Perfect Vanilla Cake (Printable version)

A light, moist vanilla cake with creamy buttercream frosting, perfect for celebrations and everyday treats.

# List of ingredients:

→ For the Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ For the Vanilla Buttercream

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 tbsp whole milk
12 - 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt; beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
10 - Once cakes are completely cool, spread a layer of buttercream between the layers. Frost the top and sides with remaining buttercream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crumb is incredibly tender and stays moist for days, unlike those dry bakery cakes that taste like disappointment
  • The buttercream is silky smooth without being cloyingly sweet, hitting that perfect balance that makes people ask for seconds
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't a suggestion, cold eggs or milk will cause the butter to seize and create a curdled looking batter that never bakes quite right
  • Letting the cakes cool completely before frosting is non negotiable. I once frosted a slightly warm cake and watched in horror as the frosting dripped off the sides onto my countertop.
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale if you have one. Baking is chemistry and measurements matter more than in other types of cooking.
  • Rotate the cake pans halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots. This ensures both layers rise evenly.

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