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A fully frosted vanilla cake with swirls on a white cake stand, next to a single slice on a plate with vanilla beans on a wooden countertop.

Perfectly Moist Classic Vanilla Cake Recipe

A soft, moist vanilla layer cake with real vanilla flavor and vanilla buttercream, addressing the oven temperature variance that explains inconsistent results even when a recipe is followed exactly.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 26 minutes
Total Time 56 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Classic Vanilla Cake Layers
  • 2 3/4 cups cake flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened
  • 5 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

  • 3 9-inch round cake pans For the classic layer cake height
  • 1 KitchenAid stand mixer or hand mixer For creaming and frosting
  • 1 Oven thermometer An inexpensive way to check what your oven is actually doing
  • 1 Digital kitchen scale For accurate flour measurement
  • 1 Offset spatula For smooth frosting application
  • 1 Cake turntable For even, professional frosting

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, verifying with an oven thermometer if available. Grease and flour three cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
    Three round cake pans greased, floured, and lined with parchment paper rounds sitting on a wooden countertop.
  2. Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
    Ek medium glass bowl mein cake flour, baking powder, aur namak bhara hua hai, jo wooden countertop par rakha hai.
  3. In a stand mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium speed until noticeably lighter and fluffy, about 3 minutes, relying on how it looks rather than the clock.
    A glass mixing bowl filled with light, fluffy creamed butter, oil, and sugar mixture on a wooden countertop.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined after each.
    A glass mixing bowl containing creamy cake batter with a cracked egg in the center on a wooden countertop.
  5. Mix in the vanilla extract.
    A glass mixing bowl featuring pale cake batter swirled with dark vanilla extract on a wooden countertop.
  6. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, starting and ending with flour.
    A glass mixing bowl filled with smooth, blended vanilla cake batter resting on a wooden countertop.
  7. Divide the batter among the three pans and bake for 24 to 28 minutes, checking a few minutes early, until a toothpick comes out clean.
    Three round cake pans filled with raw vanilla cake batter sitting side by side on a wooden countertop.
  8. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
    Three baked vanilla cake layers cooling on a wire rack on a wooden countertop.
  9. Beat the butter until creamy, add powdered sugar gradually, alternating with the heavy cream, then mix in vanilla and salt until fluffy.
    A glass mixing bowl filled with smooth, fluffy white vanilla buttercream frosting on a wooden countertop.
  10. Frost between each layer, apply a thin crumb coat, refrigerate for 20 minutes, then apply the final coat of frosting.
    A fully frosted white layer cake with piped borders on a white cake stand on a wooden countertop.
  11. Slice and serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
    A sliced three-layer vanilla cake on a white cake stand, with a single slice on a plate and a knife resting on a wooden countertop.

Notes

  • If this cake keeps coming out drier or denser than expected despite careful measuring and mixing, an oven thermometer can help rule out temperature as the cause.
  • Spoon and level your flour, or weigh it, rather than scooping directly from the bag.
  • Use both butter and oil for the best balance of flavor and moisture.
  • Store refrigerated up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.