Moist Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe

May 29, 2023

This vanilla layer cake is the one cake that everybody must know methods to make. Three layers of moist, fluffy vanilla cake are stuffed and frosted with wealthy vanilla buttercream. It’s splendidly easy and completely heavenly.

A slice of moist vanilla layer cake on a plate with a fork.

The Finest Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe

I’ve been experimenting with vanilla desserts for years now attempting to get the flavour and texture excellent. It’s a little bit of a working joke. However in an try and fulfill everybody and all of the totally different preferences on the market, I’ve arrived at a number of variations of vanilla cake and cupcakes over time with the intention to please everybody.

This recipe is my most up-to-date and “closing” recipe. I’ve taken the entire suggestions over time integrated into this cake. It has the entire issues you can need in a vanilla cake. The cake itself is gentle and fluffy however with sufficient substance to chew into. It’s completely moist and topped with a wealthy buttercream frosting that’s simply to die for. The seek for the proper vanilla cake is over. I can’t wait so that you can see (or style, quite) what I imply.

Moist vanilla layer cake with a slice taken out of it.

Why You’ll Love This Straightforward Vanilla Cake

A easy, straightforward, moist vanilla layer cake? Everybody wants one of their recipe assortment. Listed below are a number of explanation why this one, particularly, is 100% obligatory for each baker to attempt.

  • Texture. Creaming collectively the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract till they’re fluffy provides this cake a splendidly ethereal texture. Not like desserts that solely make the most of egg whites, nonetheless, this one makes use of complete eggs. The inclusion of the yolks provides the cake the proper quantity of substance and richness. So it’s not too ethereal and never too heavy. It’s excellent. Plus, the addition of oil makes the vanilla cake completely moist.
  • Flavorful. I like the delicate vanilla taste of this cake. It makes it universally loveable. Using butter along with oil provides the cake additional richness and taste as effectively. It’s severely so good.
  • Easy recipe. Whereas you’ll nonetheless should comply with a number of steps to make the batter, this recipe requires a less complicated mixing methodology than many different desserts with out compromising texture or taste.
  • Versatile. Everybody wants a easy vanilla cake of their life. It’s the excellent canvas for a wide range of totally different fillings and frostings. I used a vanilla buttercream right here however be happy to experiment! Take a look at the part under titled “Adorning Ideas & Concepts” for inspiration.
Ingredients for vanilla layer cake separated into bowls.

What You’ll Want

Right here’s a listing of substances you will want to make this straightforward vanilla cake. Make certain to scroll to the recipe card under for detailed measurements.

Vanilla cake

  • All-purpose flour – You wish to make sure to not over measure your flour, or you can find yourself with dry, dense cake. Be happy to make use of your favourite 1:1 gluten-free flour as a substitute.
  • Baking powder – In the case of vanilla cake, I favor baking powder over baking soda. It provides the cake a pleasant bakery-style texture and retains the colour lighter.
  • Salt – At all times wanted for taste.
  • Unsalted butter – The butter have to be at room temperature. In any other case, it won’t cream correctly with the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract.
  • Vegetable oil – The vegetable oil provides a pleasant moistness to this cake.
  • Sugar – Sugar provides each sweetness and moisture and impacts the ultimate texture of the cake.
  • Vanilla extract – An excellent high quality extract is really helpful for nice vanilla taste.
  • Eggs – They need to be massive eggs (not medium or additional massive) and it’s best that they’re at room temperature in order that they incorporate extra simply with the opposite substances.
  • Milk – I take advantage of 2% milk however be happy to make use of complete milk. The fats within the milk provides moisture and texture to the cake.

Vanilla frosting

  • Unsalted butter – The butter must be at room temperature so that you just don’t get a lumpy frosting.
  • Powdered sugar – This provides quantity to the frosting and impacts the consistency. Much less powdered sugar offers you a thinner frosting that doesn’t maintain up as effectively to issues like piping, and extra powdered sugar offers you a stiffer frosting that stays precisely the place you set it.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Heavy cream – This provides a beautiful creaminess to the frosting and can be utilized to skinny it out if it will get too thick.
  • Salt – For taste. It additionally can assist reduce down on the sweetness.
  • Sprinkles – I used a mixture that’s just like these sprinkles. Be happy to make use of your favourite.
Overhead of moist vanilla layer cake.

Methods to Make Vanilla Layer Cake

Right here’s a fast overview of methods to make this straightforward vanilla layer cake. Be sure you scroll to the recipe card under for extra detailed directions.

For the cake

  • Prep. Line the underside of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles and grease the edges. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Beat collectively the butter, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract till gentle in shade and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs one after the other, mixing to mix after every addition.
Whisking together dry ingredients for vanilla cake.
Creaming together butter, sugar, olive oil, and vanilla extract fro vanilla cake.
Adding eggs to vanilla cake batter.
  • Add. Combine. Add half of the dry substances to the batter and blend to mix. Slowly add the milk and blend to mix. Add the remaining dry substances and blend till clean.
  • Bake. Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake for 22-25 minutes.
  • Cool. Take away the desserts from the oven and permit them to chill for 2-3 minutes earlier than transferring them to wire racks to chill utterly.
Adding dry ingredients and milk to vanilla cake batter.
Vanilla cake batter divided between 3 cake pans ready to be baked.
3 layers of moist vanilla cake ready to be stacked, filled, and frosted

For the frosting

  • Beat the butter till clean.
  • Add. Combine. Add half of the powdered sugar. Combine till clean. Add the vanilla extract, 4-5 tablespoons of heavy cream, and salt. Combine till clean. Add the remaining powdered sugar. Combine till clean.
  • Refine the consistency. If the frosting is just too thick, add further heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and blend till clean. Take a look at my tutorial on methods to get the proper consistency of frosting.

To assemble the cake

  • Take away the domes from the highest of the desserts with a big serrated knife.
  • Stack. Place the primary cake on a serving plate and unfold 1 cup of frosting excessive. Repeat with the second layer and the third.
  • Frost the surface of the cake. Consult with my tutorial for frosting a clean cake, if wanted.
  • Embellish. Press sprinkles into the edges of the cake and pipe swirls of frosting across the high edge. Add a number of extra sprinkles to the highest of the cake.
A slice of moist vanilla layer cake on a plate with a bite taken out of it.

Ideas for Success

Are you feeling intimidated by the concept of constructing a layer cake? Don’t be. You are able to do this! Simply comply with these easy ideas and methods to get the very best outcomes potential.

  • Measure flour accurately. One of many greatest errors individuals make is over or below measuring flour. Most frequently the flour is over measured and it provides you a dry cake. I extremely advocate utilizing a food scale and weighing your flour to keep away from this. When you favor to not use a meals scale, I like to recommend the spoon and stage methodology.
  • Room temperature substances. The butter within the batter must be at room temperature. In any other case, it won’t cream correctly with the sugar, oil, and vanilla and one can find your self with an excessively dense cake. The eggs also needs to be at room temperature. They’ll incorporate extra simply with the opposite substances which is able to assist to stop over-mixing. The butter within the buttercream must be at room temperature as effectively. Whether it is too chilly, you’ll find yourself with a lumpy frosting.
  • Don’t skimp on creaming time. When beating collectively the butter, sugar, oil, and vanilla, achieve this till the combination is gentle in shade and good and fluffy. This could take 2-3 minutes. This can assist make the cake itself gentle and fluffy.
  • Don’t over combine. Over mixing the cake batter after you add the flour will trigger the glutens within the flour to overdevelop. This offers you a troublesome, dense cake.
  • Scrape the bowl. As you might be including substances to the batter and mixing to include them, make sure you scrape the edges of the bowl periodically. This can convey any substances caught to the bowl again into the batter.
  • Cool earlier than frosting. It’s important that you just permit the desserts to chill utterly earlier than stacking, filling, and frosting. If they’re too heat, the frosting will soften proper off the cake.
Moist vanilla layer cake on a cake stand near a bowl of sprinkles.

Adorning Ideas & Concepts

I coated this moist, fluffy vanilla cake with white buttercream frosting and rainbow sprinkles however one of many nice issues about this recipe is that it’s so versatile. Listed below are a number of enjoyable methods to make it your personal.

  • Colour your frosting. Add a few drops of gel food coloring to the buttercream so as to add shade to this dessert. You may shade the entire cake or simply pipe some coloured swirls on high.
  • Add a drip. Elevate your cake and use my tutorial for including a chocolate (or white chocolate) drip.
  • Embellish with buttercream rosettes. Much like this ice cream cake tutorial, you need to use buttercream to high your cake with stunning and simple rosettes.
  • Sprinkles. I like including sprinkles to my desserts. Maintain it just a little extra reserved, just like the cake within the images, or press sprinkles all the way in which up the edges. There are lots of fun options.
  • Use different meals. I like utilizing different meals for adorning! Organize contemporary fruit on high, add some toasted coconut or cookie crumbs, or high along with your favourite sweet. All would look nice!

Can I Use This Recipe To Make Cupcakes?

Sure! You may really discover that recipe in my Straightforward Selfmade Vanilla Cupcakes. The recipe is reduce in half and makes about 12-14 cupcakes. You’ll make the cake batter and buttercream as regular (simply much less of it), add the batter to cupcake liners after which bake for 15-18 minutes.

A slice of moist vanilla layer cake on a plate with a fork.

Methods to Retailer a Frosted Layer Cake

After cooling and frosting, switch the cake to an hermetic cake provider or wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap. When you go the plastic wrap route, I counsel utilizing toothpicks to prop the plastic wrap away from the buttercream swirls.

Alternatively, you possibly can slice the cake and prepare the slices in a single layer in an hermetic container. In any case, retailer the cake at room temperature for as much as 24 hours or within the fridge for as much as 4 days. This cake is greatest loved at room temperature, so in case you select to refrigerate it, let it sit on the counter for an hour or so earlier than diving it.

Moist vanilla layer cake on a cake stand near a bowl of sprinkles.

Can I Freeze Layer Cake?

You may! I usually advocate freezing the layers previous to frosting. Wrap them effectively in clear wrap and aluminum foil previous to freezing. Thaw the cake layers in fridge previous to frosting. When you’d like, you can attempt freezing the total cake. In that case, pop the absolutely frosted cake within the freezer for a few hours to agency up earlier than wrapping it in a double layer of plastic wrap. You can even slice the cake and wrap the person slices in clear wrap and foil. Retailer the cake within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Thaw the cake within the fridge in a single day earlier than permitting it to come back to room temperature earlier than serving.

Extra Vanilla Cake Recipes:

Vanilla desserts are the king of all desserts and as I discussed earlier than, I’ve obtained many to attempt. This moist vanilla layer cake is my absolute favourite however listed below are another fabulous recipes so that you can attempt.

Print

clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon fb fb icon print print icon squares squares icon

A slice of moist vanilla layer cake on a plate with a fork.