I finally perfected a Vanilla Cake Recipe With Cake Flour that comes out impossibly light and actually worthy of a birthday cake.

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I’m obsessed with this cake because it tastes like actual celebration, not a sugar fog. I love the clean vanilla notes from pure vanilla extract and the buttery lift from unsalted butter, nothing fake.

It’s the kind of Vanilla Cake Recipe With Cake Flour people ask about at parties even after they’ve had three slices. And I’m never shy about bringing Homemade Cake Batter to a get-together; people hover, they fight for the end piece.

It’s simple, stubbornly classic, and it makes birthdays feel inevitable. No frills, just a real cake that shuts down dessert debates.

Every single time seriously.

Ingredients

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Flour gives structure and a tender crumb; it’s the cake’s backbone.
Baking powder lifts the batter, making it light and slightly airy.
Basically, salt wakes up the sweetness and balances the whole cake.
Butter adds richness, moisture, and that buttery mouthfeel you crave.
Sugar sweetens, helps browning, and keeps the cake soft and moist.
Eggs bind and add lift; they make it sturdy yet still tender.
Plus vanilla brings warm, familiar flavor that makes it taste homemade.
Milk loosens batter, adds fat and softness; it keeps crumbs fine.
Sour cream gives tang, extra moisture, and a denser, velvety crumb.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temp

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temp

1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temp

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment, or use nonstick spray and parchment for less sticking.

2. Whisk together 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl; set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat 1 cup (226 g) softened unsalted butter until smooth, then slowly add 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl down when needed.

4. Add 4 large eggs, one at a time, beating just until incorporated after each egg. Stir in 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract. Don’t overbeat, you just want everything combined.

5. Combine 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk and 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream in a measuring cup. This makes the batter extra tender so don’t skip it.

6. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and sour cream mixture in two parts: flour, then half the milk mixture, flour, remaining milk mixture, then the last flour. Mix just until the batter is smooth and no streaks remain. Overmixing will make the cake tough.

7. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Tap the pans gently on the counter to release any large air bubbles.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. If using 9 inch pans check at 22 minutes, ovens vary.

9. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, invert onto a wire rack, remove parchment and let cool completely before frosting. Cooling completely prevents the frosting from melting.

10. Tips: use room temperature eggs and dairy for better emulsion, measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling for accuracy, don’t skip the sour cream it keeps the cake moist, and if a top domes too much slice off the hump with a serrated knife so your layers stack flat.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (settable to 350 F / 175 C)
2. Two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans (greaseable)
3. Parchment paper and nonstick spray
4. Stand mixer or large bowl plus hand mixer
5. Large mixing bowl and a smaller bowl for dry ingredients
6. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale (optional)
7. Rubber spatula and a whisk
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Toothpick or cake tester and a serrated knife for leveling
10. Oven mitts and a timer

FAQ

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temp

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temp

1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temp

Q: Can I use cake flour instead of all purpose flour? A: Yes, but reduce amount by about 2 tablespoons per cup or use a gram based swap: 300 g cake flour works well. The cake will be a bit finer and softer, but still tasty.

Q: My cake sank in the middle, why? A: Usually overmixing, opening the oven too early, or underbaking. Make sure to mix gently after flour goes in, and test for doneness with a toothpick.

Q: Can I make this dairy free? A: You can swap butter for a stick of vegan butter and use a non dairy milk plus a dairy free sour cream or full fat coconut yogurt. Texture changes slightly but it still works.

Q: How should I store the cake? A: Wrapped airtight or in a cake carrier at room temp for 2 days, or refrigerated up to 5 days if frosted. Bring to room temp before serving for best flavor.

Q: Can I freeze the layers? A: Yes. Wrap cooled layers tightly in plastic and foil and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight then bring to room temp before frosting.

Q: Why is my cake dry? A: Likely overbaked, too much flour, or oven temp too high. Check oven accuracy with an inexpensive thermometer and measure flour by weight.

Q: Can I make this as cupcakes? A: Absolutely. Bake at 350°F in a lined muffin tin for about 16 to 20 minutes. Start checking at 14 minutes.

Perfect Vanilla Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Flour: swap 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour for 2 1/2 cups cake flour for a finer, lighter crumb. If you only have AP, remove 5 tablespoons per cup and replace with the same amount of cornstarch, then sift.
Butter: use 1 cup (226 g) neutral oil like canola or grapeseed for a moister cake, but reduce oven temp by 25°F and watch the edges, they set faster. Margarine works too but may add a slightly salty taste.
Milk and sour cream: replace 1 cup milk + 1/2 cup sour cream with 1 1/2 cups buttermilk for equal tang and tenderness; if you only have milk, add 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar to 1 1/2 cups milk and let sit 5 minutes.
Sugar: swap granulated sugar 1:1 for light brown sugar to add moisture and a subtle caramel note, or use coconut sugar for a less sweet, more caramel flavor but expect a slightly darker crumb.

Pro Tips

1) Make everything room temp, seriously. Cold eggs or milk will make the batter seize up and you wont get that light crumb. If you forget to take things out, put eggs in warm (not hot) water for 5–10 minutes to speed it up. (Yes thats a shortcut everyone uses.)

2) Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it off. If you pack the flour you’ll end up with a dense, dry cake. Want to be exact? Weigh it. Baking is picky about that.

3) Cream the butter and sugar long enough so it gets pale and fluffy. It might look like nothing is happening at first, but scraping the bowl and beating for 3–4 minutes matters. If it still feels greasy, beat a little longer. But dont overbeat once eggs go in.

4) Alternate dry and wet additions and keep the mixer low. Add flour in thirds, milk mixture in halves. Overmixing after the flour goes in makes a tough cake, so stop as soon as you dont see streaks.

5) If one layer domes a lot, cool it, then slice the hump off with a serrated knife. Also cool cakes completely before frosting, or the frosting will melt and slide right off.

Perfect Vanilla Cake Recipe

Recipe by Kate Sinclair

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally perfected a Vanilla Cake Recipe With Cake Flour that comes out impossibly light and actually worthy of a birthday cake.

Servings

servings

Calories

485

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (settable to 350 F / 175 C)
2. Two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans (greaseable)
3. Parchment paper and nonstick spray
4. Stand mixer or large bowl plus hand mixer
5. Large mixing bowl and a smaller bowl for dry ingredients
6. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale (optional)
7. Rubber spatula and a whisk
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Toothpick or cake tester and a serrated knife for leveling
10. Oven mitts and a timer

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temp
1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temp

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment, or use nonstick spray and parchment for less sticking.
Whisk together 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat 1 cup (226 g) softened unsalted butter until smooth, then slowly add 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl down when needed.
Add 4 large eggs, one at a time, beating just until incorporated after each egg. Stir in 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract. Don’t overbeat, you just want everything combined.
Combine 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk and 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream in a measuring cup. This makes the batter extra tender so don’t skip it.
With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and sour cream mixture in two parts: flour, then half the milk mixture, flour, remaining milk mixture, then the last flour. Mix just until the batter is smooth and no streaks remain. Overmixing will make the cake tough.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Tap the pans gently on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. If using 9 inch pans check at 22 minutes, ovens vary.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, invert onto a wire rack, remove parchment and let cool completely before frosting. Cooling completely prevents the frosting from melting.
Tips: use room temperature eggs and dairy for better emulsion, measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling for accuracy, don’t skip the sour cream it keeps the cake moist, and if a top domes too much slice off the hump with a serrated knife so your layers stack flat.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.