Moist Vanilla Cake from Scratch
This classic vanilla cake recipe delivers an ultra-soft, delicate, bakery-style crumb. It is perfectly balanced in sweetness, incredibly moist, and creates a foolproof cake that is guaranteed to be your new go-to for every celebration.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs 3 whole eggs plus 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 pound unsalted butter softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream
I always use Kosher salt in my kitchen! If using table salt, start with half the amount and adjust to taste, as it is much "saltier" by volume.
Instructions
- For the Vanilla Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl (or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy.
- Add the whole eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the single egg white and the vanilla bean paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the sour cream into the buttermilk until completely smooth and combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly alternate adding your sifted dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture to the batter. Start and end with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix!
- Divide the smooth batter evenly between your prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the layers comes out clean.
- Let the cake layers cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them onto a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
- For the Buttercream Frosting: In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment add the softened butter and begin mixing it until smooth, light and fluffy. Approximately 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on the lowest setting, slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed. Once all of the powdered has been added, turn the mixer speed up to next setting and mix for 1 minute.
- Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl and add in the vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and heavy cream. Mix well to combine.
- Decorate the cooled cake layers and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 940kcalCarbohydrates: 116gProtein: 6gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 32gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 195mgSodium: 272mgPotassium: 107mgFiber: 1gSugar: 91gVitamin A: 1643IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!