Friday, September 6, 2024
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Moist Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe


This vanilla layer cake is the one cake that everybody must know find out how to make. Three layers of moist, fluffy vanilla cake are stuffed and frosted with wealthy vanilla buttercream. It’s splendidly easy and completely heavenly.

A slice of moist vanilla layer cake on a plate with a fork.

The Finest Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe

I’ve been experimenting with vanilla truffles for years now making an attempt to get the flavour and texture good. It’s a little bit of a operating joke. However in an try to fulfill everybody and all of the totally different preferences on the market, I’ve arrived at a number of variations of vanilla cake and cupcakes over time so as to please everybody.

This recipe is my most up-to-date and “closing” recipe. I’ve taken all the suggestions over time included into this cake. It has all the issues you might need in a vanilla cake. The cake itself is gentle and fluffy however with sufficient substance to chew into. It’s completely moist and topped with a wealthy buttercream frosting that’s simply to die for. The seek for the right vanilla cake is over. I can’t wait so that you can see (or style, relatively) what I imply.

Moist vanilla layer cake with a slice taken out of it.

Why You’ll Love This Straightforward Vanilla Cake

A easy, straightforward, moist vanilla layer cake? Everybody wants one of their recipe assortment. Listed here are a couple of the reason why this one, particularly, is 100% crucial for each baker to strive.

  • Texture. Creaming collectively the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract till they’re fluffy provides this cake a splendidly ethereal texture. Not like truffles that solely make the most of egg whites, nevertheless, this one makes use of complete eggs. The inclusion of the yolks provides the cake the right quantity of substance and richness. So it’s not too ethereal and never too heavy. It’s excellent. Plus, the addition of oil makes the vanilla cake completely moist.
  • Flavorful. I really like the refined vanilla taste of this cake. It makes it universally loveable. The usage of butter along with oil provides the cake additional richness and taste as nicely. It’s severely so good.
  • Easy recipe. Whereas you’ll nonetheless must comply with a number of steps to make the batter, this recipe requires an easier mixing technique than many different truffles with out compromising texture or taste.
  • Versatile. Everybody wants a easy vanilla cake of their life. It’s the excellent canvas for quite a lot of totally different fillings and frostings. I used a vanilla buttercream right here however be happy to experiment! Take a look at the part beneath titled “Adorning Suggestions & Concepts” for inspiration.
Ingredients for vanilla layer cake separated into bowls.

What You’ll Want

Right here’s a listing of elements you will have to make this straightforward vanilla cake. Be sure that to scroll to the recipe card beneath for detailed measurements.

Vanilla cake

  • All-purpose flour – You need to make sure to not over measure your flour, or you might find yourself with dry, dense cake. Be happy to make use of your favourite 1:1 gluten-free flour as a substitute.
  • Baking powder – Relating to vanilla cake, I favor baking powder over baking soda. It provides the cake a pleasant bakery-style texture and retains the colour lighter.
  • Salt – At all times wanted for taste.
  • Unsalted butter – The butter have to be at room temperature. In any other case, it won’t cream correctly with the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract.
  • Vegetable oil – The vegetable oil provides a pleasant moistness to this cake.
  • Sugar – Sugar provides each sweetness and moisture and impacts the ultimate texture of the cake.
  • Vanilla extract – A great high quality extract is beneficial for excellent vanilla taste.
  • Eggs – They need to be giant eggs (not medium or additional giant) and it’s best that they’re at room temperature in order that they incorporate extra simply with the opposite elements.
  • Milk – I take advantage of 2% milk however be happy to make use of complete milk. The fats within the milk provides moisture and texture to the cake.

Vanilla frosting

  • Unsalted butter – The butter must be at room temperature so that you just don’t get a lumpy frosting.
  • Powdered sugar – This provides quantity to the frosting and impacts the consistency. Much less powdered sugar offers you a thinner frosting that doesn’t maintain up as nicely to issues like piping, and extra powdered sugar offers you a stiffer frosting that stays precisely the place you set it.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Heavy cream – This provides a beautiful creaminess to the frosting and can be utilized to skinny it out if it will get too thick.
  • Salt – For taste. It additionally can assist lower down on the sweetness.
  • Sprinkles – I used a combination that’s just like these sprinkles. Be happy to make use of your favourite.
Overhead of moist vanilla layer cake.

Find out how to Make Vanilla Layer Cake

Right here’s a fast overview of find out how to make this straightforward vanilla layer cake. Make sure to scroll to the recipe card beneath for extra detailed directions.

For the cake

  • Prep. Line the underside of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles and grease the perimeters. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Beat collectively the butter, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract till gentle in coloration and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs one after the other, mixing to mix after every addition.
  • Add. Combine. Add half of the dry elements to the batter and blend to mix. Slowly add the milk and blend to mix. Add the remaining dry elements and blend till clean.
  • Bake. Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake for 22-25 minutes.
  • Cool. Take away the truffles from the oven and permit them to chill for 2-3 minutes earlier than transferring them to wire racks to chill utterly.

For the frosting

  • Beat the butter till clean.
  • Add. Combine. Add half of the powdered sugar. Combine till clean. Add the vanilla extract, 4-5 tablespoons of heavy cream, and salt. Combine till clean. Add the remaining powdered sugar. Combine till clean.
  • Refine the consistency. If the frosting is just too thick, add further heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and blend till clean. Take a look at my tutorial on find out how to get the proper consistency of frosting.

To assemble the cake

  • Take away the domes from the highest of the truffles with a big serrated knife.
  • Stack. Place the primary cake on a serving plate and unfold 1 cup of frosting excessive. Repeat with the second layer and the third.
  • Frost the skin of the cake. Check with my tutorial for frosting a clean cake, if wanted.
  • Embellish. Press sprinkles into the perimeters of the cake and pipe swirls of frosting across the prime edge. Add a couple of extra sprinkles to the highest of the cake.
A slice of moist vanilla layer cake on a plate with a bite taken out of it.

Suggestions for Success

Are you feeling intimidated by the thought of creating a layer cake? Don’t be. You are able to do this! Simply comply with these easy ideas and methods to get one of the best outcomes doable.

  • Measure flour appropriately. One of many largest errors individuals make is over or beneath measuring flour. Most frequently the flour is over measured and it provides you a dry cake. I extremely advocate utilizing a meals scale and weighing your flour to keep away from this. In the event you favor to not use a meals scale, I like to recommend the spoon and degree technique.
  • Room temperature elements. The butter within the batter must be at room temperature. In any other case, it won’t cream correctly with the sugar, oil, and vanilla and one can find your self with a very dense cake. The eggs also needs to be at room temperature. They are going to incorporate extra simply with the opposite elements which is able to assist to stop over-mixing. The butter within the buttercream must be at room temperature as nicely. Whether it is too chilly, you’ll find yourself with a lumpy frosting.
  • Don’t skimp on creaming time. When beating collectively the butter, sugar, oil, and vanilla, achieve this till the combination is gentle in coloration and good and fluffy. This could take 2-3 minutes. It will assist make the cake itself gentle and fluffy.
  • Don’t over combine. Over mixing the cake batter after you add the flour will trigger the glutens within the flour to overdevelop. This offers you a troublesome, dense cake.
  • Scrape the bowl. As you might be including elements to the batter and mixing to include them, remember to scrape the perimeters of the bowl periodically. It will carry any elements caught to the bowl again into the batter.
  • Cool earlier than frosting. It’s important that you just permit the truffles to chill utterly earlier than stacking, filling, and frosting. If they’re too heat, the frosting will soften proper off the cake.
Moist vanilla layer cake on a cake stand near a bowl of sprinkles.

Adorning Suggestions & Concepts

I lined this moist, fluffy vanilla cake with white buttercream frosting and rainbow sprinkles however one of many nice issues about this recipe is that it’s so versatile. Listed here are a couple of enjoyable methods to make it your personal.

  • Colour your frosting. Add a few drops of gel meals coloring to the buttercream so as to add coloration to this dessert. You’ll be able to coloration the entire cake or simply pipe some coloured swirls on prime.
  • Add a drip. Elevate your cake and use my tutorial for including a chocolate (or white chocolate) drip.
  • Embellish with buttercream rosettes. Much like this ice cream cake tutorial, you should use buttercream to prime your cake with lovely and simple rosettes.
  • Sprinkles. I really like including sprinkles to my truffles. Hold it just a little extra reserved, just like the cake within the pictures, or press sprinkles all the best way up the perimeters. There are plenty of enjoyable choices.
  • Use different meals. I really like utilizing different meals for adorning! Prepare recent fruit on prime, add some toasted coconut or cookie crumbs, or prime along with your favourite sweet. All would look nice!

Can I Use This Recipe To Make Cupcakes?

Sure! You’ll be able to truly discover that recipe in my Straightforward Home made Vanilla Cupcakes. The recipe is lower in half and makes about 12-14 cupcakes. You’ll make the cake batter and buttercream as regular (simply much less of it), add the batter to cupcake liners after which bake for 15-18 minutes.

A slice of moist vanilla layer cake on a plate with a fork.

Find out how to Retailer a Frosted Layer Cake

After cooling and frosting, switch the cake to an hermetic cake provider or wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap. In the event you go the plastic wrap route, I recommend utilizing toothpicks to prop the plastic wrap away from the buttercream swirls.

Alternatively, you possibly can slice the cake and prepare the slices in a single layer in an hermetic container. In any case, retailer the cake at room temperature for as much as 24 hours or within the fridge for as much as 4 days. This cake is finest loved at room temperature, so for those who select to refrigerate it, let it sit on the counter for an hour or so earlier than diving it.

Moist vanilla layer cake on a cake stand near a bowl of sprinkles.

Can I Freeze Layer Cake?

You’ll be able to! I sometimes advocate freezing the layers previous to frosting. Wrap them nicely in clear wrap and aluminum foil previous to freezing. Thaw the cake layers in fridge previous to frosting. In the event you’d like, you might strive freezing the total cake. In that case, pop the totally frosted cake within the freezer for a few hours to agency up earlier than wrapping it in a double layer of plastic wrap. You may as well slice the cake and wrap the person slices in clear wrap and foil. Retailer the cake within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Thaw the cake within the fridge in a single day earlier than permitting it to come back to room temperature earlier than serving.

Extra Vanilla Cake Recipes:

Vanilla truffles are the king of all truffles and as I discussed earlier than, I’ve obtained many to strive. This moist vanilla layer cake is my absolute favourite however listed below are another fabulous recipes so that you can strive.

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A slice of moist vanilla layer cake on a plate with a fork.