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The search is over for the perfect vanilla cake—this is it! The cake batter is really light, airy creating a delicate cake with a buttery vanilla flavor. Top it or fill it with just about anything!
For more can’t-miss cakes, try Chocolate Blackout Cake, Classic Chocolate Cake, or Old Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake.
Light and Fluffy Vanilla Cake
I’ve been searching for the perfect vanilla cake for a long time, and I’ve finally found it! It took me several years (and three tests of the same recipe) to get it right. I had to tweak things along the way to get it delicate, moist and flavorful. What ended up making this the winning cake? Cake flour, egg whites and a whole lot of vanilla bean paste.
Is vanilla cake and white cake the same? Cakes that use just egg whites are considered white cakes, and cakes that use whole eggs are considered yellow cakes because the yolks tint the batter.
Vanilla cakes fall in the middle, especially when you use vanilla bean paste, because any addition of color muddles the categorization. This cake only uses egg whites, so it starts off a white cake, but the inclusion of the vanilla bean paste makes it uniquely a vanilla cake.
Ingredients for the Perfect Vanilla Cake
Vanilla Paste: Vanilla paste is made from a mixture of the vanilla bean powder and vanilla extract, so it has a more realistic vanilla flavor. It also has those decadent-looking black specks that make your cake look that much more amazing!
About 4 years ago when I worked at Sur La Table I learned what a huge difference this ingredient can make in a recipe. We always had Nielsen-Massey extracts/pastes on hand and I haven’t been able to use any other kind since. They are amazing, I really mean it!
(And yes, there are 5 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste. You read it right, I promise!) If all you have on hand is vanilla extract, no worries. Just make a simple 1:1 substitution.
Sour Cream: It’s Important to use full fat sour cream to ensure your cake has the perfect texture and consistency.
Egg Whites: Yes friends, there are 6 egg whites in this recipe. You can save those yolks for homemade ice cream!
How to Make Vanilla Cake
PREP. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Spray the parchment and sides with baking spray, set aside. SEE NOTES
CREAM. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla bean paste until pale, about 3 minutes.
COMBINE. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the dry ingredients along with the sour cream and milk. Add ⅓ of each at a time. Do not over-mix.
BEAT. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff.
FOLD. Carefully fold into the batter, taking care not to deflate them. Make sure that they are incorporated evenly.
DIVIDE. Divide batter between the two pans. Use a kitchen scale if necessary to ensure they are equal.
BAKE & COOL. Place in the oven and bake for 24-28 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not over-bake. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Leveling: Levelling a cake isn’t that difficult at all, but makes all the difference in creating a layered cake. This can be done with a long serrated knife. Place your hand on the top of the cake and place your knife at the edge of the cake before it domes. Gently wiggle your knife through the cake to remove the domed part and make a level top to the cake.
The Frosting
While the cake cools you’ll want to prepare the frosting. It’s pretty straightforward and includes yet another healthy dose of vanilla bean paste.
CREAM. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla bean paste and salt, mix to combine. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once added, pour in ¼ cup of heavy cream and beat on high for 1 minute.
TIP: If the frosting is too thick add an extra tablespoon or two of cream and continue beating for 30 seconds.
LAYER:
- Once the layers are completely cool, place one onto a plate or cake stand bottom side up. This not only helps create a nice even layer, but it also prevents crumbs from getting into your frosting.
- Cut a paper candy/cake pot making stick (or skewer) into three pieces the same height as your layer.
- Add three into the cake in a triangular shape, about 4 inches apart. Again, this is a very delicate cake, so a little support will help the bottom layer stay nice and fluffy. The weight of the frosting and top layer will compress the bottom layer if you’re not careful!
DECORATE. Finally, the fun part! Decorate this beauty with your favorite sprinkles or fresh fruit. If you choose to tint your frosting with food coloring you can do so many fun things! I went pretty plain, but added some sparkle with shiny non-pareils and tiny gold stars. No matter how you decorate it, I promise it will taste AMAZING! Enjoy!!
This vanilla frosting really is the most delicious compliment to the cake, but you can use whatever frosting flavor you prefer! Try our other frosting recipes:
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Maple Vanilla Bean Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
Storing & Freezing Vanilla Cake
Storing: You can store the cake either at room temperature or in the fridge.
- Before storing a frosted cake in the fridge, you need to let the frosting harden for 15 minutes. After you leave it uncovered for 15 minutes, cover it loosely in plastic wrap and keep it stored in the fridge.
- If you don’t want to store it in the fridge you can keep it at room temperature for 4-5 days. This is a fine option as long as your kitchen doesn’t get too warm during the day. Frosted cakes do really well with this method because the frosting acts as a barrier for the cake.
Freezing? You can freeze individual cake layers (unfrosted) very easily. Let the layers cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap and then in foil. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight before frosting and serving.
If you want to freeze a fully decorated cake you can easily do that. Bake and frost as normal before you let it sit in the freezer to set up. Let it set for about 4 hours or until solid. Then, remove it from the freezer and wrap it in plastic wrap and foil. Try to eat the cake within 3 months before it dries out too quickly.
Complete the Dessert!
A slice of cake isn’t complete without a scoop of ice cream! Serve your vanilla cake with any of our favorites:
- Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
- Brownie Fudge Swirl Ice Cream
- Mint Cookies and Cream Ice cream
- S’mores Ice Cream
Of course – this cake is just as good on its own too, but who can deny cake AND ice cream?!
For more delicious cake recipes, try:
Vanilla Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup +2 tbsp (18 tbsp) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 2/3 cup cake flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher sea salt
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 6 egg whites
For the Frosting
- 1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 tsp kosher sea salt
- 6 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4-1/3 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Spray the parchment and sides with baking spray, set aside. SEE NOTES
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla bean paste until pale, about 3 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the dry ingredients along with the sour cream and milk. Add ⅓ of each at a time. Do not over-mix.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Carefully fold into the batter, taking care not to deflate them. Make sure that they are incorporated evenly.
- Divide batter between the two pans. Use a kitchen scale if necessary to ensure they are equal.
- Place in the oven and bake for 24-28 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not over-bake. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla bean paste and salt, mix to combine. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once added, pour in ¼ cup of heavy cream and beat on high for 1 minute. If the frosting is too thick add an extra tablespoon or two of cream and continue beating for 30 seconds.
- Peel off parchment. Place one layer bottom side up on a plate or cake stand. Cut a cake pop sticks or skewers into three pieces equal to the height of the first layer. Place in a triangle (about 4 inches apart) in the middle of the cake (this is a very light cake and the bottom layer needs support so that it won't deflate). Spread frosting over top, them place the remaining cake layer on top, bottom side up. Spread remaining frosting on top and on sides. Decorate with sprinkles or fresh fruit, if desired.
We loved this vanilla cake recipe! It was so simple and SO good! Can’t wait to make it again!
Cake on repeat sounds like a great idea!
There is nothing better than a classic vanilla cake and this one is the best!
SO glad you enjoyed it!