Moist Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe

May 22, 2023

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This vanilla layer cake is the one cake that everybody must know find out how 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 Greatest Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe

I’ve been experimenting with vanilla truffles for years now making an attempt to get the flavour and texture good. It’s a little bit of a operating joke. However in an try and fulfill everybody and all of the completely different preferences on the market, I’ve arrived at a number of variations of vanilla cake and cupcakes through the years in an effort to please everybody.

This recipe is my most up-to-date and “ultimate” recipe. I’ve taken all the suggestions through the years integrated into this cake. It has all the issues you may need in a vanilla cake. The cake itself is mild and fluffy however with sufficient substance to chunk into. It’s completely moist and topped with a wealthy buttercream frosting that’s simply to die for. The seek for the right vanilla cake is over. I can’t wait so that you can see (or style, somewhat) what I imply.

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

Why You’ll Love This Simple Vanilla Cake

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

Texture. Creaming collectively the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract till they’re fluffy offers this cake a splendidly ethereal texture. In contrast to truffles that solely make the most of egg whites, nonetheless, this one makes use of complete eggs. The inclusion of the yolks offers the cake the right quantity of substance and richness. So it’s not too ethereal and never too heavy. It’s good. 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 offers the cake further richness and taste as nicely. It’s severely so good.
Easy recipe. Whereas you’ll nonetheless need to comply with a number of steps to make the batter, this recipe requires an easier mixing technique than many different truffles with out compromising texture or taste.
Versatile. Everybody wants a easy vanilla cake of their life. It’s the good canvas for a wide range of completely different fillings and frostings. I used a vanilla buttercream right here however be at liberty to experiment! Take a look at the part under titled “Adorning Suggestions & Concepts” for inspiration.

Ingredients for vanilla layer cake separated into bowls.

What You’ll Want

Right here’s an inventory of components you will want to make this simple vanilla cake. Ensure that to scroll to the recipe card under for detailed measurements.

Vanilla cake

All-purpose flour – You wish to make certain to not over measure your flour, or you may find yourself with dry, dense cake. Be happy to make use of your favourite 1:1 gluten-free flour as an alternative.
Baking powder – Relating to vanilla cake, I desire baking powder over baking soda. It offers the cake a pleasant bakery-style texture and retains the colour lighter.
Salt – At all times wanted for taste.
Unsalted butter – The butter should be at room temperature. In any other case, it is not going to 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 – A superb high quality extract is really useful for excellent vanilla taste.
Eggs – They need to be massive eggs (not medium or further massive) and it’s best that they’re at room temperature in order that they incorporate extra simply with the opposite components.
Milk – I take advantage of 2% milk however be at liberty 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 simply don’t get a lumpy frosting.
Powdered sugar – This provides quantity to the frosting and impacts the consistency. Much less powdered sugar will provide you with a thinner frosting that doesn’t maintain up as nicely to issues like piping, and extra powdered sugar will provide you with a stiffer frosting that stays precisely the place you set it.
Vanilla extract
Heavy cream – This provides an exquisite creaminess to the frosting and can be utilized to skinny it out if it will get too thick.
Salt – For taste. It additionally will help reduce down on the sweetness.
Sprinkles – I used a combination that’s just like these sprinkles. Be happy to make use of your favourite.

Learn how to Make Vanilla Layer Cake

Right here’s a fast overview of find out how to make this simple vanilla layer cake. Make sure to 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 mild 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.

Add. Combine. Add half of the dry components to the batter and blend to mix. Slowly add the milk and blend to mix. Add the remaining dry components and blend till clean.
Bake. Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake for 22-25 minutes.
Cool. Take away the truffles 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.

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 extra heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and blend till clean. Take a look at my tutorial on find out how to get the proper consistency of frosting.

To assemble the cake

Take away the domes from the highest of the truffles 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 skin 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.

Suggestions for Success

Are you feeling intimidated by the thought of constructing a layer cake? Don’t be. You are able to do this! Simply comply with these easy ideas and tips 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 offers you a dry cake. I extremely advocate utilizing a meals scale and weighing your flour to keep away from this. In case you desire to not use a meals scale, I like to recommend the spoon and stage technique.
Room temperature components. The butter within the batter must be at room temperature. In any other case, it is not going to cream correctly with the sugar, oil, and vanilla and you can see your self with a very dense cake. The eggs must also be at room temperature. They may incorporate extra simply with the opposite components which is able to assist to forestall over-mixing. The butter within the buttercream must be at room temperature as nicely. 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 mild in shade and good and fluffy. This could take 2-3 minutes. It will assist make the cake itself mild 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 will provide you with a troublesome, dense cake.
Scrape the bowl. As you’re including components to the batter and mixing to include them, be sure you scrape the edges of the bowl periodically. It will convey any components caught to the bowl again into the batter.
Cool earlier than frosting. It’s important that you simply enable the truffles 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 Suggestions & Concepts

I lined 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 here are a number of enjoyable methods to make it your personal.

Shade your frosting. Add a few drops of gel meals 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 should use buttercream to high your cake with stunning and straightforward rosettes.
Sprinkles. I like including sprinkles to my truffles. Maintain it slightly extra reserved, just like the cake within the images, or press sprinkles all the way in which up the edges. There are a lot of enjoyable choices.
Use different meals. I like utilizing different meals for adorning! Prepare contemporary fruit on high, add some toasted coconut or cookie crumbs, or high together with your favourite sweet. All would look nice!

Can I Use This Recipe To Make Cupcakes?

Sure! You may truly discover that recipe in my Simple 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.

Learn how to Retailer a Frosted Layer Cake

After cooling and frosting, switch the cake to an hermetic cake service or wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap. In case 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 finest loved at room temperature, so if you happen to select to refrigerate it, let it sit on the counter for an hour or so earlier than diving it.

Can I Freeze Layer Cake?

You may! I usually advocate freezing the layers previous to frosting. Wrap them nicely in clear wrap and aluminum foil previous to freezing. Thaw the cake layers in fridge previous to frosting. In case you’d like, you may attempt freezing the complete cake. In that case, pop the totally frosted cake within the freezer for a few hours to agency up earlier than wrapping it in a double layer of plastic wrap. It’s also possible to 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 truffles are the king of all truffles 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.

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