This moist vanilla cake is soft, sweet, and full of rich vanilla flavor. It’s easy to make, perfect with my go-to vanilla frosting, and works great as a layer cake or cupcakes.
I’m always chasing that perfect, go-to cake recipe—the one that works for every occasion and never lets you down. After months of testing and tweaking, this vanilla cake might just be the one. It’s soft, ultra-moist, and full of rich vanilla flavor, topped with my all-time favorite vanilla buttercream. The crumb is tender and fluffy, and the batter comes together fast with a hand or stand mixer. Whether you’re baking for a birthday, holiday, or just because you’re craving something sweet, this cake is always the right call. You can make it as a layer cake, cupcakes, or even a sheet cake if you need something easy to slice and serve.
P.S. If you’re team chocolate, don’t miss my Super Moist Chocolate Cake.
Readers Say:
My husband wanted a homemade, from scratch birthday cake. I have never made a cake from scratch. (Box cake mix queen here.) So I looked up recipes and this one caught my eye. Not complicated, easy read & best of all, delicious
Why You’ll Fall Hard for This Vanilla Cake
Over the years, millions of people have visited this recipe, and countless readers have made it. Here’s why they love it as much as I do:
- Perfectly balanced flavor. The cake itself isn’t overly sweet, which means it pairs beautifully with frosting and lets the vanilla shine, especially if you use the good stuff.
- Moist and tender crumb. This cake bakes up super moist with a tight, tender texture that holds up well to layering and decorating.
- Rich, spongey texture. It’s dense in the best way. Think soft, sturdy, and satisfying, not light and airy. If you love a vanilla cake that feels like a true bakery-style slice, this one’s for you.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Below I’ve included the main ingredients you’ll need for this vanilla cake recipe and frosting. The full recipe details and ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card, so don’t forget to scroll to the end.
- Oil – Oil makes for a lighter, moist crumb. Vegetable oil and coconut oil will both work great.
- Sour Cream – My essential ingredient for an ultra-moist cake! Sour cream (either light or full-fat) brings lots of added moisture and richness to cakes and cupcakes. If you don’t have sour cream, substitute plain Greek yogurt instead. If you need to, you can omit it completely but note that this vanilla cake will not be nearly as moist. Sour cream should be at room temperature.
- All-purpose flour: I often get asked if cake flour can be used, and the simple answer is no. They’re not a 1:1 replacement. Sifted, all-purpose flour is the way to go. Be sure to sift it be for best results.
- Milk – You can use any kind of milk (whole, 2%, etc.) you have on hand. The milk should be at room temperature before you start, so they’re easier to combine with the batter.
- Unsalted Butter – For the frosting. My secret to perfect buttercream frosting is cold butter (trust me!), so keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Or milk, to adjust the consistency of the frosting. I prefer to use heavy cream as it always yields the creamiest, fluffiest vanilla frosting.
Oil vs. Butter in Cakes: Which Is Better?
Oil alllllll the way. Oil makes this cake bake up more light and tender than butter-based cake. The difference comes from butter being a solid fat at room temperature (even after baking), while oil stays liquid and moist.
Another major perk of working with oil? There’s no waiting around while your butter comes to room temperature! Many cake recipes often call for room-temperature butter so that it’s easier to whip, but not this one.
If you’d prefer to bake this cake using butter instead, use 1/2 cup of melted butter in place of the oil that’s called for in the recipe. Just know that it won’t come out quite as soft or moist, so I usually don’t recommend it.
How To Make a Moist Vanilla Cake
Here’s just how simple it is to make the perfect vanilla cake from scratch:
- Combine the wet Ingredients. Begin by beating together the sugar, oil, and the rest of the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Next, you’ll beat in the sour cream, and set the bowl aside.
- Sift the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt to combine.
- Make the cake batter. 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 the Best 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
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.
Variation Ideas
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.
More Cake Recipes to Try
Moist Vanilla Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 15 slices
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy and homemade Moist Vanilla Cake recipe is perfectly sweet and fluffy and full of rich vanilla flavor. Topped with a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting, it’s the best vanilla cake to make for any occasion!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups (380g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ cup(120g) 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
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 15
- Calories: 443
- Sugar: 47.5g
- Sodium: 187.5mg
- Fat: 18.9g
- Carbohydrates: 65.2g
- Protein: 4.7g
- Cholesterol: 65.4mg
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!