Classic Vanilla Birthday Cake

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This is the most delicious soft and moist Classic Vanilla Birthday Cake! It has delicious layers of moist vanilla cake sandwiched together with smooth vanilla buttercream frosting that will send you straight to dessert paradise. This vanilla cake recipe is a classic that never fails and is perfect to serve at any birthday or celebration.

This classic vanilla birthday cake recipe is for any vanilla cake fans! It is so delicious and this cake has incredible soft and moist vanilla cake layers covered with a delicious vanilla buttercream. This layer cake really has the best vanilla cake recipe! This is the ultimate birthday layer cake and it is bound to steal your heart and make you yearning for another slice. 

For more layer cake recipes, try Nutella Cake, Chocolate Fudge Cake and Chai Cake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Vanilla cake: This cake is so soft and fluffy and full of delicious vanilla flavor.
• Vanilla buttercream: This smooth buttercream is super easy to make and is the perfect vanilla buttercream.
• Show stopper: This cake is simple decorated with sprinkles, making it a showstopper of cake.

INGREDIENT NOTES

These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

• All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy cake. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
• Cornstarch: Helps give a light and soft cake
• Sugar: The granulated sugar helps sweeten, as well as give moister to the cake.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Help leaven and rise the cake, so it has light and fluffy texture.
• Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the chocolate cake.
• Egg: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking, so it comes to room temperature. (depending how warm your kitchen is).
• Oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
• Sour cream: Sour cream gives lots of moister to the cake, as well as helps give the cake a great structure.
• Butter: The butter is used in the buttercream and in the cake. Bring it out and let it come to room temperature.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Here is how to make and bake these Classic Vanilla Birthday Cake. This recipe needs an electric mixer. You can use either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or an electric hand mixer. You will also need 2 x 20 (8 inch) cake pan lined with baking paper.

The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.

Before starting preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven. Prepare 2 x 20 (8 inch) baking pan  with parchment paper.

STEP 1: Sieve together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set it aside. In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer or in a bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and granulated sugar and mix it together on medium speed.

STEP 2: Add the eggs one at a time and whisk it in until combined. Continue by adding half the dry ingredients, on low speed, mixing until just combined. Then add the sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

STEP 3: Divide the cake into the 2 prepared baking pans and bake for 30-33 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - FROSTING AND ASSEMBLING

STEP 1: Sift the powdered sugar and set it aside. Mix the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer for 4 minutes on medium/high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for an additional 2 minutes.

STEP 2: Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extra and milk in 2 parts. Whipping until each addition is fully incorporated. Optionally add vanilla paste to enhance the vanilla flavor even more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give the buttercream a final mix for 2 minutes.

STEP 3: Start by cutting the very top of the cooled down cake layers so they have an even top. Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable.

STEP 4: Add 2 big scoops of buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and cover the whole cake in a thin crumb coat. Add the remaining buttercream, and even it out over the cake and decorate with the sprinkles. 

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
• Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
• Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.

FAQ

STORAGE

Store this classic vanilla birthday cake in the fridge in an airtight container. When wanting to eat it, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. It's best enjoyed within a 2-3 days.

Other Layer Cake Recipes To Try

Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.

Classic Vanilla Birthday Cake

The most delicious soft and moist Classic Vanilla Birthday Cake! It has delicious layers of moist vanilla cake sandwiched together with smooth vanilla buttercream frosting that will send you straight to dessert paradise. This cake is a classic that never fails and is perfect to serve at any birthday or celebration.

5 fra 20 stemmer

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 slices

Calories 721 kcal

Equipment

• 20 cm (8 in) baking pan

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

VANILLA CAKE

• 180 g butter room temperature
• 300 g granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 340 g all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 240 g sour cream 14-18%, room temperature
• 60 g vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
• 2 teaspoon tsp vanilla extract

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

• 260 g butter room temperature
• 440 g powdered sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ½ teaspoon whole milk room temperature

The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.

Instructions

 

VANILLA CAKE

• Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and prepare a 2 x20 cm (8-inch) baking pan with parchment paper.
• Sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set it aside.
  340 g all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
• In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer or in a bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, and granulated sugar and mix it on high speed for 3 minutes.
  180 g butter, 300 g granulated sugar
• Add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined.
  4 large eggs
• Continue by adding half the dry ingredients, on low speed, mixing until just combined.
• Then add the sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  240 g sour cream, 60 g vegetable oil, 2 teaspoon tsp vanilla extract
• Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a gentle fold to make sure all of the ingredients have combined.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-33 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

• Sift the powdered sugar and set it aside.
  440 g powdered sugar
• Mix the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer for 4 minutes on medium/high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for an additional 2 minutes.
  260 g butter
• Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extra and milk in 2 parts. Whipping until each addition is fully incorporated. Optionally add vanilla paste to enhance the vanilla flavor even more.
  1 ½ teaspoon vanilla paste, 2 ½ teaspoon whole milk, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give the buttercream a final mix for 2 minutes.

ASSEMBLING

• Start by cutting the very top of the cooled down cake layers so they have an even top. Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.
• Add 2 big scoops of buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and cover the whole cake in a thin crumb coat. Add the remaining buttercream, and even it out over the cake. Optional, make a wavy design with the buttercream, using the offset spatula and decorate with the sprinkles.

Nutrition

Calories: 721kcalCarbohydrates: 86gProtein: 6gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 505mgPotassium: 89mgFiber: 1gSugar: 62gVitamin A: 1122IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg

Keyword vanilla buttercream, vanilla cake

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