Vanilla Cake Recipe

One thing every baker needs is a delicious made from scratch white vanilla cake recipe. A light fluffy, slightly moist cake texture that can be used for either round, square, or cupcake occasions. This recipe twist on the classic vanilla cake comes from a mixture of different cakes I’ve tried or seen in the past. It’s one of the best cake recipes because it simple and has a wonderful vanilla flavor. Plus, its the perfect base for decorating with spring colored frostings.

Vanilla Cake with Cake Flour

When I want to create a tender crumb texture in my cakes, I always grab cake flour. It has a lower protein content when compared to All Purpose Flour so its softer  and absorbs more moisture. In this recipe I did a 2:1 mixture of cake flour to all purpose so the structure was firm enough to make a layer cake.

Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Yogurt

Yes, vanilla yogurt is my oil substitute in this cake batter. Not only does yogurt add moisture, its tangy vanilla flavor is drool worthy. The acidity also reacts with the baking powder to create a nice rise.

Using Egg Whites in a Cake Recipe

Egg whites are used instead of whole eggs in most recipes to create a fluffy rise when combined with sugar. However, they can also have a drying affect if not mixed with any fat or oil. Hence, the use of vanilla yogurt. So, why did I choose egg whites over whole eggs? I love the consistency of angel food cake and wanted to incorporate some of that into my sponge.

Tips for making Homemade Vanilla Cake

• Weigh your flour with a small kitchen scale.
• Use softened unsalted butter. Leave your cold butter on the counter for several hours.
• I used 2% milk for this recipe, but feel free to switch out for whole milk.
• Be generous with your heaping tablespoon of vanilla extract.
• Let egg whites warm to room temperature before whipping.
• Use a spatula to gently fold your egg whites into the batter. I add a third of the egg whites at a time and gently run my spatula across the center and around the edges a few times before adding more.
• If you decide to make a layer cake, measure your batter evenly by weighing with a kitchen scale.
• Bake all three layers on the same rack. Check each layer individually with a toothpick for doneness. Sometime one will bake faster depending on where it is placed in the oven.
• Let cakes completely cool before removing from cake pans.
• Decorate your cake with Lavender Buttercream !!!