the 9-inch rounds. Visit the Vanilla Layer Cake recipe for more details.
Recipe was very good. I made it into a layer cake using two 10 inch pans, and it was just the right amount of batter. I also used the Greek yogurt (low-fat) instead of the sour cream, which you said could be substituted. Cake was plenty moist, and the tablespoon of real vanilla really boosted the flavor.
This recipe is spectacular & will not disappoint! I served my cake with a cool whip topping and used fresh strawberries on top. Right after dinner cake was served. Some people had 2 or 3 pieces of cake and someone scraped the bottom of the pan for the crumbs!! It was that good. Next time I bake it I will bake 2. This will be the only recipe I will use for vanilla cake. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Thank you so much Dawn! I am beyond happy to hear that!
Morning mmmm what a nice cake..thanks so much for sharing some nice recipes with us….I really enjoyed my yummy moist vanilla cake ever👌
You’re very welcome!
I just made the sponge for this recipe and used it for a boston cream pie as I had a craving and not much butter. This is definitely going to be a go staple. It is quite soft and spongy but strong enough to layer. I wouls call it the softest cake i have made in a long time
That’s awesome Hanna, thank you so much for sharing! Boston cream is one of my favorite desserts!
Have you tried this recipe without eggs?
This has not been tested without eggs or with an egg replacement
Best cake recipe i ever had. Making this from last three years and every body in my home loves it. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe.
Oh I am so honored to hear that!! Thank you!
Any idea how long I would need to bake if I did a bundt pan. Also would I need to double the frosting recipe ?
Hi Missy, I don’t love how this recipe turns out in a bundt pan personally. I would instead recommend this vanilla bundt cake. Are you trying to frost the entire thing?
Hello, I love this recipe, it’s the best vanilla cake I’ve ever tried, however sometimes when I make it it sinks after I fetch it out the oven to cool and becomes really doughy? I always put a skewer in to make sure it’s completely cooked and I make it the same every time (I think 🤷) so not sure what I could be doing wrong? Any advice would be amazing, thank you
Hi Charlotte, I would add another 2 minutes to your bake time. If the cake is doughy and it sinks, that means it’s not cooking all the way through. Also make sure you oven is fully preheated before starting. For instance, my oven beeps at “full temp” after about 10 minutes, but it’s only actually preheated about halfway. It takes a full 20-25 minutes to preheat.
I have been having the same issue. This is such a beautiful cake when it works. I think the gluey doughy texture is caused by overmixing which leads to the gluten over developing in the flour within the cake. I made it again yesterday with my new handheld mixer (it is alittle faster even on the lowest setting than my last one so I was very cautious). However the texture has been unfortunately affected. Could I fold the flour and milk in at the end by hand with a spatula instead? I think this would safeguard me from overmixing!
Hi Lou, I’ve adjusted the recipe recently, including suggestions for using room-temperature ingredients and sifted flour. Mixing on low speed etc. You could certainly try hand-mixing it, but I think you find you might over-mix it as well. Instead, I would mix just until the flour starts to combine then finish with your spatula, and perhaps adding the flour more slowly. For as many times as I’ve made this, I don’t really have inconsistent results. To your point, overmixing the batter will cause the gluten to over develop.
This cake is DELICIOUS! FYI I made it with vegan sour cream, gluten free flour and almond milk and it turned out so well!
So glad to hear that Angela!
So yummy. Would vanilla bean paste work in this?
Yes! that would be wonderful
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe! I found it while looking for an easy vanilla cake that used oil and haven’t looked back. Made it as a great bake the first time but have also used it to make 2 x 6″ layers and miscellaneous cupcakes.
Fantastic results every time (even though my oven needed way more baking time.
Is it possible to adapt this to a lemon cake? How much lemon zest and lemon juice would work and do I trying out keep the vanilla extract?
Thanks in advance
Hi Tis, first of all, thank you so much for your comment, this truly makes me happy! Here is the lemon version of this same cake.
LOVE your recipe! It’s my go to, very moist and everyone loves it! Thank you!
That’s wonderful Samantha! Thank you so much!!
I love this recipe. But I find my batter is always somewhat lumpy. Any advice? I follow the directions exactly and still get flour lumps.
Hi there, I think it’s because this is a liquid-heavy batter, I find that sifting the flour can help with this and slowly incorporating it while adding in the milk can help with that
Have you tried making this as a funfetti cake?
Hi Taylore, yes, the batter is pretty thin so I actually have a different recipe that I prefer to use for funfetti cake. Here’s the link: https://beyondfrosting.com/homemade-funfetti-cake/
I made this today for my sister’s birthday and everyone loved it!!! I’ve been looking for a really good vanilla recipe and I think I found the ONE! 😋 Thank you Julianne for sharing this recipe ❤️
That makes me so happy! Thank you so much for sharing!
Looks delicious but do the dairy products need to be at room temperature ?? Can’t wait to try
Hi Melanie, I have done it both ways, it will work either way
I used full fat European organic yogurt and frozen egg mix thawed and turned out rich and moist. It met my grandsons approval.
Thank you so much Susan!
Hi, how would adjust the recipe for high altitude?
Sorry Melia, I am not too familiar with high altitude baking and have no tested the recipe at elevation.
I love this cake recipe – I use it All the time! I’m wondering the best way to turn into a coconut cake. Have you tried this and if so, how much coconut extract would it require?
Can I sub some of the milk for Malibu Coconut rum?
Hi Juliana- there is the coconut version of this cake
If I want to cut the recipe in half to make 12 cupcakes how would divide 3 eggs in half ? Would you use 2 eggs ? Thanks
Yep, 2 eggs! Here’s the cupcake option https://beyondfrosting.com/moist-vanilla-cupcakes/
Hi Julianne! I’m wanting to make some cupcakes for my son’s 2nd birthday today. I came across your recipe and am excited to try it. What would the baking instructions for cupcakes be?
Thanks 😊
Hi Amy- I followed up with an email, there’s a link to the cupcakes in this post under the FAQ section and in the recipe card. HEre is the link for the vanilla cupcakes
Just made this cake 😍 best cake I’ve ever made!
Yesss Thank you Audrey!
I would like to do this as a half sheet cake 13×18, would I need to double the recipe?
Hi Michele, I am not sure I have not use this size pan before. Sorry!
Help! I’m hoping to make this today but only have a glass pan this size. Will it work?
You sure can! You’ll need to adjust the baking time
My new go to Vanilla Cake recipe! A deliciously moist and tasty vanilla cake. Followed the recipe to the tee and it came out perfectly. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
That is so amazing!! Thank you so much Maurice!
Any tips on how to make this in two 9inch pan?
Yes! Everything you need is in this post: https://beyondfrosting.com/moist-vanilla-layer-cake/
For two 9-inch cakes, they baked from 28-32 minutes. Baking times will vary due to how full the pans are, type of pans and true oven temperature.
Hi! I’m interested in giving this a whirl. I’ve been trying to find a recipe where I can use my leftover apple butter and am hoping this is the one. What’re your thoughts on swapping sour cream for apple butter? Or just adding some apple butter to the batter, perhaps? 🙂 thanks!
Hi Julian! Sorry I have not tried this with apple butter, but if you do try it, let us know how it goes!
Are you using a greased pan or is the oil in batter enough to keep cake from sticking?
Thanks, T.M.
Hi Terri, I do not because I use a nonstick pan and I don’t remove the whole cake from the pan. It would depend on the type of pan you’re using.
I make this recipe for cupcakes and I make alot of cupcakes this has always been my go to recipe!!!! I love it they are so good and I get many compliments!!!
Thank you
That’s SO wonderful, thanks so much for sharing!
This is by far the best vanilla cake I have come across. Most scratch cakes are always dry. The folks I share this with songs it’s praises! It is moist and very vanilla -y. It is now my go to cake for all occasions. Thank you!
YES Jen!! Thank you so much!!
I would like to try this recipe. Would double the recipe be enough to fill three round 9 inch pans or would I need more batter?
Hi Amanda, You can make 3 9-inch layers but the layers will be thinner, maybe .5″-.75″ thick at most.
Should the 9×13 pan be greased and floured?
I don’t because I am not removing this from the pan and I also use a nonstick pan.
I think this is the best vanilla cake recipe I have ever made! The crumb is excellent texture and the cake is moist and flavorful. Thank you so much for sharing this one, it is definitely a keeper.
Thank you so much Laura! This means the world to me to hear this!
How long can I keep this cake be stored in a freezer?
Amazing recipe btw! Definitely a go-to⚡thank you!
Thanks Faathima. My personal recommendation is 1 month but with proper preparation to prevent freezer burn, up to 3 months.
Hi, looking for a good from-scratch recipe to use for an upside down cake. Do you think this would work well for that, or is there another recipe you have in mind?
Hi Sarah, I haven’t tried it with this recipe so I can’t say for certain. Sorry!
Will this make a 3 layer 8 inch ?
Yes, here is the recipe for the layer cake
Can I use buttermilk instead of regular milk
You can. typically I would adjust the baking powder to include some baking soda when using buttermilk. Try swapping out 1 teaspoon.
thank you
A wonderful recipe thank you,, I have made a few homemade white cakes and they always came out rather dry. This was so good I will be making this cake again and again and again and again😄
Amazing!! Thank you Nay!
Hi, I love this recipe! Since I found it about 5months ago I bake this so often – all versions- sheet cake, layer cake and cupcakes and all always work out so well! I also make the chocolate version simply by adding 2-3 tbsp of cocoa powder dissolved in about 2tbsp of hot water or coffee, using little less milk (about 280- 285 ml). The chocolate version is my kids’ favourite cake😃
This is amazing!! Thank you!
thank your for this Amazing recipe,i doubled the recipe and subtitude milk with coconut milk.it came out perfectly.❤️
That sounds incredible! Thank you for sharing.
Do ingredients need to be at room temp or can they be cold?
Hi Deb, I bake this frequently and I seldom use room temperature ingredients, so I did not specify them to be room temp.
Any way to make it dairy-free?
You can use dairy-free milk and yogurt, I don’t think that would be an issue. In regards to vegan butter, I have never made a frosting with vegan butter but if you can find something in a brick form or a vegetable shortening, you could try that and then use dairy-free milk instead of heavy cream.
Please I can’t find sour cream in my area , can I replace with buttermilk or totally leave it out
Hi Via, the answer to this is in the blog post under Ingredient substitutions and also listed in the recipe card in the notes section. I hope you’ll find those suggestions helpful.
Hi there! The serving size says 15. Does that mean there is 443 calories for 15 muffins or 1?
Thank you!
It’s per slice assuming you cut it into 15 slices.
I wanted to try to make this cake but with two round pans. Do you know what temperature and time it would need to bake at?
Hi Sarah. Yes, I would recommend reviewing my layer cake post which has a full list of pan sizes and suggested baking times
This is my absolute go-to recipe for a vanilla cake. The sponge comes out perfect every time. I’ve made it as a layer cake and as a 1/2 sheet (11×15). For the layer cake, Julianne’s directions are spot on. For the 1/2 sheet size I doubled the ingredients and baked at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes. You really can’t go wrong with this recipe no matter what size you do.
Thank you so much Alisa!! I really appreciate that! Thank you for sharing your sheet cake adjustments too!
The cake came out super moist & delicious! This will be my go-to recipe from now onwards! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! 😊
Amazing! Thank you so much Nivida! I really appreciate the feedback
So moist and yummy, I reduced the sugar to 1 cup and it came out good as well. Thank you for the recipe
You’re so welcome!
Hi, i want to make 4 layer 6 inch cake. Will this batter be enough? Or should I 1.5 times it?
This cake recipe will make 4 6-inch layers as written.
Thnks for the recipe👍👍I wanna use it for dry cake which does not require too much ingredients
Exactly what I was looking for! Nice and easy recipe but also not too sweet and really moist!
Love that Kadi, thank you so much!
We cant get All purpose flour where I am. What can I use instead if I cant use cake flour?
We get bread flour, cake flour, self raising flour??
Hi Jenny- what do you normally sub for all purpose flour? Definitely not bread flour. I don’t bake with self rising flour, but if that’s an alternative, you would likely reduce the baking powder in this recipe.
Are you Australian/NZ? All purpose flour is plain flour. Granulated sugar is caster sugar.
Hello, so glad I found this recipe. it’s by far the best vanilla cake I’ve made!
Is the original recipe in cups and then converted to grams or was it originally in grams and adapted to cup measurements? thank you 🙂
All my recipes start in cups and are converted to grams using an online tool that estimates. They also vary from brand to brand, especially with flour!
Absolutely wonderful recipe. Followed the recipe exactly and the cake was very moist, and not too sweet. We didn’t get to try the frosting recipe, really looking forward to trying it next time. Printing this one for the books! Thanks for the heads up about the thin batter, really calmed my fears!
That’s amazing Tara! Thank you so much for sharing. I am really glad you found this recipe!
My late husband used to tell me that my cakes always turn out too dry,for years I tried but to fail everytime until I came across this recipe & omg 😱 what a difference it made, not only moist but delicious & def not dry I couldn’t stop eating it same with my family 🤤😋❤️🌹
Wow, thank you for sharing this story with me. I am so glad you found this recipe.
Thanks for this recipe but how do l use the recipe for a “12”” by 13 pan cake?
You’ll need to adjust the baking time
Hi, i’m just wondering if this recipe is restricted to vegetable oil? could you use canola instead?
thank you 🙂
Yes that should be fine
Amazing cake! It’s so hard to find a cake that has a little more to it and is not super light and airy but this recipe is THE ONE. This cake was exactly what I hoped for and super moist. I made coconut frosting for the top and put coconut on the outside and had the most moist and amazing coconut cake of my life. Excited to use this cake with lots of different frostings!
Thank you Abby!! You should also try my yellow cake or lemon cake which were adapted from this as well! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you will try it but can the milk be substituted for buttermilk ?
yes
Hi, could I use cake flour instead of all purpose?
And buttermilk instead of milk?
Hi Jasmin, I’ve never tested this recipe with cake flour, but they are not a 1:1 substitute. Yes, you can use buttermilk, but I would consider using some baking soda in combination with the baking powder. At least 1/2-1 teaspoon.
I’ve made your 8″ 3-layer recipe a few times now (after searching for so long for a good white cake recipe!), and it’s perfect. I was planning to double it to make a 9×13 version, since my Wilton 9×13 pan says I should use 10 cups of batter. But here you’re using the same recipe (which I think makes 5 cups) for a 9×13. Will this be a high enough single-layer sheet cake?
Hi Rebecca, I use the same recipe for both a 9×13″ cake and the 3 layer 8-inch cake. I am afraid if you doubled the recipe, the edges would burn before the middle was cooked
I’m in the U.K. and made this for the first time today. I can see this becoming a firm family favourite.
Love this! Thank you so much Joy!
Hey (Hugs)
How are you? I only use your vanilla in my business, its phenomenal huge fan, I was wondering if I can make your vanilla in a caramel cake (in the sponge) 🙏🏻
Hi Stephanie, thank you! I am not sure I understand the question. Do you mean make it into a caramel cake?
Yes please 🙂
You’d have to try testing it, I have not made a caramel cake myself
It worked, thanks to your brilliant recipe I successfully managed to make a caramel one. You are amazing, thank you
Amazing Stephanie! I am so glad!
Can I change the vanilla extract for almond extract? I’m hunting for an almond recipe that includes oil and yogurt/milk but you don’t seem to have one.
Absolutely. This is an easy swap!
Absolutely delicious, love this ‘no nonsense’ recipe.
Karen, thank you so much! I appreciate that and I too love how quick this recipe comes together.
Hi can this cake be turned into cake pops
?
I am sure it can. The cake is very moist and should pack together nicely. I’ve never tried it myself.
Before I try this, I want to ask what you recommend for higher altitudes. We are at 3700 feet. I normally reduce the leavening, add a bit more liquid, etc. I look forward to trying this!
Hi Kelly, I am not too familiar with high altitude baking, and unfortunately I have not made this cake at high altitude myself so I am can’t be of much help here. I’m sorry!
The cake came out with a bread like texture – is this how it normally comes out or did I do something wrong? I was expecting a tight crumb, but this seemed more pound cake/sweet bready. (used yogurt instead of sour cream and half the amount of sugar – could this have been the culprit??)
Thank you!!
Hi Mia, yogurt would have been a find substitution but yeah, you cannot halve the sugar and expect to have the same results. That is a definite contributor to the texture you described. I would recommend trying the recipe as it’s written.
This sounds like a great recipe! Would I be able to bake this in a half sheet pan? Will there be enough batter? Thanks!
I have not tried it, so I can’t say for certain. It’s about 5 cups of batter
I LOVE this recipe.
Do you have a recipe for a sugar free vanilla cake? Or what can I substitute the sugar with?
Hi Taylor, I do not, I’m sorry I am not too familiar with sugar free baking. If you can find a 1:1 sugar substitute like Swerve that might work?
Great recipe !! Easy to follow. And the taste and texture is phenomenal!!!! Thank you Julienne. I’ll be sure to tag you again in my next cake post ! @shanshomebakery
Thanks for sharing Shannon! I am so glad you loved it!
Love your receipes.. How much quantity of cake can you make with this given ingredients. You have specified in no of slices,can you please tell me in kg.
Hi Maria, sorry I am not familiar with the quantity of cake this makes in weight. I only know the number of slices.
Can i use cakeflour instead of apf?
What’s the difference?
Thank you
Cake flour and AP flour are not interchangeable due to the proteins in the flour, and further adjustment would be required. I have not tested this recipe with cake flour.
Definitely the best vanilla cake I’ve had in my life. It’s soooooo moist I love it
YES Didi! thank you so much!
This was SO good! We only made the cake, but it smelled so amazing out of the oven my boyfriend and I both had two slices. Will be making this over and over again. Thanks for the recipe!
That’s so wonderful!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks alot for this recipe, I did this for my mom and she loved it. It was truly amazing!
Awesome Jenna! Thank you so much for sharing!
The BEST ever…thanks so much! We devoured this!
Thank you so much Annabel!
This cake is excellent…I did add less milk and added a bit more sour cream since I only had exactly one cup of milk. I did whip the sugar and egg whites together and then added the oils and yolks and vanilla. Made it a bit more fluffy but still had great texture. Tasted great even without frosting.
Thank you so much Mel! I am glad these changes worked out for you!
Omg. Made this into 12 cupcakes today and they are so scrummy! Moistest recipe I’ve found yet so will prob stick with this one from now on. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Kerry! I am so glad you loved them!
Here we are day 3 and this cake is just as moist as day 1. I used 1/4c butter and 1/4c vegetable oil. Amazing cake! Fir the frosting I made a buttercream frosting and after whipping the butter added 1 T of meringue powder and whipped that in before adding the confectioners sugar. The frosting is just as good as day 1 and fallen flat. This recipe can be made the day before and is a keeper.
So awesome Tara. Thank you for sharing!
I make a lot of cakes – this recipe is excellent, and super simple. I substituted half greek yoghurt and half buttermilk as I did not have sour cream in the house. And then I folded in some flour-coated frozen raspberries. Totally delicious. Thank you!
Thank you so so much Heather!
I made this today and we are currently in a lock down. Used curd instead of sour cream. Used 2tsp of baking powder and less than 1/2tsp of baking soda since I was running out of baking powder. Used part coconut oil and part melted margarine. Didn’t frost the cake but added few cashews and raisins. Cake rose a lot than other vanilla cakes I’ve made. It was soft and delicious. 👌👌👌Froze a part of the cake.
Thank you for the recipe!!!😊😊
I so glad to hear these alterations worked out our for you!
Made this cake for my family and they loved it. Making it again for a friends birthday. It is delicious!!!
Thank you so much Annie!! This makes me so happy!
This is the yummiest recipe for vanilla I have ever found, especially for someone like me who likes to be generous with the vanilla essence 🙂 ! I will definitely stick around. Keep up the good work Julianne!
Amazing! Thank you Shiku!
Hands down, this is the best vanilla cake I ever made ! It is so moist as it was the first day I baked it !! Perfect recipe!!
Amazing!! Thank you so much Michaela! I really appreciate that!
Hi,thank you for sharing the recipe,can i use buttermilk and can i add baking soda,thanks.
I have made this recipe with buttermilk
Hi. Can I replace the sour cream with regular yogurt?
Yes, this is discussed in the blog post and also on the recipe card.
Can I double this double the recipe to fit a 9 inch pan?Thanks
Hi Jasmine- there’s no need to double it. This recipe will make a 2 layer 9-inch cake
WOW!! The best ever vanilla cake. I have never baked a cake from scratch. I’ve only made box cakes at random times over the years. I had been craving vanilla cake and came across this recipe. I figured it was so easy that I couldn’t mess it up. I had all the ingredients except sour cream. I knew that the cake would turn out good because the batter was so tasty. I am absolutely pleased with this cake. I don’t have to look anywhere else for recipes. This is my go to site. Thank you so much! No more box cake.
This is SO amazing Maria!! I was the same way at one point and now I never grab cake mix anymore!
Will this cake taste just the same with regular fat sour cream and whole milk? I only have those in the fridge and I am scared of the texture of the cakes changing.
Yes, it might be more dense but you can still use those ingredients.
Excellent recipe, we loved this vanilla cake.
Made this last week and it was gone in 2 days. One of the best Vanilla cake recipes I have tried. I knew it would be a winner as soon as I saw your recipe had oil and sour cream in it and it did not disappoint. It really was super moist. The only thing I cut the sugar in the recipe to just over 1 cup as I felt 2 cups was too sweet for us (but just personal preference) . Thank you.
Dianne this is amazing!! Thank you so much sharing!!
Thank you for such an easy recipe. I made it for my husband coz he loves cakes. Very tasty thank u soo very much.
You’re welcome!!
Just wondering how long would I need to bake if I made this in a 6 inch pan? Thanks!
Hi Mary- you’ll want to read through this post for the vanilla layer cake, has all the info you need
This recipe tastes really good. From now, it will be my forever vanilla cake. Thanks for sharing!
This is so awesome Michelle! Thank you for the feedback- it’s greatly appreciated!
Used this recipe as a base for poke cake, since we had to use our strawberry gelatin and we ran out of butter. Followed your advice and excluded the sour cream, we also had to use cake flour since we ran out of AP flour, as well as almond extract instead of vanilla. We tasted the cake before poking and pouring the gelatin – it tasted great, and it was good enough to eat on its own! We turned the leftover batter to cupcakes as well. Thank you for the recipe!!
You’re so welcome! I am glad to hear this!
Very easy recipe! My oven is a little hot so mine was golden on top as well, but I am wondering if using 3 egg whites would help with color and taste. This one seems like more of a yellow cake texture and smell. Has anyone tried that? Just like how cake mix for white cake calls for the whites only?
Hey Keely- thank you for sharing. This recipe with only egg whites will not produce a great result, it would require additional adjustments.
Hi,
Is there any way of making this an eggless cake? Thanks
Hi Becky- I have not tested it, as I am not familiar with eggless baking.
Can I make this 2 days in advance and frost it on the day it is to be served? If so how would I store it? Frige?? Thank you!
There’s a section in this post with a title called “how to store a frosted cake” that might be helpful for you to read. It depends on the climate you live in. However the unfrosted cake can be stored in an airtight container.
I’m making this cake now! It smells delicious. It’s been baking for 33 minutes in a glass baking dish, but every time I have checked it (from 28 minutes on) it’s literally jiggling in the center! I followed the recipe to a T. I know glass pans can take longer, but about how much longer? The edges are golden brown and perfect but the inside is jiggling!
You’re doing the right thing to keep it baking. There’s no set time for baking it’s all depending on the pan and oven type. Also if the oven wasn’t fully preheated when you put it in that can add a couple minutes to baking. Could be just a few more minutes. Also you can try rotating the pan in the oven to avoid hot spots.
This happened to me too. I know my oven is a bit low (about 10 degrees) so I set for 360. After 28 min. the middle was still liquid. probably had to add about 8 minutes to it. Smells good. Can’t wait to frost and eat!!!
Hi Julie- what type of pan are you using?
This cake was amaaaaazing! I made it for my little girl’s third birthday and the whole family loved it! I dumped a handful of raspberries in the frosting and it was a nice tart addition. One question, though. Your slices look so beautifully flat. How did you do that? The top of my cake was a bit raised. The taste was perfection, though! Thanks for sharing!
That sounds delicious!
So this is my new favorite Cake recipe. It’s awesome!
BTW for all the people that think it tastes like cornbread (it doesn’t) I adapted the recipe for a sweet jalapeño cornbread.
Use 1.5 cups sugar instead of 2
1.5 cups Masa and 1 cup cornmeal instead of flour
After batter is almost finished mixing add:
1 cup corn (fresh or thawed frozen)
1/2 cup diced fresh Jalapeño
Will need to add a few min to bake time.
Thanks Aaron!
My 4 year old twins and I just made this. I’m not a great baker, but it turned out so good. I used the ff Greek yogurt.
Amazing Jen! I love that you twins helped you bake this! Thanks for sharing!
This recipe was delicious and easy to make! I have been searching for a perfect and easy buttercream icing forever. I have tried so many and this was by far my family’s favorite! The cake didn’t last long! I ran out of vanilla extract after using the last bit for the cake batter, but I had Almond and it actually turned out very tasty in combination with the vanilla cake! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Great! Thanks for sharing Deanna!
Hello, what would you recommend bake time will be if I divide the batter in two 8inch pans? Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Hi Fabiola- I recommend looking at the vanilla layer cake recipe for further details on the adjustments for layer cakes
Hi! Can I sub the vegetable oil with butter?? If so, how much?
I don’t think the recipe is quite as good with melted butter, but you can use 1/2 cup butter, melted in place of the oil
So good!!! ( and easy!)
Really reminds me of a bakery cake. Will definitely be making this again!!
Woohoo! Thanks for sharing Manda!
Can I do two 8inch round pans? What would be the baking time for that?
This would be a more helpful post for you with the information you need but for a quick answer: For two 8-inch pans: divide the batter evenly, about 2 1/2 cups per each pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes.
https://beyondfrosting.com/moist-vanilla-layer-cake/
Hi, hope you are safe and well! I wanted to know if you have halved this recipe before, or if you have any suggestions on doing so. My concern is the 3 eggs.
Hi Jasmine- yes! For a half recipe I use 2 eggs and 2/3 cups of milk!
Excellent recipe… thank you so much… my cake was just amazing !!!
Awesome! Thank you so much Sam!
I followed all the recommendations in the recipe but the result is horrible
This actually turned out so yummy!! I added sprinkles insides, as my daughter requested a funfetti version! I am keeping this recipe on hand. Thank you.
I am so glad to hear this! Thank you!
Can the moist white and moist chocolate cake be baked in a 13 by 18 sheet pan? Thanks.
I don’t think so, the properties are different- but I’ve never tried it
This looks great. I think leaving out butter like this will make this a moister cake. Looking forward to trying it. Ever made it in round pans? Doesn’t seem like enough batter for two 9-inch rounds…
Doh, just saw your notes re: layer cake. Thanks!
No problem!
I love all of your recipes and I’m very excited to try this out! Can I use this recipe to make mini bundts in my mini bundt silicone mold? I tried a mini vanilla bundt recipe earlier this month that I found online and it was too dense and the crumb was very tight. If I can use this to make mini bundts, would you more or less know how long to bake them for? Thanks so much!
Hi Nastassja! Thank you so much for your comment. I will give you my personal opinion. I developed another recipe for a Vanilla Bundt Cake because I did not like the way this cake baked as a bundt cake. The method of preparation and ingredients are a little different and meant to accommodate for a longer baking time with a traditional bundt cake. The structure of the crumb is a little different. The bundt cake is a little tighter, but overall I think a lighter texture than this cake. This cake is also very dense but I don’t think to crumb is very tight. Ultimately vanilla cake is a tough one because everyone like something different. If you’re feeling up for it, I might try both and see which one you like better. You can try halving each recipe for testing purposes.
Have used this recipe many times! It’s one of the best ones out! Even the crumbs disappear from the cake platter!! Can’t thank you enough!
This is AWESOME Tina- thank you for sharing!
Can you substitute cake flour for the ap flour ?
They are not a 1:1 ratio. I have not tested this with cake flour and you’ll need to look into more details for that sort of substitution.
Do you know the cooking times in a loaf pan?
I’m sorry I don’t but I always start with 20 minutes depending on how full and asses from there.
Hello we don’t have sour cream in the country I live in. May I use unsweetened yogurt as a substitute?
Yes, this is discussed in the above blog post and recipe card for your reference!
Can u freeze this cake in advance?
Thank you
Hi Grainne- yes, but I don’t usually freeze this cake when it’s frosted. The cake should be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. If placing the wrap directly on the cake, I use parchment paper because this cake is very moist and it will stick the the paper, but it’s better than sticking to the plastic.
OMG, I’m in love with this recipe, it’s now my go to for vanilla cake.
Love love love that Sophia
If I were to avoid the sour cream , will the cake be less dense ?
My family doesn’t care for sense cakes
Thank you
PF
Hi Pearse- I would say your cake would be a lot more dry. Instead try reducing the sugar to 1 1/2 cups and that might suite you.
Hi what would the ingredients measurements be for an 8 inch cake please
I would recommend looking at my Moist Vanilla Layer Cake for the details. If you want a single layer, you can halve the recipe.
What difference does non fat or light make vs full fat?
The nonfat has less fat so it doesn’t weigh down the cake as much and it makes a little less dense.
I love this recipe! I’ve made this cake three times and it always came out scrumptious! I want to make it again but would I be able to do so using olive oil instead of vegetable oil? Would it still come out well?
Whoohoo! Love that Vicky. I’ve never tried it with olive oil personally. The flavor could be a little different and the texture might be a little different as well.
It came out well , I used plain yogurt instead of sour cream, and reduced a little bit of salt. Thanks for the recipe.
That’s great news!!
Tasted like corn bread. It was salty and gross. Had to just throw out and ended up making a boxed cake. What a waste!!!
You shouldn’t be tasting the salt… something doesn’t seem right. Sorry you didn’t like this recipe, but if I’ve learned anything, everyone has a different opinion about vanilla cake. It is definitely NOT the same as a boxed mix.
Hi,
Thanks for this yummy ingredient. I would like to know if what are other alternatives for light sour cream. May i use hot water/ milk/ or heavy cream? And will the alternative be of the same measurement(1/2cup) like the sour cream. Thanks a lot
Zam
It is recommenced to use a nonfat Greek yogurt instead
Hi!
I need to make chocolate cake. How can I add chocolate to this recipe?
Thanks!
Maria
This is in the bottom part of the blog post, including a link to my Moist Chocolate Cake.
Can I just say, this recipe was a lifesaver last week for me. I had a cupcake order and typically me, did not have enough butter so I googled white cake with oil. Up pops your website. I baked my cupcakes and just to be sure I tasted good, I tested 1 (ok 2 just to make sure) and it was perfect. I prefer oil to butter and this was just the perfect recipe. Thanks for this.
Hi Tania! That is fantastic news! I am glad to hear that!
I was wondering can I use buttermilk in replacement of the milk? Also if I’m not serving the cake that day may I use simple syrup to keep it moist?
You can yes, but it will be a little more dense. I do not use simple syrup with this cake recipe.
Can you add simple syrup if optional? Also I forgot to ask can you do reverse creaming method? (Wet ingredients in separate bowls and dry in another separate bowl and mix dry with wet)
I’d like to make a round, 3 layered cake using this recipe. Would it be possible to tell me what size tins would be best please (if I were to equally pour the mixture between 3 separate tins)?
Hi Carina- the information you’re looking for is detailed in the blog post. “Can I make this as a layer Cake” with links to the recipe for the vanilla layer cake version of this recipe-
I have a few birthday cakes to make and am going to try this recipe as it sounds lovely. Would I be able to make the sponge in advance and freeze until I need them.
Hi Iris. Yes you can, it’s not my preference to do this but I know some people like to make them ahead of time.
Do I have to use an electric mixer? Can I whisk it by hand ?
You can mix by hand if you have to but I recommend using a mixer. If you are mixing by hand, try sifting the flour.
Hi. Thanks for sharing. I stumbled on ur recipe and I have used this recipe at home for a c
ouple of times, It usually looks like it isnt completely done sometimes. Substituting sourcream with homemade butter milk. Can I substitute the oil with margarine for a better flavour? If yes, in what proportion? I want to try this recipe for a client’s cake and I am going to be sculpuring and sculpting with fondant and I am a little scared, can it withstand the weight without sinking? I am also thinking of how to improve on the flavour.
If you are substituting the sour cream with buttermilk, it’s quite a shift from the original recipe and a lot more liquid. I have followed the original recipe, and swapped out the oil for melted butter but I don’t like it as much myself. Regarding the fondant, I also don’t work with fondant so while some people have posted in the comment about fondant, I can’t speak from experience.
This has become my go-to vanilla cake recipe for birthdays, etc. I have used half butter-half oil (quarter cup each) before with great results. I have also successfully used buttermilk, but I cut the milk back to one cup. Both substitutions have results in a yummy, well textured cake.
Hello
Mine took about 45 minutes to cook, the last 15 wrapped in tin foil because the centre was sticky and wet. Did I do something wrong? I made sure the temperature was right and followed your recipe step by step. Also I used a 22cm tin. Was that too small maybe? Because it had that weird muffin top affect which I think is because it was trying to rise/expand?
Did you use only one 22cm tin for the whole batter? If so, that would be why your cake took so long to bake. That is a ton of batter for a pan this size! Normally this batter would be 2-3 of those.
Such a good recipe! This was used for a wedding cake, added poppyseeds and almond emulsion. Filling homemade Bavarian creme with stabilized real whipped cream frosting. It was moist from moment it came out of oven, did not shrink and two days later it was even better:) I am curious to try it with cake flour for a tighter crumb. This was a happy medium for all cake needs and easy recipe to follow.
Libby that wedding cake sounds AMAZING!!
This is a delicious and sturdy cake recipe but it doe shrink after baking. Is there something I can do to fix that?
Hi Lance, my cake also shrinks a little bit, I grease and flour the pans. I’ve read that it can be a number of things including over greasing, bakig too closely together in the oven or over baking. My results are pretty consistent though and it usually shrinks enough to pull away from the edges, but I still need a knife to run around the outside edge to release them.
This looks AMAZING!!! I’m drooling, I just can’t wait to try this at home.
Thank you so much for sharing this refreshing recipe.
Keep sharing:)
Awesome! Thank you Alicia!
Awesome. Made cupcakes and my kids absolutely loved them. Thanks.
Wonderful!!! Thank you!
Hello
Can you use this batter to make a rainbow cake?
Of course! Actually someone messaged me recently who did this!
Thanks for the recipe ! How long can one keep the cake when it is Frozen and when it is on shelf
Hi there, I do not freeze my cakes, so I can’t say for certain.
Hi can I substitute the milk for buttermilk in this recipe for a lighter moist sponge?
You can yes, but you you find it’s a bit more dense
Great recipe, i was out of vanilla extract so i used just under 1/4 cup lemon juice and lemon zest and it was wonderful, i also did not have sour cream or yogurt and i used mayo. One of the best recipes for baked goods ive ever found. thank you so much! this is my new go-to recipe for cake/ cup cakes. ( i made two small 8″ round cakes and 6 cupcakes)
OMG Love the lemon substitutes! Thanks for sharing!
Well I made this cake and frosting and its delicious, however my cake had a light golden/brown crust all around, not pale yellow like yours? Help, what did I do wrong?
Best wishes to all
Hi Christianne, thanks for sharing! I am glad you liked it. It could just be the pan you’re using. I use a light nonstick pan. Although leaving this in the oven for too long, even a minute or two could result in darker edges as well.
Can I use fondant to cover this moist cake?
I have not done it myself so I can’t say for certain, I don’t use fondant but it’s a stable cake.
Can I use fondant to cover this moist cake?
Thank you! I’ll try and let you know .
This cake is delicious and perfect for fondant covered cakes!
AWESOME!! Thank you Melissa!
I have been looking for a moist scratch vanilla cake for a long time and this is it! I cannot believe how moist and flavorful it is. Thank you so much for this recipe. This is the only vanilla cake that I will ever use. I can’t wait to try this recipe as cupcakes. I’ m sure they will be delicious.
Oh that is most wonderful Giovanna. Thank you for sharing!
Hello, what can I use in place of the sour cream… is it optional?
This question is answered in the blog post
I really don’t know what happened since I followed the recipe to a T and cooked it for about 30 minutes longer than the recipe says because it wasn’t cooked. The end result wasn’t cake, it was like a cake/custard hybrid that tasted alright but was very hard to eat. I can tell that this isn’t a fault with the recipe since it has worked so well for everyone else but I don’t know what happened?
Hi Chloe, it’s hard for me to say because I wasn’t there but something doesn’t sound right. Are you sure the oven was heated properly?
I’ve made this with 1 cup of coconut sugar, 3 flax eggs and rice milk and it turns out lovely.
That’s wonderful! Thank you Lisa for sharing!
I was wondering if cake flour can be used instead of regular flour?
I’ve never baked this recipe with cake flour, but it’s my understanding that if you’re using cake flour instead of AP flour, some adjustments will need to be made to the amount you’re using
Was looking for a simple vanilla cake using oil rather than butter. This was perfect – so moist. I used Almond milk and grape seed oil and kept with the sour cream. There was enough for 4 layers matched with vanilla cream butter icing and jam, covered in fondant – yum yum. Even better it was so quick to cook, only 25 mins for all layers ( 175 degree C).. Thank you all the way form NZ!
That’s GREAT! Thank you Suzanne for sharing! I love the idea of adding some jam!
I love this recipe – the final outcome is delicious, moist and light vanilla cake. For me, I found it took at least 60 minutes to cook at 180 degrees Celsius in a fan forced oven, I also use over thermometers. Thank you
Hi Rachel, thank you so much for sharing!! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks for sharing your baking experience.
This is THE BEST CAKE I have ever made
I made it for my son’s first birthday , turned it into a layered cake filled with chocolate cream , everyone LOVED it and wanted me to make it again
I will try the chocolate version
Thank you julianne
Sara this is AMAZING!!! Thank you so so much for sharing, this just makes my day. Happy 1st birthday to your son!
I was looking for a cake recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made it deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this
That is awesome Kate!!! I am so glad you like it!
Hi, I really love the sprinkles used on this vanilla cake….where did you get them from? Do you have a pic of the container?
Thank you!!!
Hi Tiffany, these are from Sweetapolita, I don’t think that one is available anymore, but there’s so many sprinkle medleys to chose from!
Hie i tried it and my cup cakes were superb
How can I make the in chocolate?
Hi Betty, the recipe for the chocolate version is a little different. Look for Moist Chocolate Cupcakes.
How do you store this cake?
Depending on your climate. If you are in a humid or hot environment, you’ll probably need to refrigerate it. I live in a mild climate and I store it on my counter in an airtight container.
This looks great, I’ve been trying to work out what to feed everyone at a summer picnic and this looks perfect! Thanks for the recipe
You’re welcome!
I made this cake and it’s delicious! One question, I made it today and the party is tomorrow, can I layer it and do a crumb coat( put it in the fridge) and then finish the rest tomorrow ?
I made this cake for my niece’s birthday and it was a huge hit! Everyone wanted the recipe! It will be my go-to recipe from now on! Thank you!
It is a very mouist cake and is very delicious
Thank you for your comments!
Very good flavor and very easy to make. Much easier and same homemade taste as the other recipe I was using. However……
This cake rises just the same as any other cake. I am glad I always do a test run of a new recipe, as my pans were over filled and took too long to cook, turning the outside very brown. Luckily, I could tell by looking it was going to over flow and got a cookie sheet under. I did have one pan half full, as that is what I had left, and it baked perfectly, light beautiful sides. And, yes, still had to level the top as any other.
So, awesome recipe, just please fill as you would normally as it rises just fine.
Hi Cherly, thanks for you comments! What size pans were you using? I’ve never had this over flow.
10 inch pan. It overflowed because I overfilled the pan, based on what you said about it not having a high rise. Baked it again this weekend, for another cake, filled as I normally would and came out perfect. The point is, don’t say it doesn’t have a high rise, as it rises just fine. Experienced bakers might not understand the problem, as I did and also might now realize it will overflow, as I did just by looking at how it was baking, I knew it was going over and got a pan under saving my oven.
Hi, could i possible substitute the sour cream for homemade buttermilk (milk+lemon juice)? Thank you
I talked about this in the blog post.
Sour cream helps keeps these cupcakes very moist. I recommend substituting the sour cream with non-fat Greek Yogurt if you do not have sour cream. A few people have asked about substituting buttermilk for sour cream. I have never tried this, and this batter is already pretty thin, so I am not sure if adding additional liquid will work. If you need to, you can omit it completely, but note the cake will not be nearly as moist.
I Love this recipe. It’s my go to cake recipe and it has taken years to find a really good cake recipe. My scratch cakes were always so dry. This recipe is a hit amongst everyone who’s tried it. The cake is so moist and yummy. Thank you for sharing this!
Jenn!! This is awesome, thank you so so much for sharing! This makes me so happy.
Hello I just wanted to check if you usually use 350 g of flour in this recipe? The way I measure flour it’s about 125 grams per cup and yours is significantly more so I just wanted to double check thanks! I hope to make this tomorrow.
Hi there, yes, I measure one cup at 140g. I have found that different charts have different measurements but this is the one that I use for all my recipes.
No butter ? Is that weird or what ?
No butter. This is an oil based cake recipe, which is entirely normal 🙂
Lovely light and fluffy cake. I found with the fan oven I had to bake the cake an extra 20 mins as the middle was very wobbly and ‘wet’.
The top did get a little brown – but the family enjoyed the cake nevertheless.
Thank you Nelster for sharing! I am not familiar with baking in a fan oven, so it’s helpful to know that!
Will it be dry when eaten straight out from the fridge?
Yes, Cupcakes should be served at room temperature.
Just made this cake…I honestly had doubts but all I can say is wow…I’m totally gobsmacked…it’s just so moist…it’s lovely. I added some lemon zest to the batter and doesn’t everyone just love it… thank you so much for sharing such a lovely recipe.
OMG that’s awesome! I know those feelings of doubt, but thank you for giving it a try and for letting me know how it turned out!
Best Vanilla cake I have made. My family loved it. Thanks
That’s awesome Peace!!! Thank you for sharing!
I am wondering if American sponge cakes are different as you say “Instead of light and fluffy this is more like a sponge cake”. Sponge cakes are supposed to be light and fluffy (in NZ anyway)!
For those asking about reducing the sugar, I always reduce the sugar (often by half) if using an American recipe as they are always too sweet. Cakes still come out tasting fine although, of course, they won’t taste like the recipe writer says. Try both and see which you prefer 😉
Can you possibly substitute the grandulated sugar with brown sugar, or possible reduce the sugar content? (I know it’s not a diet recipe ( reallllyyy wanna try to make this cus it looks AMAZING altho we are on a sorta health kick rn, so I’d really love to cut the sugar content)
Hi Kan, several people have commented that they have reduced the sugar to 1.5 cups and seen good results, I’ve tried it a couple times and it does bake but it isn’t the results I’m looking for. I have other recipes on my site that start with this base and I’ve swapped out some of the regular sugar for brown sugar. I’d say you should still maintain a ratio of more white sugar to brown sugar. Brown sugar will “caramelize” the cupcake a little more. In this toffee cupcake, I used a combination of both.
Do I need to grease and flour the pan ? It doesn’t say. Thank you,
I’d say it depends on the type of pan and what you’re intending to do. I never grease and flour my 9×13 inch pan because I am cutting and serving the cake directly from the pan. But I always grease and flour my 8inch rounds because I need to remove the cake from the pans.
Looks easy. Straight forward too.
I’ll get back with my results!
Sounds good Jo!
Hi I’m planning to make this 2 tiered with strawberry frosting in the middle. Do you think it will rise enough for me to properly cut it in half?
Hi Natalie, I bake them as single layers in an 8 inch cake. You could slice them but they would be very thin. What size cake are you trying to make?
Hi, can I double or triple this recipe? Will the result be the same or do you recommend baking in separate batches?
I definitely suggest baking in separate batches. I’ve found that overloading my oven results in uneven baking. If you’d like to prefer two batches at once, I might suggest sifting the flour for better results incorporating the dry ingredients.
Thank you so much for this recipe – it’s a touch sweet but the sponge is so good! Cooked beautifully in our traditionally difficult oven too!
Thank you!
That’s wonderful Lizzie! Thank you for sharing!!
Is it okay if I substitute the sour cream with plain yogurt?
Hi Noma, yes that is fine!
Wow! I’ll never need another cake recipe. This is the best I’ve ever made. Thanks for sharing!
Umm that’s AMAZING! Thank you Suzanne!
Can you use regular sour cream and 1% milk? Looks so good… this will be my birthday cake …
HI Terri, yes that will be fine. Enjoy and happy birthday!
I live over 6,000 feet. Do you have suggestions for higher altitude baking?
Hi Lisa, I am SO sorry. I am not familiar with high altitude baking.
This cake was wonderful! Great texture and great taste… thank you so much for uploading this.
Awesome!! Thank you Ana! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
This was a great cake! Not overly sweet. We topped ours with strawberries and ice cream! Yum ?
Awesome!! Thank you Kari! I am so glad, and it sounds PERFECT with strawberries and ice cream!
I made this particular recipe yesterday because I had all of the ingredients on hand. By far the best cupcakes that I have ever made. Did everything exactly as the recipe says and they came out perfect!
Made a vanilla buttercream to go on the top, so yummy!
That is awesome Yvonne!! I am so glad you liked it!!
Can I put this recipe in 9″round pans?
Hi there, I have not tested the recipe in a 9 inch round, if anything they will just be more full. I am sure it will be fine!
This is my second time making it, it turns out great with Greek yogurt if you don’t have sour cream or like me only had about a 1/4 a cup of it so I mixed the two. My kids love helping make this simple and delightful recipe. Thank you.
Heather, that is AWESOME!! I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for recipe I m keen to make cake Wondering if I can substitute cream instead of sour cream
Hi Anna, I would recommend using Greek Yogurt instead as there is already a lot of liquid in this cake
Wow this looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it.
Thank you for the great recipe!
Have a great day.
Priyanka
Awesome! Thank you!
Can I use buttermilk in place of sour cream?
Hi Sofy, I recommend Greek yogrut
My baking friends and I both laugh and lament how people that grew up on boxed cake always think scratch cake tastes like cornbread. Laugh because it’s funny, lament that they don’t have an appreciation for good, quality cake. This is a very good recipe. Nice flavor. Nice texture. Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you Ashley! I tried for weeks to make something similar to a boxes cake mix, but I have decided that it’s just a different beast and it is very artificial tasting, and while I still keep a few on hand, I love the real flavor of a homemade cake!
Hello! Would it be okay if I used 2% milk in the recipe instead of nonfat?
YES! That is fine Morgan!
Can I use buttermilk in place of sour cream? Or maybe mayonnaise in place of sour cream?
I’d recommend mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
Thank you
Is this cake able to be frozen without ruining it?
If you are going to freeze the cake, I do not recommend frosting it until it has thawed.
I absolutely love this recipe for vanilla cake and it will be my go to from now on. I used light olive oil and miracle whip instead of sour cream as I don’t like sour cream. Everything else was exact. Cooked in two round pans lined with tin foil. I make raspberry trifle a lot and it is the perfect texture and density for that.
Awesome Betty! I am so glad that worked out for you! I’ve never made a cake with miracle whip, I just might have to try that!
Just made this cake an hour ago, put it on the windowsill to cool down, and half of it is already gone! My husband keeps sneaking a piece and says it’s the besy I ever made. The cake is super moist and so, so good! Only thing I changed was the amount of sugar, I cut down to 1 1/4 cup instead of 2, next time I will put even less. All on all, great cake, thanks so much!
Thank you Mira!!
This is a weird recipe. I had to bake it 15 minutes longer before it was done. It smelled like cornbread. It’s sweet but doesn’t have much flavor.
Hi Liz, the baking time will vary depending on the type of pan you’re using. For instance, I baked them in a til foil pan for a party recently and the baking times were much longer that my regular nonstick aluminum pans. Glass pans also have increased baking time. Sorry this cake wasn’t for you, but I don’t agree with the flavor comment, you should have a very distinct vanilla flavor with 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.
This recipe was okay–I made both a cake and cupcakes. The consistency was great. The only problem is that you’re really can taste the oil. I’m hoping this will be masked by the frosting.
Hmm that’s interesting Jeanette. I haven’t come across that before. Do you generally prefer butter cakes or oil-based cakes? Thanks for your feedback.
I made this cake and felt like it tasted like cornbread only to come to the comments to find 2 others that mentioned cornbread. Haha bizarre. I thought it maybe wasn’t sweet enough…??? Like it tasted more savory. Decided to see if buttercream made it better. Tastes like buttercream on cornbread. Haha. I threw the rest out.
Hi Crystal, thanks for your review. I think the hardest part of a basic chocolate or vanilla cake is that everyone has a different idea of what their favorite cake is. This is definitely more dense as opposed to light and fluffy, more like a spongecake.
This cake was fantastic! I went to make it and found out i had no sour cream… 30 second google search said i could use yogurt! Great! But i only had blueberry…. Oh well i decided so i mixed it up added some frozen blueberries to the batter before going in the oven and boom! Devine blueberry cake!
Oh that sounds amazing! I hope it turned out well!
Hi if I am to use butter instead of oil, could you pls let me know how much butter I should use for this recipe?
Hi Hazaa, I have not specifically tested the recipe this way. I tried it once but found it was not as moist. That being said, it baked up fine. I used 1/2 cup melted butter.
I made this cake and it was amazing!! Only question is: if I want to make it in a circle pan how would I adjust the cooking time?? And which size pan should I use? Does anyone have any tips? I’m keen to make two layers and cover with vanilla buttercream for my mum’s birthday! Thanks in advance!
Hi Wendy! This post is the same recipe but as a layer cake! This is 3 layers, I have not tried it as 2 layers myself. Enjoy!
https://beyondfrosting.com/moist-vanilla-layer-cake/
I made this cake for my daughter and son’s birthday–IT IS THE BEST CAKE I HAVE EVER MADE. I got so many compliments and my husband said I outdid myself. It is the best. Thanks so much!
OMG Donna! That is awesome!! I love to hear that. Isn’t it the best feeling when you share something that everyone loves??
This cake was disgusting. Tasted like sugar with absolutely no presence of vanilla. The middle wouldn’t cook and the outsides were super dry. Had to throw it out, which is super disappointing because I was making it for my friends.
Hi Hannah, I am sorry it was not right for you. Sounds like maybe it wasn’t baked all the way through? What type of pan did you use and is your oven at true temperature? I see for from Australia, did you make any substitutions?
vanilla cake is looking soft ,delicious and colourful with sprinkles on the top.thanks for sharing.
Thank you for a beautiful vanilla cake recipe. Made this tonight for my family and the kitchen smells divine. It tastes even better.
That’s wonderful!
I just made this cake for my son’s birthday today. It was very easy cake. The only thing I changed from the recipe is to add only 1.5 cups of sugar instead of 2 cups. That was perfect for our tastebuds. I made it into 2 layer cake with simple whipped cream frosting. It was awesome. Thank you . I wish I could attach a pic
That’s wonderful Smitha!! Thank you for sharing! I am so glad that you like it!
While it is moist, there is too much sugar which causes it to have a crusty top and edges and makes it seem more like a cornbread cake. Too sweet for me and a bit too much vanilla.
Thanks for sharing Julia. I am not sure about the crusty top though? I’ve never seen that. Hope you find a recipe you like, perhaps a more light and airy cupcake as opposed to this one which is more spongy.
Hello, this looks inviting and tasty?Can I use milk with lemon juice left to sit till curdled as a substitute for light sour cream. It’s so hard to get sour cream in my country. Please help
Hi there, I would try using a nonfat greek yogurt or just eliminating the sour cream. I am not sure about adding additional liquid ingredients because it’s already a thin batter.
Good recipe – reduce sugar to 1 1/2 cuos . 2 c far too much. Made a delicious cupcake in a short time. Batter can be poured from a jug into silicon cupcake molds
Thanks Vivien for your comments
Agree about sugar
Hello 🙂
I am very new to baking and this recipe was awesome ! Although I tasted a hint of cornbread, I’m not sure what I am doing wrong.
Hi Alinna, I am not sure either. Maybe the texture reminds you of cornbread if this cake is more dense and spongy?
Hi dear,
many thanks for this very nice recipe! I wanted to surprise one of my sons and I found your recipe on Pinterest. It is amazing!!! Everybody loves it. Many many thanks.
I made some changes for my German readers but it works perfect and because I like your recipe so much, I wrote it down at my blog. Hope, it is ok for you?! Of course I mentioned that I found it at your site. 😉
Best regards
Sandra
Can i use this recipe to make fondant cake?
Hi Lore, I do not work with fondant, so I am not 100% certain but I don’t see why you can’t?
Can I use 2% instead of non fat milk?
Hi Danielle, yes you can. Enjoy!
Can i use this recipe for 4tier cake?
Hi Mary, yes absolutely. This post is for the moist vanilla layer cake and talks more about baking layer cakes.
hi!.i made this cake yesterday for my niece bday & it turns out great!.thank you for sharing?
That wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
I have been looking for a good, moist, simple vanilla cake to use for birthday parties, etc. I came upon this one and was skeptical (I don’t follow any food blogs), but the reviews were largely positive. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I decided to try this for the first time for my parents’ 50th anniversary party (ugh, stress!).
I baked two 9×13 cakes to make a double layer cake. I ran into some issues with mixing (my fault), and started to feel gloomy about the cake as it baked. When I pulled it out of the oven, I was worried it hadn’t risen enough. I was worried that one domed too much in the middle. I didn’t trust the leavening amounts. I didn’t trust the amount of sugar. In short, I was starting to totally freak out.
Due to a shortage of time and ingredients (I used the last of my granulated sugar), I had no choice but to use the cake I baked or buy one from the store (um, no). I frosted it with a simple dark cocoa frosting. I decorated it with gold and pink frosting and sprinkles. It sat there on my kitchen island and I glared at it. This cake was ruining my day. It was going to ruin the party. It was going to ruin my life! I started to write a bad review, but decided that wouldn’t be fair. I had screwed up a bit when I mixed it due to a measuring cup error. I hadn’t actually eaten it yet. The bits I scraped out of the bowl and off the baking pan *were* tasty.
So, I waited. Guests arrived. People oohed and aahed at the chocolate, pink, and gold concoction sitting on my kitchen island. I explained that it wasn’t a good cake. It was a disaster. It looked nice, but I could make no promises for it.
Then cake cutting time came…
IT WAS AMAZING!!! It was fluffy. It had the perfect crumb. It was moist. It even turned out pretty level, since I had sliced off the domed section on the one layer that domed a bit. It tasted soooo good. Despite all my doubts, and my moaning and groaning, I think I found my go-to vanilla cake. Everyone loved it. Compliments poured in. I looked a bit foolish for all my apologizing in advance. 🙂
The only substitution I made was using buttermilk (full fat) instead of sour cream, which seemed to work fine. I liked it with a dark chocolate frosting, because the bitterness cut the sweetness of the cake. If I was going to make it with a vanilla frosting, I would probably pick a whipped frosting over a really sweet buttercream, or I would cut back on the sugar a tad.
So, that is my tale. Thank you!
I was fully invested in reading your story to find out how it turned out! LOL. First of all, I’ve been where you’re at. I know the stress! I’ve actually never baked two at one time, but that *might* be what caused one to rise more than the other? I am also SO glad this worked out, because, umm pressure!! Thank you for sharing!
My husband constantly wonders why I decide to try a new recipe the morning of a big gathering and then melt into a ball of stress! Of course, I write this at 7:00 am with a never-before tried breakfast casserole recipe in the oven for this morning’s back-to-school staff appreciation breakfast. :-/
I have found that a double layer quarter sheet is the perfect cake size for around 50 guests (mix of adults and kids). Most people don’t seem to layer a 9×13 cake, but it is pretty easy to do. A 9×13 is small enough that it holds together well when you transfer the top layer. Something about the extra height makes it much more impressive when frosted and decorated!
I think you are right about the doming. It may have not been an issue if I had drank enough coffee (it was early) to tell the difference between a half and a quarter cup when measuring flour. The original plan was to bake two separate cakes from start to finish, not two at the same time. My KitchenAid could barely contain all the batter, much less mix it properly!
Anyway, thank you again for a delicious recipe!
You’re so welcome! Thank you!
Can Cake Flour be used?
Hi JR, I have not tested the recipe with cake flour
Great recipe thank you! Did an experiment to see how long it would last un-iced and partly exposed (wrapped it in tinfoil after 1.5 days) after 7 days it was still moist and palatable, I mean I obviously wouldn’t serve it after all that time exposed, but you could..
I did find that it was a bit eggy in flavour the day I baked it, but by day 2 it had settled. Might be the size of my eggs etc…
Good recipe for having to make a cake in advance. It will go in my book for sure. Props xxx
Thanks Diana! I love the idea of this test!
Cakes was moist .. just the way i like it ♥️
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Texture was amazing, just the way i love it ?
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But the taste ? Its abit sweet for me i guess .. too sweet ..
Hi I’m looking for a easy recipe for a very wet and gooey sponge cake?
I wouldn’t call this a “wet” cake. When I think of wet cake, I think of tres leches.
Absolutely delicious! My 8 year old son made this and the cake was moist, light and not overly sweet. Thank you for sharing this quick and easy recipe!
That’s awesome Theresa! Thanks for sharing! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
Hi. I am eager to try this cake. Can you please tell me: what is “light” sour cream? Can I use regular sour cream?
Also, in South Africa, we have self raising flour and cake flour- which one of these would be more appropriate?i have looked and not found All purpose flour…
Thank you for your time!
Hi Gunseli, light sour cream is a reduced-fat sour cream instead of full fat. A full fat sour cream will make this cake very dense. I guess I would recommend trying cake flour. My understanding of self riding flour is that it’s for breads?
Hi. How can i make this cake without too much sugar? can i reduce the quantity of sugar used and get thesame result?
Hi Tito, I have not tested the recipe with reduced sugar. Some people have left comments that they will try it, but I have not so I cannot say how the results will be
Hi! Could I use cream cheese instead of sour cream? I´ve seen some cake recipes that use cream cheese and I was wondering if it would work in this one. Please reply!!
Hi Arianna, I have not tested the recipe with cream cheese, so I am not sure how this would work. I would suggest Greek Yogurt as a substitute.
Hi
I noticed the recipe calls for 2 cups sugar and 2 1/2 cups flour but the grams (g) conversion that you give is 380 g for 2 cups but 350g for 2 1/2 cups. Is it correct for 2 1/2 cups to be less than 2 cups?
Thanks
Hi Michelle, that is correct. Sugar is heavier than flour. 1 cup of sugar is 190g and 1 cup of flour is 140g.
Perfect yellow cake recipe. Followed it exactly (didn’t have sour cream, but it’s fine without). Simple to make, but tastes great. Thisrecipe is the ONLY one you need! Thank you so much for sharing.
WOW!!! That means so much, thank you!! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
I am honestly not very good at baking cakes from scratch, but this recipe was a success from the first try. Easy to make, delicious to eat. Thank you!
🙂
Yaaaaas Kim!! That’s awesome!
Hi, I’m planning to bake this for my little girl’s birthday tomorrow (she’s been obsessed with vanilla cake since reading a storybook about a little girl
who wanted one and specifically requested that). I need to know, though, do you use fine granulated sugar or the coarser stuff? Thanks heaps!
Hi Sue! I just a fine granulated sugar. Enjoy and happy birthday to your daughter!
Thanks. It’s all done and sitting in the fridge. I decided to make two 9” cakes, sandwich some lemon curd in the middle and cover with lemon cream cheese frosting. The texture reminds me of the French yogurt cakes I made lots of when I was first learning to bake – which looking at the ingredients now should come as no surprise.
Oh nice! Sounds amazing with the lemon curd and cream cheese frosting! I’ve never heard of a French Yogurt Cake, I will have to look that up!
Very good!!! One of my favorite. Can I turn this into a chocolate cake? If yes what do I need to do? If you know 🙂
Hi Danika, that awesome!! I am working on a chocolate version but I am so picky I have not found one I want yet. I did try just swaping out some flour for cocoa powder but I didn’t quite like it
Thank you so much for getting back to me. You will have to post your chocolate recipe once your done cuz i would definitely make it. I have another question. Can i make this recipe and put it in the fridge for a day and decorate it the next day? It wouldnt make my cake dry right?
Hi! im looking for a moist vanilla ckae for a 5 tier cake (6in). Do you think this recipe could work considering the height??
Hi Sandy, this cake is very stable as it is dense, you can handle it well. You’ll likely need more than 1 batch in order to do a 5 tier 6 inch cake. Enjoy!
I’m so glad to see you’re still answering questions on this recipe! I’m just wondering where you found the adorable sprinkles. I’m planning to try the cake for the first time on the weekend and I’m not happy with my sprinkles.
Hi Caileigh! So I get my sprinkles from Sweetapolita and Sweets & Treats. Because these need to be shipped you might consider going to a craft store like Michaels, and buying a few small bags of sprinkles and making your own mix! Wishing you luck! Please come back and share your photos!
The cake was delicious and a huge hit with everyone, especially the birthday girl! I ended up using regular sprinkles but it still looked great. I used 2% milk so it was probably a little more dense and moist than yours and I think I can see that different when I look at your photos. The only little issues I had were that the flour was a touch lumpy. I needed a double batch and my mixer wasn’t quite big enough for the job. I thought it would be a disaster but I had to search and know what I was looking for to find a lump once it was baked. I’m sure no one else noticed. The other little mishap was I found that the icing was a little dry so the sprinkles didn’t really stick and kind of rolled down the slopes and gathered in those lower areas. It wasn’t a big deal but I’m wondering if I might have done something wrong or if that’s typical. I’m definitely making it again next year and I’ve already been asked to share the recipe!
Hi Caileigh, Thank you for sharing! I think next time for a double batch, we should probably sift the flour to avoid the lumps. Did you also stir the batter pretty well with a spatula? Sometimes that help.s Regarding your comment for the frosting, due to the high sugar content it will lightly crust over pretty quickly, so depending on when you added the sprinkles, I’ve had that happen to me as well. Thank you should much again for sharing!
I tried this out yesterday and it turned out so well, moist cake with amazing taste.
Thank you for this recipe
You’re very welcome! Thank you so much for sharing your feedback!
I don’t make vanilla cake enough, seems like chocolate usually wins out. But I think it’s mostly because I don’t have a go-to vanilla recipe – now I want to try this!
Thanks Brenda!
While I was reading your article and the recipe, it seemed to me that I began to smell the vanilla 🙂 Everything is very deliciously described, honestly! I hope that my cakes will turn out to be as beautiful and tasty as yours.
This is, bar far, the BEST cake I have EVER made! This will be my go to recipe for vanilla cake from now on. I changed a few things. Didn’t have sour cream so I used 2% plain yogurt instead. And I whipped the eggs whites and folded them into the batter at the end. The cake rose up so high, yielding more cake, which as a baker who sells cakes, this is amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Awesome Alice!! I am so glad this worked out for you! Did you use just 3 egg whites then?
Hi,
Could one use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil?
Hi Marcy- The recipe has not been tested this way so I cannot properly answer the question. Sorry!
I made this for my mum for her birthday and made it Gluten Free (just exchanged the flour for gluten free flour). She loved it (we all did)! I’m making it again for my daughter’s birthday.
Thanks for such a great recipe!
That’s wonderful Krystal! Thank you for sharing!
Hi! Can I use buttermilk or plain yoghurt instead of sour cream? OR will the texture change if I omit sour cream? Also, I want to use this recipe for a 11 inch pan. Will it affect the texture of the cake? or do you recommend using 2 11inch pans? I am sorry for too many questions, but after 4 failed attempts of another recipe last night, I am now very scared and skeptical of trying a new recipe. I have a cake to deliver tomorrow 🙁
Hi Henna, I would recommend plain yogurt. Since there is already 1 1/4 milk in this cake you don’t want to add additional buttermilk, but you could certainly swap out the regular milk for buttermilk. Regarding the 11 inch pan, I’ve never used one and this recipe has not been tested that way so unfortunately I cannot directly answer that question. I am sure the cake would be very thick. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Hi! I will be trying this recipe today and I just wanted to know if I can substitute sour cream with buttermilk? Or what will the texture of the cake change if I omit sour cream? Also, I plan to bake the cake in 1 (11inch) pan as I have to make a 3 tiered cake and this cake would be at the bottom tier. Will the recipe work fine for a 11inch pan? I am sorry for too many questions but after 4 failed attempts of another recipe last night I am very skeptical and scared to try something new now 🙁
I made this cake for my son’s 2nd birthday. It was a total hit even though my cake didn’t look good as expected. Anyway, I’m planning to do this again but my cousin wants it mocha this time. Do you think it’s possible to tweak this recipe and make it mocha? If it is, what should i add & how much? Just can’t let go of this recipe. ?
Hi Abbie! I am SO glad you like it!! When you say mocha, do you want a chocolate mocha cake or truly a coffee mocha flavor? Shoot me an email, we can talk specifics. I don’t yet have a chocolate version of this cake but I am happy to recommend one!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! How would you about turning it into a chocolate cake?
Hi Carolyne, I am testing recipes! Nothing is up to par yet.
I have tried this recipe twice in as many weekends and the results are consistent – phenomenal! I used half cup less sugar on the second round though as the first was a bit too sweet for me. The children love both batches. My baking time is extended though – 40 minutes for cupcakes at 350° . I am in Barbados. One thing is for sure, this is my go to recipe. You had me at 10 minutes prep ☺
Awesome Alison!! I am glad you love them. I am questioning the 40 minute baking time for the cupcakes but maybe has something to do with your climate. Enjoy!
Hi, I’m practicing recipes for when my one year old gets older and i’ve just made this cake. I didn’t have a 9 by 13 inch pan but will buy one for the next time. I made the recipe in 2 x 20cm round pans (perfect amount of mixture to fill these.) I cooked for 40 minutes and they look perfect. I’m going to fill with buttercream and dust with icing sugar. Can’t wait to try a slice. Thank you for the recipe ???
Awesome Louise!! Enjoy!
What about using cake flour instead of all purpose? Will that work?
Hi Lucrecia, this recipe has not been tested with cake flour
How many grams would you suggest is 1 cup?
Hi Alex- it would vary by what you are measuring. For flour, I use 140g for 1 cup and for granulated sugar I use 190g per one cup
This is hands down the BEST vanilla cake recipe i’ve ever tried.
so fluffy!
i made a sugar syrup to make it a bit more moist, its a hit !!!
Awesome Abby! Thank you so much!!
Was amazing. My kids gulped 28 cupcakes in a day! Thnx!
Awesome!
I made this for my son’s birthday and OMG it is amazing! I made two 9×13 layers and put a thin layer of seedless raspberry jam in between and then iced it with a thin layer of vanilla buttercream icing. It was easily the best cake I’ve ever made. My nephew who barely eats anything asked for thirds, it was that good! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe; I’ll definitely be trying some of your other recipes in the future!
I’m going to make this for my son’s birthday party this weekend! Would you recommend that I simply serve this in the pan? Also since I have to make it the day before, would you recommend that I make it in the pan, ice it, and store it covered the the refrigerator until before we are ready to serve it?
Hi Joanna! Yes, I recommend serving it from the pan. You can make it a day ahead of time and try to store it in an airtight container to maintain the moisture. There’s no need to refrigerate this. Enjoy and happy birthday to your son.
I modified your recipe to make the most fabulous coconut cake! I omitted the sugar, milk, and half of the oil and substituted one can of cream of coconut (coco loco). And because you said it’s a dense cake, I separated out the egg whites, beat them to soft peaks and folded them in at the end. Amazing. Thanks for your recipe!
Sounds like a whole different recipe but it does sound delicious!!
Hi,
I’m planing on making this recipe on cupcakes for my daughter birthday. If i do it one day in advance should I keep it at room temperature or put it on the fridge .
Looking forward to your advice.
Can’t wait to try this
Hi Skarlett, you can just keep these at room temperature in an air tight container. Happy birthday to your daughter!
Can you make this with a half sheet pan? Maybe 1/3 extra (to account for the egg? Or 2/3 extra? Would you recommend lowering the temperature? Thanks!
Hi Grace, I am sorry I cannot answer that question because the recipe has not been tested that way.
I’m excited to try this recipe after failing to nail a perfect vanilla sponge. What would you recommend, normal sour cream (can’t seem to get hold of light in the UK) or Greek yoghurt?
Hi Jasmin, by normal sour cream, do you mean full-fat? I would recommend Greek Yogurt instead. Enjoy!
Hi would I be able to double the recipe for a 12×17 half sheet pan? Same temperature in the oven or should I reduce it? Needing a good vanilla cake that can be stacked and trimmed (making a truck).
Thanks!
Also would buttermilk be suitable instead of the regular milk? And would adding a touch of lemon zest be okay? Thanks so much!
Hi Grace, I am sorry I cannot specifically answer your questions regarding the half sheet pan, because I have not tested the recipe that way. Also buttermilk would definitely work and so would lemon zest. Sounds yummy!
Hi! I never ever post comments on blog recipes, but this time I just had to. I absolutely love this recipe! It’s my third time using it, and I’ll use it again and again. Sorry for the long comment, but it’ll provide enthusiastic feedback and answers to some previous readers’ questions. 🙂
I tweak it a little bit just to match the ingredients that I do have/use, ie. 1 1/2 cup light brown cane sugar and regular cream (here in France, “regular” is actually 30% fat, and I’ve also tried it with a 42% cream because, eh, French). I don’t think the cream makes it too dense, but of course I haven’t tried the actual recipe to compare.
I always pour some of the batter in an aluminum muffin tin first and the rest goes into an 8 inch springform or a rectangle cake pan (glass or metal). All of these turned out great with appropriate baking time and regular checking. The springform leaked, but just a couple drops.
Because it’s not too sweet, with a subtle flavor, it’s a really versatile cake. I topped the cupcakes with your excellent vanilla frosting and with an orange blossom flavored mascarpone frosting. In cake form, I liked it with raspberry jam or dulce de leche. Next time I’ll probably try a cardamome frosting, then chocolate, then… Well, you get the idea. Thank you so much for an awesome recipe!
Can u shorten this recipe by 1cup of flour?
No you cannot
I wish i could rate this recipe 100 stars!! Thank you soo much for sharing!! Absolutely delicious sponge that doesn’t even need frosting, tastes amazing on its own. Used this recipe to make a rainbow cake for my sons 2nd birthday and it was an absolute hit! Not a crumb left over ? def the only sponge recipe I will be using in future! ❤❤❤❤????
I am SO very glad you found this recipe and that you enjoyed it!
I’m sorry to say, this cake was not moist. Way too dense for my liking, and when handed to my husband, he took one bite and said, “you’re not gonna like this”. He was right. I followed the receipt to the letter, except used your chocolate frosting. Which, I should’ve put the entire batch on top. this cake definitely needed two layers and more frosting. Your frosting was great, albeit having to scrape the bowl too many times because the butter was cold.
Hi Jodi, thanks for your feedback. I think this recipe is pretty subjective to how you prefer you cake, others rave about this recipe. This cake is definitely meant to be moist and spongy and it is denser for sure. As far as the chocolate frosting, unfortunately that is to be expected when you start with cold butter, more whipping and more scraping but I do love that recipe and it is great for piping. I am glad you at least enjoyed the frosting!
Oh, you’re absolutely right. Some, most assuredly would prefer this denser cake. I actually cut some in half and added more frosting to the middle to make it more of a layered cake and it was very good that way. Thank you!
Oh that great! I love it! Thanks again Jodi!
Can this cake be made as a 9” two tier ?
Hi Dorothy, I think this would be two much batter for two 9 inch layers. You may get 3 layers instead. I have not tested this with 9 inch layers
Finally, a great recipe! Thank you!! I didn’t have sour cream on hand, so I substituted w/ vanilla coconut greek yogurt, yum.
Awesome Toya! I am so glad you enjoyed this!
Do you think I could half this recipe and make it in a 9 inch springform pan?
Hi Lynn, yes you should be able to, but I would suggest to test your springform pan first to see if it leaks. As this is a very thin batter. You may want to put a sheet pan at the bottom of your oven to catch any drips if your pan leaks.
Hey, I was wondering if we could substitute the sour cream with anything, (like buttermilk) since they don’t sell that here unfortunately (heavy milk would also be hard to come by, so I can’t make my own). I don’t suppose any substitutions would be tried and tested, but could you recommend anything? It might not turn out to be as fluffy or taste the same as yours, but I’m just trying to learn lol. Thank you so much!
Hi there, you can use greek yogurt. And you can leave it out all together but it won’t be nearly as moist.
Thank you so much!! 😀
You’re welcome
I made this when I went back home (I live in a hostel because of school) and OH MY GOD this recipe is amazing! My family loved it and it turned out to be really nice 😀 Thank you so much!
Hi
Could you advise how I would spilt this receipe or convert to make the following round cakes please.
6 inch
8 inch
10 inch
My tins are all 3 inches high and wod be looking to achieve 4 inches per tier.
Thank you
Maria
Hi Maria, one recipe would make at least 4 6-inch cakes, 3 layer as an 8-inch cake. I have not tested this in a 10 inch cakes. As always, I recommend testing this recipe if you’re trying to determine the final yield for an event or something like that
Hi,
Can i use self-raising flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Hi Islea, the recipe has not been tested with self-rising flour so I cannot guarantee the results. I suggest to use all-purpose flour
O my gosh! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Not a huge fan of dense cakes but this one came out fluffy and moist!! Despite using 2 small eggs (that was all I had) the cake was absolutely perfect. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe!!!???
Very nice ?
Hi, can this cake be used for stacking? like i plan to do a 3 layer cake with this. will it be possible? or will it be too moist for it?
TIA
Yes this can be used for a layer cake. Enjoy!
Hi julianne,
I wish to try out this cake tomorrow. Can I use a 24cm round non stick cake tin? Will the baking time differ? Also can I use sweetened youghut in place of sour cream? Urgent response will be appreciated. Thanks
Hi there, 24cm (9 inches) this cake would make 3 very thick layers. You’re baking times will need to be adjusted accordingly. I would start with 15-18 minutes and then watch your cake closely depending on how much the middle still needs to be baked. I have not baked this cake in 9-inch pans so I cannot provide you an accurate baking time. You should be able to use yogurt in place of cream.
Hi, Just wonder if i can substitute sour cream to buttermilk? And baking powder to baking soda? Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi Shin, I have not tested the recipe that way, so I cannot tell you a firm answer. I would not substitute the sour cream for buttermilk as this would be too much liquid in the cake. You need the baking powder to provide some rise in the cake.
Hi Julianne, Thanks so much for your tips. It really helps. You are awesome!
Perfect recipe, I baked it for a group and nothing was left. Baked it according to your directions.
It is an awesome recipe.
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