Perfect Vanilla Cake (Printable)
Light and moist vanilla cake topped with creamy buttercream frosting. A classic American dessert perfect for celebrations.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cake Components
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
→ Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 tablespoons whole milk
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended. Set aside.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until incorporated.
05 - Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined; avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth tops with spatula for even baking.
07 - Bake for 28-32 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
08 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
10 - Place one cooled cake layer on serving plate. Spread buttercream evenly over top. Position second layer and frost top and sides with remaining buttercream.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly light, like eating a sweet cloud that somehow still feels substantial enough to satisfy
- Friends will swear you spent hours on it, but the steps are so forgiving you could practically make it in your sleep
- The buttercream is the kind that makes people close their eyes and say 'wow' after the first bite
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients aren't a suggestion, they're the difference between a dense cake and one that practically floats
- Overmixing once you've added the flour will make your cake tough, so gently fold until just combined
- Cooling cakes completely before frosting is non-negotiable, or your buttercream will melt right off
03 -
- Buy real vanilla extract, not imitation, the flavor difference is absolutely worth the extra cost
- If your oven runs hot, check the cake at 25 minutes and tent with foil if the top is browning too quickly