This fluffy cake is The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe I have ever had. It is super moist, fluffy, and not too sweet. You can pair it with really any flavor frosting or filling and make it your own! I love me a good multipurpose cake!
It has been so hard for me to come up with a good vanilla cake recipe. All the recipes I have seen had SOOOO much sugar in them it was crazy. All of that sugar turned into a really crunchy, hard outside after the cake baked which I wasn't feeling at all.. I knew there had to be a better way to get a really good, moist, beautiful cake without ALL of that sugar.. I'm talking 3+ cups of sugar...(I know right).
The secret is in the goop!
I know what you are thinking...what is goop?! But let me tell you, I wish I had started using this stuff sooner! It is a life saver if you love making beautiful, perfect cakes, and it is super easy! All you need is vegetable oil, vegetable shortening, and flour. That is it! Just mix 1/2 cup of each ingredient in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until well combined. Add into a mason jar or other airtight container and store until you need it.
Use about a quarter size amount on a paper towel and "goop" each of your cake pans before baking. Your cake will come out super easy and beautiful every time!
Let your cakes chill in the fridge
I know that it takes a little forethought, but I have found it so helpful to bake my cakes the day before I need to decorate them, and let them sit overnight in the fridge. It makes the cakes a lot easier to work with. It makes them easier to cut, and decorate and there are less crumbs running a muck getting into your perfect buttercream frosting. Trust me, it makes life easier.
To store in the fridge let your cakes cool completely, and then wrap them in a few layers of cling wrap.
The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe!
Description
This cake is super moist, fluffy, and not too sweet. You can pair it with really any flavor frosting or filling and make it your own!
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
2 ¾ cup all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup butter
1 2/3 cup sugar
5 egg whites
2 ½ tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cup milk
FOR THE FROSTING:
3 sticks softened butter
5 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all dry ingredients (minus sugar) into a small bowl and set aside. Combine the milk and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Slowly add in the sugar until fully combined and fluffy.
Add in the egg whites one at a time, making sure to combine each before adding the other.
Add in about ½ of the dry mixture while mixing on a low speed. Alternate adding in dry and wet ingredients until they are all combined. Mix for an additional 3 minutes on a medium speed.
Prepare three 6″ cake pans with “goop” (see above) and distribute the batter evenly between them.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cool completely before frosting.
FOR THE FROSTING:
Cream together the butter until light and fluffy and there are no lumps. Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time while on a low speed.
Add in the vanilla and heavy cream and mix until light and fluffy. About 3-4 minutes.
To assemble the cake, place one layer of cake on a cake board or plate and top with about 1/2 cup of buttercream and smooth out evenly. Add the next layer and continue with each layer of cake. Completely cover the outside of the cake with the remaining buttercream and smooth with a bench scrapper or spatula. Personalize by adding toppings of your choosing!
Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this recipe, check out my heavenly German Chocolate Cake!!
Nicole White says
Hi Rose! This looks like a great vanilla cake recipe! I'm definitely going to try it!!
Rose says
Thanks Nicole!!
Cora Barkhuizen says
Good day, I live in South Africa. Please want to know how many grams is one stick of butter.
Here we buy the butter in blocks.
Thank you
Cora
Susan says
One stick of butter is 113 grams.
Crystal West Story says
Hi Rose! I'm sure learning a lot from your blog & recipes. I am currently making the black forest cake for my son's 5th birthday (minus the cherries of course) & I'm using the "goop"!!! It is working well! I love it! I've been making cakes (mainly doctored mixes) for about 12ish years on & off & would love to be on your level...just can't seem to get there... anyway, my question for this recipe is, if I don't care if this cake is white in color can I use the whole egg & if so how many?
Thanks again for all you do, I learn lots!
Rose says
Three whole eggs.
Cassia says
Hi Rose, would it turn out well if I wanted to use 2 9 inch pans instead?
Stephanie Strunk says
I've been looking for a vanilla cupcake recipe to try for my mini cupcake bouquets. This one sounds amazing to try.
Stephanie
Rose says
Yay - thanks for trying it - please let me know how it turns out!
mercy odili says
woo! thanks, i will try it this weekend.
Rose says
Awesome - thank you!
Leila says
My husbands birthday is coming up, and this is a recipe I am sure to try. I have 2 9 inch baking pans. I plan on making it a 3 tier cake. Would to have to double the recipe?
★★★★★
Dan says
Can you put funfetti sprinkles in the cake.
Susan says
Yes! Fold in about 1/4 cup of jimmies once the cake batter is mixed.
Val says
Hello! I will be making this cake tomorrow (9/1/2020). Can I double this recipe and use it with 2 9in pans, and still bake at 350?
Karen Strickland Cochran says
Looks good. Will definitely try
Kimm Brown says
I made this cake a few days ago and it was amazing. One of the best vanilla cakes I’ve ever had. The crumb was amazing. Perfect for stacking. I did use buttermilk instead of milk. I am wondering how it would be to replace some of the AP flour with cake flour to give it a slightly lighter, less dense crumb. I will definitely be making this again!
★★★★★
Lesley Montes says
Hello! How much of the ap flour did you replace with cake flour?
Kimm Brown says
Hi Lesley, I didn’t actually replace an AP flour with this bake. It was a question for Rose. I was thinking about it tho. And wasn’t sure about the ratio. I wonder if it would be an equal swap?
Michelle L Chamberlain says
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of Cake Flour for every 1 cup of All Purpose Flour.
I made it with all Cake Flour and it was wonderful. The cake was perfect! Great base recipe for plating with flavors as well. I am going to make a coconut cake with this.
I am rating only the cake. The frosting was way to sweet for me and even two of my kids but the acrual cake was perfect!
★★★★★
Amber says
Hi, just wondering what’s the oven temperature on which you are baking this cake. Thanks!
Susan says
So sorry! It should be at 350 degrees F. Got the recipe updated with the temperature. 🙂
Amber says
I tried this recipe last night and it was so delicious. Haven’t tasted a better vanilla cake before. I halved all the ingredients and now i wish i had more hehe. Thanks so much! ?
Rose says
That's SO awesome - thank you for doing this for me!!
Pam Hull says
I made cupcakes out of this recipe. It really is a great recipe but I have to say, I have another recipe that I think I like a little better. It has buttermilk in it and it’s divine but this is wonderful!!!! I also used cream cheese in the frosting because everything is better with cream cheese right??? Thanks for the recipe!!
★★★★★
Rose says
Thanks so much Pam!
Jercy says
Hi Rose.....
May I please request you to post all the ingredients in grams.
Wntress Savoy says
Hi, I love you making your cakes. If you don't mind what brand of AP flour do you use or can cake flour be used? if so what brand would you recommend and what is the ratio for cake flour vs. AP flour. Thank you
Rose says
I use Great Value (Walmart) brand all-purpose flour.
penny says
Can e whole eggs be substituted for 5 egg whites? I'm not concerned about the color.
Rose says
Yes 🙂 I haven't done it but usually it's 3 whole eggs for 4 egg whites, so you may have to use 3 or 4 large eggs.
Carole lynskey says
Hi Rose, I was so thrilled to read your recipe using the small amount of sugar, only to be disappointed at you using 5 cups of icing sugar in the frosting! Defeats the whole purpose of cutting down sugar in baking. Regards
Carole
Serenity says
I don’t have vegetable shortening, can I make this recipe without the “goop”? Thanks!
Rose says
Of course! Just use cake release spray or oil and flour your pan.
Serenity says
I made this with just butter and flour for the sides and it worked perfect. This recipe is delicious!!! I enjoy cake that doesn’t fall apart into a big crumb mess when you cut into it and this one is the perfect texture. So yummy!!! We all loved it! Thank you so much.
★★★★★
Rose says
SO glad you liked it Serenity!
Michelle L Chamberlain says
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of Cake Flour for every 1 cup of All Purpose Flour.
I made it with all Cake Flour and it was wonderful. The cake was perfect! Great base recipe for plating with flavors as well. I am going to make a coconut cake with this.
I am rating only the cake. The frosting was way to sweet for me and even two of my kids but the acrual cake was perfect!
★★★★★
Michelle L Chamberlain says
Supposed to be playing with flavours, not planting. Sorry for the typo!
Jill says
Did you use metal pans? If I were to use glass pans should the cakes be baked at a different temperature?
Rose says
Hey Jill - I've never baked cakes in glass pans so I'm not sure how you'd adjust the recipe.
Samantha says
Rose - I want to make this recipe for my husbands 30th birthday but am confused by the directions and scaling. I have two 9" round pans to make a double layer cake. Do I need to double the scale (i.e. use the 2x measurements) or is the 1x recipe enough?
Sincerely,
Lost and confused new wife and beginning baker!
Dolores Jonusas says
HI, Rose - I'm always looking for a great vanilla cake recipe and this one sounds really nice. I will be trying it. However, when you double or triple the recipe, it doesn't indicate the size of the pans for the larger amount. Any chance you could let us know. Many thanks! 🙂
Kayla Vaught says
Hey I have a question I am gonna make this cake for Easter For my husband lol. do you use salted butter or unsalted butter
Sirin says
Hello, i was wondering which scale did you used in this cake. Also, how many people can eat from it?
Thank you!
Susan says
Hi Rose! My question is in regards to the "Goop" recipe for greasing/flouring cake pans. Does Canola Oil work as a substitution for Vegetable Oil in the recipe for Vegetable Oil? Thank you!!
Rose says
Yes!!
Chandra Persaud says
Hi do you have the ingredients in weight please?
Ronak Mehta says
Baked this cake for my birthday and it was an absolute hit! So moist and tasty. Thank you for doing what you do
★★★★★
Siobhan says
Hi Rose,
Wondering what milk did you use in your recipe? And does the type of milk (skim, 3%, buttercream, etc) change the amount used? Also, is it safe to assume the butter is unsalted? Looking to bake it this weekend for my daughter's 2nd birthday.
Thanks a bunch!
Rose says
I'm so sorry I missed your comment. I use whole milk and salted butter, but I think 2% and unsalted would also work!
Lisa says
Salt or unsalted butter?
Rose says
Unsalted
Shreya says
Hi! I see a couple people have commented this but I have 2 9 inch pans. Would I double the recipe?
Susan says
I would try doubling it - you may have a little batter left over though! Let us know how it turns out if you do!