14 attempts and over 100 eggs later, we finally have a vanilla cake recipe that rivals a box mix. Since we started our page, vanilla cake was one of our most requested recipes. We also love vanilla cake, but find most recipes to be too dry or muffin like. Truthfully, we never found one we felt stood up to the tender texture of a box mix. It took us years to finally develop one that we like even more. It has the same tender texture with stronger vanilla flavor and real ingredients. We finally did it! And can confirm, this is our new favorite vanilla cake.
Vanilla Cake
Ingredients
- 4 cups cake flour 480 g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 10 ml
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5 ml
- 1 teaspoon salt 5 ml
- 170 g coconut oil room temperature
- 170 g butter room temperature 1.5 sticks
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar 500 g
- 8 egg whites
- 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon imitation vanilla extract optional adds nostalgic box cake flavor
- 1 teaspoon almond extract optional adds almond flavor if you don't enjoy this, leave it out
- 2 cups buttermilk 480 ml
Cream Cheese Icing:
- 2 sticks butter 226 g or 1 cup
- 1 stick cream cheese 226 g or 8 ounces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
- 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 6-8 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease three 8” cake pans and line with parchment
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside
- In the base of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, coconut oil, and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes on medium high speed. Scrape down the bowl halfway through
- With the mixer still running, slower pour in the egg white and whip for 1-2 minutes until well combined
- Add in the extracts and mix until well combined
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and then add 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined then add ½ of the buttermilk and repeat the remaining flour and buttermilk, alternating. You should start and end with the dry
- Divide the batter evenly into 3 and place it evenly into the 3 prepared cake pans
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
Icing:
- In the base of a kitchen aid or large bowl with a hand mixer, add softened butter and cream cheese
- On medium high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy (around 2 minutes)
- Add salt, almond extract, and vanilla. Whip until combined
- On low speed, add the powder sugar 1 cup at a time
- Once all the sugar has been added, turn up the mixture and whip on medium high until light and fluffy (around 2 minutes)
- Spread icing over the cooled cake in an even layer
Notes
This recipe was adapted from Bravetart. You can buy her wonderful cookbook here
Hi,
This cake is not it. Taste of almond and nothing else. Trust I used all that vanilla. This recipe could definitely use a 15th trial. Did you even taste the cake? Cake texture is good though…
Hi Bill – Thank you for taking the time to make the recipe and leave feedback, we are so sorry to hear that you did not enjoy the almond taste. In the future know this ingredient can always be left off if you do not enjoy the taste of almond. Happy baking!
This looks delicious! Do you use solid or liquid coconut oil?
We use solid coconut oil!
I halved this recipe exactly and made a 3-layer cake using 6-inch round pans and it turned out absolutely perfect! The most delicious and tender cake I have ever made. Wonderful recipe!
This cake was delicious!! I ended up making a maple brown butter cream cheese frosting with the vanilla cake and it was heaven! The cake is super moist and everything a vanilla cake is!!! Great job! Best cake I’ve tried so far!
Looks good! I am wondering what kind or brand of vanilla bean paste you use? Where can we get it?
We got ours at Costco. Nielsen Massey
Such a good vanilla cake texture. wow.
This looks amazing! Is the coconut oil solid or liquid?
Solid! This gets creamed with the butter
I baked this cake this morning, wrapped the layers and froze them for use at a later date. I had to substitute canola oil for the coconut oil since I didn’t have any. And used 1 tsp “cake batter” extract in place of the almond, but also used the vanilla as directed.
The layers baked up beautifully and you could just feel how tender they were. The smell was incredible. I love the versatility of the recipe using extract of your choice based on personal preference for an easy to make, beautiful cake.
When I frost at a later date, will tag you on instagram.
I loved this recipe and am now thinking I need to try to use it for cupcakes!
1 stick of cream cheese? Is that just the classic 8 oz block of Philadelphia cream cheese. The 450g is confusing because that would be 2 blocks.
Can you substitute the cream cheese for heavy cream/whipping cream?
The won’t turn out the same that way, but you can replace it with a different icing all together!
Around how much did you put in each pan and can you also use one 8 inch pan at a time to make it like reuse it again and again?
Hi! We are not sure of the exact grams of each pan but it is 1/3 of the batter. You can use it again and again just clean between uses. It might take a while though!
Best cake ever made this for my sisters birthday and we ate ever bit!!! Such a soft good texture and can’t wait to make it again!
Hii, can I ask how big your baking pan is?
Can anything be used in place of the coconut oil? I don’t use that in anything so I hate buy a whole jar just for 170g just don’t want waste it bc it is kinda pricey
You can use another oil (e.g., vegetable oil) but it will produce a slightly different taste. Happy baking!