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My Best Vanilla Cake - Moist and Fluffy with Classic Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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3.9 from 3 reviews

This moist and fluffy vanilla cake recipe delivers a tender crumb that stays fresh for up to 4 days. Perfectly balanced with rich vanilla buttercream, it’s ideal for celebrations or an everyday treat. Made with simple pantry staples, this cake uses a combination of beaten eggs, sifted flour, and a gently tempered milk-butter mixture to achieve lightness and moisture. The frosting is a classic vanilla buttercream, creamy and smooth, that complements the delicate vanilla flavor of the cake layers.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 2 cups plain / all purpose flour (cake flour also works)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs (50 - 55g / 2 oz each), at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups caster sugar / superfine sugar (granulated sugar okay)
  • 115g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1.5cm / 1/2” cubes
  • 1 cup full fat milk
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (good quality)
  • 3 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  • 225g (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 500g (1 lb) soft icing sugar / powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons milk (to adjust thickness if needed)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F), or 160°C (320°F) if using a fan-assisted oven. Allow the oven to heat for 20 minutes before baking. Grease two 20cm (8”) cake pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly mixed. Set aside.
  3. Beat Eggs and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a hand beater, beat the eggs on medium speed for 30 seconds to aerate. Gradually add the sugar over a 45-second period while continuing to beat. Then increase the speed and beat for 7 minutes until the mixture triples in volume and becomes thick and pale.
  4. Heat Milk and Butter: In a heatproof jug, melt the butter with the milk either by microwaving on high for about 2 minutes or gently warming on the stovetop. This mixture will be hot but not boiling.
  5. Add Flour to Batter: Add the dry flour mixture to the whipped egg and sugar in three batches. Beat briefly on low speed (about 5 seconds) after each addition until just combined and no flour streaks remain, being careful not to overmix.
  6. Temper Milk Mixture: Pour the hot milk, vanilla extract, and oil into the empty flour bowl. Then add about 1 1/2 cups (2 ladles) of the cake batter into the warm milk mixture, whisking vigorously until smooth and slightly foamy. Slowly pour this tempered milk mixture back into the main cake batter while mixing gently on low speed.
  7. Final Mix: Scrape down the bowl’s sides and give the batter a final 10-second mix on low speed until smooth and pourable.
  8. Fill Pans and Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (approximately 560g or 20 oz per pan). Tap the pans on the counter three times to remove large air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool the Cakes: Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in their pans for 15 minutes. Then gently turn them out onto wire racks. If using as layered cakes, invert them while cooling to flatten any domed tops for even layers. Level the cakes if needed.
  10. Prepare Vanilla Buttercream Frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on high speed for 3 minutes until light, creamy, and pale in color. Gradually add the sifted icing sugar in three portions, beating slowly to minimize dust, then beat on high for another 3 minutes until fluffy.
  11. Finish Buttercream: Add vanilla extract and 2-4 tablespoons of milk to the buttercream. Beat for an additional 30 seconds. Adjust milk amount to achieve a soft yet pipeable consistency. Use immediately to frost the completely cooled cake layers. Store leftovers refrigerated and re-beat before use.

Notes

  • You can substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour for a lighter texture.
  • Granulated sugar can be used if caster sugar is unavailable, but caster sugar dissolves better leading to finer crumb.
  • Use eggs at room temperature to ensure better aeration and volume in the batter.
  • Butter and milk should be hot but not boiling when tempered into the batter to avoid cooking the eggs prematurely.
  • You can bake in two 20cm pans or three pans for thinner layers as preferred.
  • Flatten domed cake tops by cooling cakes upside down for neat layering.
  • If making ahead, refrigerate the buttercream and rewhip before using to restore fluffiness.
  • This cake keeps moist for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Find it online: https://simpleplatter.com/my-best-vanilla-cake-moist-and-fluffy-with-classic-buttercream-frosting-recipe/