Print

To make your own cake flour, spoon and level one cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 Tbsp Recipe

To make your own cake flour, spoon and level one cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 Tbsp Recipe
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5.2 from 30 reviews

This classic vanilla cake recipe offers a moist, tender crumb with a rich buttery flavor, perfect for any celebration or everyday indulgence. Made from scratch with simple ingredients like cake flour, unsalted butter, and pure vanilla extract, it pairs beautifully with a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting for a timeless dessert that everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

Vanilla Cake

  • 2 3/4 Cups (290g) sifted cake flour* (see notes for DIY cake flour)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3/4 Cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 Cups (300g) granulated white sugar
  • 2 large eggs + 2 egg whites, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature

Vanilla Frosting

  • 2 batches vanilla buttercream (or any preferred frosting)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 6-inch cake pans or two 8-inch or 9-inch pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper circles for easy release.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: Sift the cake flour, then spoon and level it carefully. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Cream butter and sugar: In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the unsalted butter on high speed for 2 minutes until light and creamy. Add sugar and mix on medium-high for another 2 minutes to aerate the mixture.
  4. Add eggs and wet ingredients: Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the eggs and egg whites one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add vanilla extract and sour cream, then turn mixer to high and beat for 1 full minute. The batter might look curdled here, which is normal.
  5. Combine dry and wet ingredients: Add all the dry ingredients to the batter at once. Mix on low speed just until incorporated. Slowly pour in the whole milk while mixing on low for about 30 seconds until smooth and combined. Scrape down the bowl and whisk a few times to remove lumps. The batter should be slightly thick.
  6. Bake the cake: Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cakes spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool the cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Then, turn them out onto wire racks and cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
  8. Frost the cake: Once fully cooled, frost with a double batch of vanilla buttercream or your preferred frosting. Assemble and decorate as desired.

Notes

  • *DIY Cake Flour Recipe: To make homemade cake flour, spoon and level 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 Tbsp, then add 2 Tbsp cornstarch. Sift this mixture 4 times and re-measure by spooning and leveling. For 290g needed in this recipe, scale accordingly. This substitution provides a lighter texture similar to store-bought cake flour.
  • Vanilla Frosting: Use two batches of vanilla buttercream for frosting. You can substitute with any preferred frosting.
  • Make Ahead: Baked and cooled cakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days before decorating. Unfrosted layers can be frozen for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
  • To Make Cupcakes: For cupcakes, refer to the similar vanilla cupcake recipe for best results.

Nutrition

Keywords: vanilla cake, classic vanilla cake, homemade cake, moist cake recipe, vanilla buttercream, baking from scratch

Find it online: https://ellaeatsdaily.com/to-make-your-own-cake-flour-spoon-and-level-one-cup-of-all-purpose-flour-and-remove-2-tbsp-recipe-3/