Vanilla Cake Recipe
Ah, vanilla cake. The name alone conjures up images of fluffy white layers, fragrant with sweet simplicity, and frosted with swirls of creamy perfection. It's a timeless classic, a blank canvas for endless creativity, and a flavor that transcends generations.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 3 3/4 cups 443g all-purpose flour (sifted and leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups 345g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 cups 400g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs + 2 additional egg whites at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups 360ml buttermilk, at room temperature
Optional:
- 1-2 cups fresh raspberries or other berries
Instructions
Prepping:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Wet Ingredients and Combining:
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer on medium speed.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
- Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in raspberries (if using) with a spatula.
Baking and Cooling:
- Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Bake for 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then invert onto racks to cool completely.
Frosting and Assembling (not included in the original recipe):
- Prepare your favorite vanilla frosting recipe.
- Once the cakes are cool, frost the top and sides of each layer.
- Stack and decorate the cake as desired.
Notes
- For best results, use all ingredients at room temperature.
- Don't overmix the batter, just mix until combined.
- If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 1/2 cups of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.