Description
This Soft Vanilla Cake recipe yields a tender, moist, and fluffy vanilla cake made with a combination of butter and vegetable oil for an optimal texture. It is layered with a creamy, sweet American-style vanilla buttercream frosting, perfect for celebrations or a delightful dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Vanilla Cake
- 2¼ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (25 g) cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (105 g) unflavoured vegetable oil (canola recommended)
- 1⅔ cups (332 g) white granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1¼ tbsp vanilla essence/extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1½ cups (337 g) buttermilk, room temperature
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar (icing/confectioners’ sugar)
- 1½ tsp vanilla essence/extract
- 1½ tbsp milk (heavy cream or whipping cream also acceptable)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 165°C (330°F) with the fan on. Grease and/or line two 8 inch cake tins with cake release or parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk well to combine, then set aside.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: In another large bowl, combine the unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer, cream them together on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, about 10-15 seconds per egg.
- Add Flavor and Buttermilk: Mix in the vanilla extract and white vinegar along with half a cup of the buttermilk until fully combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Add half of the premixed dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Next, fold in 1 cup of the buttermilk gently, then add the remaining dry ingredients and fold until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Bake the Cake: Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared 8 inch cake tins. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake Layers: Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 15-20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: In a stand mixer bowl, combine the unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix on lowest speed to combine (about 1 minute), then increase to medium-high and beat for 10 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake layers are completely cool, apply the prepared vanilla buttercream frosting evenly between layers and around the cake.
Notes
- You can substitute cake flour for the all purpose flour and cornstarch combined (325 g total) for a lighter texture.
- When using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment for initial mixing but fold the batter by hand for the final steps to avoid overmixing.
- Folding the batter gently prevents excess gluten formation and keeps the cake soft; mix only until no flour streaks remain.
- The American buttercream frosting is sweeter than Swiss or French buttercreams but uses less powdered sugar than typical recipes; adjust sweetness by choosing a different frosting if desired.
- If your oven lacks a fan function, increase baking temperature to 175°C (347°F) to replicate fan-forced baking results.
- Store-bought buttermilk is thicker and preferred for this recipe; homemade buttermilk substitute requires reducing the quantity to about 1¼ cups (275 g) for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
