A vanilla or chocolate cake is often the starting point for other cake flavors, so it’s important to have a perfect foundation for your baking projects. And while I love gorgeous cakes, they have to taste fantastic, too. So, starting with the basics, I’m sharing my High Altitude Vanilla Cake recipe today.
My vanilla cake is so soft, light and fluffy, thanks to a generous amount of buttermilk, with a delicious flavor from real vanilla beans and butter. The cake crumb is just beautiful and moist, even days after baking. This is also an incredibly easy cake to make, requiring nothing more than just whisking the ingredients together in a bowl before baking. You’ll love this delicious and versatile high altitude vanilla cake recipe! It’s just the perfect choice for a birthday party or special occasion cake that will please everyone.
Looking for more high altitude cake recipes? Don’t miss this brown butter carrot cake, chocolate fudge cake, and mint chocolate chip cake.
Update: I originally published this recipe in 2015, but have updated the post and recipe in 2021.
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Let’s Talk About Vanilla
I genuinely love vanilla, and I don’t think there’s anything plain about it, really. Vanilla is a complex flavor that pairs so beautifully with so many other ingredients. And vanilla beans are a very difficult crop to grow and cultivate, so I have great respect for vanilla!
About 80% of the world’s vanilla beans are grown on the island of Madagascar. In recent years, the cost of vanilla skyrocketed, due to a series of storms that ravaged the island, destroying the plants and driving up vanilla prices to almost 10 times what they were a few years before.
The other major contributing factor to the high price of vanilla is the fact that the plant is just so difficult to grow. Vanilla comes from an orchid plant, and while there are 100+ varieties of orchids, only one, the vanilla planifolia, grows vanilla beans. The hand pollination process is difficult and labor intensive, requiring skill and experience. The orchids flower just once a year, and the pollination must take place on that day. And after the harvesting the beans, they still need to be dried and cured. The entire process of growth to export of 1 vanilla bean takes a whole year.
TIP: Be sure to check out my post on How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract.
Types of Vanilla to Use in Baking
When flavoring your vanilla cake, you can use real vanilla beans, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract, and each has something a little different to offer.
Real Vanilla Beans
There’s nothing quite like the flavor and aroma of real vanilla beans. When you split open a vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds, the scent is intoxicating. In my vanilla cake recipe, I rub the vanilla bean seeds into the sugar before mixing up the cake batter, which infuses the sugar with as much vanilla flavor as possible.
I’ve been buying Tahitian vanilla beans online, and they are actually quite affordable at the moment, much more so than what you’d find at your local grocery store or spice shop. The Grade A Tahitian Vanilla Beans will be bigger and plumper, with more seeds inside. Grade B Tahitian Vanilla Beans won’t be quite as big and plump, but are still quite decent for the price.
Vanilla bean isn’t just for cakes, either. I use it in homemade ice cream, custards and cream pies, and the black specks of vanilla bean look just beautiful. After scraping out the seeds, there are a few ways you can use up the empty pod, but definitely don’t throw it away!
- Steep the scraped vanilla beans in vodka to make your own vanilla extract. I’d recommend about 8-10 beans inside of a pint jar of vodka. You’ll need to let it steep for at least 8 weeks, but 6 months will make it even more flavorful.
- Place the bean in a canister of sugar to infuse the sugar with vanilla flavor. Or place it in a bottle of vanilla extract so any trace amounts of vanilla seeds can add extra flavor to the extract.
- Dry the bean, then grind it into a vanilla powder. This is my favorite use, and what I always do with my scraped vanilla pods. I’ll add the ground vanilla powder right into cake batter, or sprinkle it on top of baked goods for a wonderful vanilla flavor.
Vanilla Bean Paste
Vanilla bean paste is a rich, thick paste that contains a blend of scraped vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract, as well as sugar, water and thickening ingredients. It’s a great option when you want to add real specks of vanilla bean to your baked goods, but don’t want to bother with using vanilla beans.
Pure Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract is the most affordable type of vanilla. Some extracts are made from whole beans, while others are made from the pods after the specks are removed. The vanilla is macerated with alcohol and water, infusing its flavor into the liquid and stretching it to make it last longer. Be sure to look for the words “real” and “pure” on bottles of vanilla extract. Imitation vanilla extracts or vanillin has an inferior flavor to the real thing.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness and moisture to cakes. With high altitude baking, too much sugar can lead to a gummy texture in your cakes, so the sugar has to be perfectly balanced with the other ingredients.
- Vanilla Bean. Adds incredible flavor, especially when you rub the seeds into the sugar.
- Vanilla Extract. I use a combination of both vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract. You can use both, or just one of them, whichever you like.
- Cake Flour. Cake flour makes a very soft, light and fluffy vanilla cake, as it contains a lower percentage of protein than all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder. Leavens the cake, making it rise.
- Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Eggs + Egg Whites. I use 2 eggs, plus 2 egg whites, in my vanilla cake, which adds structure and richness, while the extra whites make it nice and fluffy. Save the leftover 2 egg yolks for another use.
- Buttermilk. Adds richness and acidity for a light, fluffy, tender cake crumb.
- Melted Butter + Vegetable Oil. A combination of both butter and oil gives this vanilla cake the best flavor as well as a soft, moist texture.
Instructions
Rub the Vanilla Bean Seeds into the Sugar.
Take the extra step of rubbing the scraped vanilla bean seeds into your sugar, to really infuse the flavor of the vanilla into your cake.
Sift Together the Dry Ingredients.
Next, sift together the vanilla sugar with the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk in the Liquid Ingredients.
Whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, egg whites, melted butter, oil and vanilla extract, then whisk everything together with the dry ingredients until smooth. Seriously, you can’t mess this cake up.
Bake, Cool and Frost.
Grease the bottoms of your cake pans with non-stick spray. I always use 8-inch cake pans for my layer cakes, because they make a taller cake than if you use 9-inch pans. Once the cakes are cooled, frost them with some fluffy buttercream, and you’re done!
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading my comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream and How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I use if I don’t have cake flour?
If you can’t find cake flour at your local grocery store or Walmart, you can also buy cake flour online. In a pinch, you can make your own cake flour. Measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour using the spoon and sweep method. Remove 2 tablespoons of flour, and replace with 2 tablespoons of corn starch. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.
Can I make this recipe with gluten free flour?
Yes, I’ve had feedback from people who have made this recipe successfully with gluten free flour. I’d recommend using your favorite measure-for-measure gluten free flour, although the cake will likely have a slightly coarser texture.
What can I substitute for the buttermilk?
While I prefer whole buttermilk, I’ll also use lowfat buttermilk if it’s the only thing available at my grocery store. The next best thing is to make your own sour milk by stirring together 1 1/2 tbsp white distilled vinegar with 1 1/2 cups whole milk. Let sit for 15 minutes to curdle before mixing your cake batter.
Why did you change this recipe from the original vanilla cake recipe on your blog?
I felt like the original cake was too oily, and didn’t bake consistently for high altitude. See the next section below for details on my recipe updates.
Can I make the cake ahead of time and freeze it?
Yes, after baking and cooling the cakes, wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap and freeze for 3-6 months until you’re ready to frost your cake. You can also freeze the fully assembled and frosted cake in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
How long will this cake stay moist?
If you keep it in an airtight container, it will stay moist for days and days! If it lasts that long.
How should I store the leftover cake?
Store leftover vanilla cake in an airtight container or cake carrier at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.
Can I bake this cake recipe as cupcakes instead?
You sure can! You can see this vanilla cake recipe in cupcake form in my Strawberry Cupcakes post. You’ll get about 30-32 cupcakes.
Do I need to use 8-inch cake pans, or can I use 9-inch cake pans?
I love my 8-inch cake pans, since they make tall, pretty cakes. You can certainly bake this recipe in 9-inch pans, though, and your assembled cake will be a little wider and shorter.
Will this recipe work as a sheet cake?
This recipe will certainly work as a sheet cake. Bake the batter in a greased 9×13 pan, and bake for a little longer, watching the center for doneness.
Can I cut this recipe in half?
Yes, you can easily halve this vanilla cake recipe, and bake the batter in three 6-inch pans.
Can I make this recipe even if I don’t live at high altitude?
Yes, many people who are not at high altitude have tried and loved my vanilla cake recipe. If you’re at sea level, you may need to make a few slight modifications, such as reducing the flour by 2-4 tablespoons, and increasing the baking powder from 3 tsp to 4 tsp. I live in Denver, which has an altitude of 5,280 feet, so if you live significantly higher than that (more than 1,000 feet higher), you might need to make a few minor adjustments, such as increasing the flour a bit more, and decreasing the baking powder a little. Please read this post on guidelines for adjusting cake recipes for various altitudes.
What flavor of buttercream should I frost a vanilla cake with?
In my recipe card below, I’ve included my recipe for vanilla buttercream. But honestly, you can use absolutely any flavor of buttercream and filling that you like – everything is good with vanilla! See my comprehensive post on Perfect American Buttercream to read all about how I make my buttercream, as well as ideas for other flavors.
Recipe Updates
I originally published this vanilla cake recipe almost 6 years ago, so many of you have tried and loved it over the years. However, I felt there were a few areas that needed improving, especially for high altitude bakers, to ensure a delicious and perfect vanilla cake. If you still love and prefer the original recipe, though, you can find the original ingredients list in the notes section of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cake flour for a fluffier cake crumb. First, I swapped the all-purpose flour for cake flour, which makes a lighter, fluffier, more tender cake crumb. I also increased the amount of cake flour, as the flour to sugar to leavening ratio seemed a little off. The increase in flour stabilizes the batter for a much better rise.
- Butter + oil for better flavor and less oily texture. In my original recipe, I used a whole cup of vegetable oil. Over time, I really felt like that was far too much oil, and the flavor of the oil overwhelmed the flavor of the vanilla. For a much better flavor, but a cake that’s still very moist, I now use 1/2 cup melted butter + 1/2 cup vegetable oil.
- Using only baking powder. In my original recipe, I used both baking soda and baking powder. Baking soda is stronger than baking powder, and it seems to leaven this vanilla cake too aggressively, which can lead to a fallen center for high altitude bakers. To stabilize the leavening process, I now use only baking powder for a slower, steadier rise that ensures the cake won’t fall.
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Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!
High Altitude Vanilla Cake
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 3 ¼ cups cake flour, spooned and leveled, then sifted
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 ½ cups whole buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Buttercream
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp meringue powder (optional)
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-4 tbsp milk or cream, if needed
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F and spray the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, measure out the sugar. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean pod and use your fingers to rub the seeds into the sugar until very fragrant and the seeds are evenly dispersed throughout the sugar.
- Set a fine mesh sifter over the bowl of sugar, and sift in the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to combine the dry ingredients well.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, buttermilk, melted butter, oil and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and whisk until combined and smooth, about 10-15 seconds. Divide the batter between the cake pans. Tap a few times against the counter to pop any large air bubbles.
- Bake the cakes for about 21-25 minutes, or until a cake tester or a toothpick comes out clean, and the tops spring back when lightly touched.
- Set the pans on a wire rack, cover them loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting. When ready to frost and assemble the cake, remove the cakes from the pans.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and vanilla bean seeds for 1 minute until smooth.
- With the mixer running on low, add the powdered sugar by spoonfuls, the meringue powder and the salt, mixing until thick and combined.
- Add the vanilla and the milk; increase speed to medium and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl down several times, until light and fluffy.
- Fill and frost the cooled cakes with the buttercream.
Notes
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt
- 2 large eggs + 2 egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or 1 1/2 cups whole milk + 1 1/2 tbsp white distilled vinegar)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract.
Thanks..
You know..even in all it's simplicity..you've made it stunning.
Always pretty here.
You always leave the nicest comments! I'm glad my blog is a place people can find beauty.
This recipe is amazing, my mom has celiac so I make everything gluten free, and with other recipes I find the cake is so dense and dry but with you’re recipe I find that the cake is nice and moist and it doesn’t fall apart.
That’s great to hear it works well with gluten free flour. 🙂
Hi! How do adjust cook time when using 6” cake pans? And can you put all three in at once or should you limit to 2 at a time?
So you’ll need to cut the recipe in half to bake the batter in three 6-inch pans. You can bake them all at once – whether I’m baking three 6 inch or three 8 inch, I always put all three pans on the same rack to bake them at the same time. Actually, I often bake six 6-inch pans all together on the same rack, too. For 6-inch pans, I usually gently check the cakes at about 18 minutes by just lightly touching the top, but they probably will still need a few more minutes. They’re done when the center springs back when lightly touched.
How did you do cake flour gluten free did you just add cornstarch?
I’m not sure I understand your question. Cake flour isn’t gluten free. You can make a substitute for cake flour by adding some corn starch to all-purpose flour, but that also will not be a gluten free flour. For a gluten free cake, you would need to use a gluten free measure-for-measure flour instead of cake flour or all-purpose flour.
Hi, I’ve been looking 4 a really good vanilla cake, that can Be made with Wheat Flour & or Gluten-Free flour. (I think I’ve found it… from what I’ve read in the comments.) Now B4 I make this a Gluten-Free cake (for someone’s Birthday) I just have a few questions.
1) I see it says to use Gluten-free flour Measure for measure. Is that the same for the flours that say Cup- 4 Cup or 1:1?
2) should a little more Buttermilk be used (I’ve heard that Gluten-Free flour absorbs more liquid 🤷🏻♀️?
3) can This cake be colored? Gluten-Free or Not..
Thanking You in advance!
Thanks for your comment! I haven’t personally made this recipe with gluten-free flour, I’m only recommending it based on user comments, so I honestly can’t say if you’d need to add more liquid or not. Hopefully someone who’s tried it can chime in on that. I’d suggest making a half recipe first to test how it works with the flour, and then making adjustments for the final cake for the birthday party.
Yes, you can add food coloring. I used this recipe for my Rainbow Cake, which I colored with gel food coloring.
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/rainbow-cake-birthday-sprinkle-buttercream/
What adjustments need to be made for a regular altitude when preparing/baking this cake?
Thank You.
Please see my FAQs page: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/baking-faqs/
Hi!
How would I adjust the amount and baking time If I wanted to do 3 10” layers? Would I double the recipe? And cook for less times since it’s spread out more in a wider pan?
Thank you!
Melanie, yes, double the recipe and that should be just the right amount of batter for three 10 inch pans. I’m not sure on the bake time – the pans are wider, but there’s more batter, so the bake time might be about the same? I’d definitely check them carefully a few minutes early, and then just keep baking until they’re done.
Why did you separate the yolks and white if you are adding to the wet
The recipe calls for 2 eggs, plus 2 extra whites. You’ll have two yolks leftover.
This recipe is awesome i make all my birthday cakes with it..My family and friends tell me i put my foot all up in this cake when they eat it..Thanks for your recipe i love it🥳🥰
Thank you so much, Lulu, I’m thrilled to hear that!
I am attempting to make this is recipe into a a banana pudding filled log cake.. Worse case it will end up as a trifle of sorts lol
So, the cake calls for 2 whole eggs and 2 Egg whites so do we need 4 eggs instead of two.
Hey heather,
I’m curious why your buttercream recipes are double the butter then other recipes? I made your choc cake recipes and it was perfect but I just thought the frosting want sweet enough? So I was just curious. And how much vanilla bean paste should I sub for the bean?
Thanks!!
Sadie, I use half the amount of powdered sugar of most American buttercream recipes, because I think it tastes much better. You can read all about my method in this post: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/perfect-american-buttercream-frosting/
Most people who taste my cakes tell me how much they love that the frosting isn’t overly sweet like so many other recipes they’ve tried.
When using vanilla bean paste, you can use 1-2 teaspoons instead of a whole vanilla bean.
I just did a double recipe of this and the batter is more like bread dough consistency. Anyone else experience this? I read, re-read and read the recipe ingredients again making sure I didn’t miss a thing.. and I didn’t. I sure hope this turns out, because otherwise I just wasted a money when I could’ve just done a cake box mix.
Camille, it sounds like you might have measured too much flour or didn’t add all the liquid. The batter shouldn’t be anything like bread dough, and is very easy to whisk. This is one of my most popular recipes with my readers.
this a lucky one birthday if he/she celebrates it with this amazing cake,
Does it matter if the melted meter is hot or room temperature?
I’m also in Louisiana and having a hard time with what exactly attitude has to do with baking and how to adjust it for my state- new baker here. Could you help?
I always add the butter hot off the stove, or just let it cool for a few minutes, and then whisk it into the batter quickly. If you’re in Louisiana, most recipes on the internet should work for you, since you’re not at high altitude. To try my high altitude recipes, though, you may need to make some adjustments to make them work for you. This is a good article on how to make specific adjustments.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Sometimes a good vanilla cake is just perfect, and I'm sure this one fits the bill! Looks just delicious 🙂
I agree, good cakes don't necessarily need to be complicated!
I'm making this for my fiancé and myself for the second time this week!! We love it so much. … Thanks Heather!
– Heather H.
I'm so glad you love it! Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Does the buttermilk need to be room temp
Yes, it’s always a good idea to start with room temperature milk and buttermilk before mixing the batter.
Hi, I wondered if I could ask a somewhat silly question. Can this recipe be used for cupcakes (like I said, silly, but just want to be sure), and if so, how many do you think it will make? Have you ever done that? It seems fairly straight-forward and I'm baking for my granddaughter's birthday this weekend. Any suggestions or tips gratefully appreciated. Thanks!
This recipe works better as a layer cake than as cupcakes. For vanilla cupcakes, here is my tested recipe: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/high-altitude-vanilla-cupcakes/
This cake came out very good! nice and light and sweet
Wonderful to hear!
I made this cake just 2 days ago. It tasted awesome but was gooey inside. Even after leaving it for longer in the oven. I don't know what went wrong but I don't think I'll be trying it again
That's too bad! I wish I could tell you what went wrong but I can only guess that your oven temp was off and it was under baked, or an ingredient was left out.
Your oven may not be calibrated correctly, or it could be that it heats unevenly, you may have to spin the pan around while baking…
Oddly enough mine is doing the same thing! I followed the recipe (the batter tasted amazing) and now my middle is taking a long time to bake. The batter did seem a little runny when I made it. I know cake batters are looser than others. Not sure why though but I'm sure it will still taste great!
Love this recipe!! The cake was so soft and moist!!! Can I use granulated Splenda instead of sugar?
Sakina, I’m so happy you love it! I haven’t personally tried baking cakes with Splenda instead of sugar. The problem I would expect is that Splenda is about 600 times sweeter than sugar, so you would only use a little Splenda, and then you would lose some moisture in the cake from eliminating the sugar. You might need to experiment with making up for that by adding more liquid. I can’t guarantee the results will be good. If you try it, please let me know how it goes!
What kind of Vanilla do you use?
I usually use the Kirkland brand of Pure Vanilla that I buy at Costco, but when I want to splurge, I love the Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste, which you can buy on Amazon.
From one curly girl baker to another, this is hands down THE BEST vanilla cake recipe I have ever made. Better than Magnolia Bakery and Ina Garten. Perfection. Very excited to try your other recipes. This one is a keeper!
Thank you so much, what a nice compliment! 🙂
This is a lovely recipe! Someone requested a "pineapple cake" so I was looking for simple, vanilla cake that I could layer with pineapple filling, and this was perfect and uncomplicated. I did have to tweak the baking time because I only had two 7" pans. They came out beautifully and delicately and I am going to frost with vanilla buttercream roses. Thank you! xoxx
The pineapple filling sounds amazing! I'm so glad you liked the cake. 🙂
Might be a silly question! But I was wondering if you let your eggs/egg whites/milk get to room temperature before baking? Could this be done in 2 8 inch pans (3 inches tall)? How long would I need to bake?
Yes, it's always a good idea to let your dairy warm up a bit before mixing the batter. You can definitely use just two pans – just bake a little longer and keep an eye on them for doneness.
Does it need to be vegetable oil or will canola work as well?
Canola should work fine, too. You just don't want to use something with a strong flavor, like olive oil, or it will affect the taste of the cake.
Can you use 2% milk in place of whole milk? Thanks, Lisa Phillips
If you want, but whole milk tastes better. 🙂
What a lovely recipe, Thank you so much….
This is by far the best vanilla cake I have ever had/made. I am so excited – thank you so much!
Have you frozen it? Hoping it freezes well.
That makes me so happy to hear! Yes, I've frozen it by wrapping each layer in plastic wrap, and then thawing out to room temperature before frosting. I freeze cakes often, to save time on the day of decorating, but usually not for more than a week or two in advance so that they're still very fresh.
Hello, I love your recepies!! They're the ones I've used for my cakes! I was wondering if I could use fondant for all the recepies in your favorite recepie series. I'd really love your response because I'm waiting to use them. Thank you so much!
I think you probably could, but I don't have much experience covering cakes in fondant so I couldn't say for sure. The white cake might be too lightweight.
How much of the recipe do I have to bake to come up with a 3-layer 10" round cake for a bday party?
I would really appreciate your response….love your cakes!!
Thanks,
Raggedlyann[at]gmail.com
For 3 10-inch pans, I would recommend making 1 1/2x the recipe.
Hi, I can hardly wait to try your recipes.
Are there any others at sea level that had to change anything? I've never done that and I'm worried.
Heather hice su receta tal como la describe ,vivo al nivel del mar y quedo esponjosa y muy húmeda gracias.
Hi, I wanted to know if you made any adjustments to this cake for being at sea level ?
Can you use buttermilk
Do you have to whip egg whites and fold them into this recipe?
No, the egg whites are not whipped.
This sounds delicious, but I'm wondering if I can leave out the vinegar? Have you ever made it without? Thank you for your post.
I wouldn't leave out the vinegar. It cooks off so you don't taste it but it adds so much to recipes. I have a chocolate cake recipe that calls for it and everyone raves about it
Hello, I want to try this recipe but I didn't see an answer for using buttermilk. I use it in most my cakes and was wondering if its ok to use. Thanks
It's been answered in the comments, but yes, buttermilk is equivalent to the whole milk + vinegar combo and is fine to use.
I can't wait to try this. I have been looking for a good vanilla recipe. I feel like the recipes I have been using are dry. I have a chocolate cake recipe that is beyond moist and I just want a good vanilla one. This looks perfect. The vinegar and oil will keep it moist and the baking soda with the vinegar will keep it fluffy. I am so excited to make this
Hi, I would love to try this recipe, but I only have 9 inch pans. Can I use three 9 inch pans instead of the 3 8 inch pans? Thanks
You can, but the cake will not end up as tall.
Hi I really need a vanilla cake and this sounds perfect. Can I use 9×13 pan? I want to make it into a phone cake. Thanks!
Yes, you can! Just bake a little longer and check for doneness in the middle.
I tried your white cake and it was excellent- has a very tender crumb and wonderful flavor. My family ate it before I could even frost it! I am anxious to try your vanilla cake. I love the flavor of butter but many of the vanilla cake recipes I've tried have way too much butter and taste more like a pound cake. I notice this only has oil. I was wondering how this affects the flavor? Can a small part of the oil be substituted with real butter for a hint of added flavor? Thanks! -Jenni Ann
Yes, and actually after re-testing the recipe over the years, I prefer it with half oil and half melted butter. I left the recipe written with just oil, though, since so many people love it that way.
Can I use butter instead of oil? I only have olive oil and coconut oil.
Butter can be used instead, but it will change the texture somewhat. Butter-based cakes tend to be a little more dense, like pound cake, while vegetable oil keeps the cake fluffy and moist.
Hi! Is there a substitute for the white vinegar?
Could I sub butter for oil?
Butter can be used instead, but it will change the texture somewhat. Butter-based cakes tend to be a little more dense, like pound cake, while vegetable oil keeps the cake fluffy and moist.
I made this cake for my mother's birthday. I substituted 1 cup of the milk with hazelnut coffee creamer. I baked it in a sheet pan and cut four 5 inch circles. I put a thin layer of homemade caramel sauce between each layer. I iced it using your Buttercream recipe, using the coffee creamer instead of milk. A sprinkling of toasted pecans went on top. Everyone loved it. My daughter said it was the best cake she had ever eaten. I think the possibilities with this cake are endless. The Buttercream is spectacular, too. Not the cloying sweet from too much powdered sugar. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Wow, what you did with the hazelnut creamer and the caramel sauce sounds amazing! I love when a great basic recipe can be turned into a custom creation like what you did. 🙂
Is this cake dense enough to be the bottom tier of a three tier cake?
With the top tiers supported on dowels it should be just fine!
can I substitute buttermilk for whole milk and vinegar?
Please see above comments for this question and answer. 🙂
Hello, you might have answered this but what is the vinegar for?
Please see above comments for this question and answer. 🙂
I was looking for a new recipe for a birthday cake. I think I'll try this vanilla one of yours.
Back in Aug 2018 someone asked why you separated the eggs if you added them all as wet ingredients. Hopefully I'm understanding that you don't separate, you use 2 whole eggs and another 2 egg whites,is that correct?
Yes, you're exactly right. 🙂
Heather, I just want you to know…i keep trying new Vanilla recipes…but I ALWAYS come back to this one. It's been my absolute favorite!
Thank you for sharing.
AAlso, going to attempt to use for cupcakes for the first time. Any suggestions?
This recipe works better as a layer cake than as cupcakes. I have a different recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes that I love: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/high-altitude-vanilla-cupcakes/
Can u use this recipe to make a 13 x 9 sheet cake ?
Of course!
Could you tell me if I can use this cake recipe for a Wilton Cross cake pan ?
Yes, it should work great! I don't know how long it will take to bake in the center, so just keep an eye on it for doneness. That should be the perfect Easter cake. 🙂
Thank U !!!
Is there a certain order to add the wet ingredients? Or do we mix those separately first? I’m always concerned about over mixing and I wasn’t sure if I needed to wait after each addition until it was mixed it or just dump them all in at once. Thank you!!
There's no specific order, just add them and mix. It's not a finicky recipe, so I'm sure you can't go wrong!
Please tell me how to adapt this to a 12 inch pan. Many thanks!
For how many layers? If it's for a 3-layer cake, then perhaps 1 1/2 times the recipe would be enough batter, but it may require a full double recipe. It's hard for me to say, since I don't usually make cakes that large.
Looks lovely. Using cake flour usually delivers a finer crumb. Have u tried using cake flour & it didnt work? Thanks!
I use cake flour for my white cake recipe, and you can certainly use it in this recipe, as well, but all-purpose works great, too.
I am making a cake for my nieces 2nd Birthday next weekend and stumbled upon this recipe. I made it yesterday to test it out and found it to be oily. I usually use butter, but loved the reviews of your recipe. Is there a way to adjust the amount of oil? My husband said this was the best cake I’ve made, but he says that every time. The oiliness of this cake concerned me. I took a picture of a piece and will post it if I can find where to do so. Thanks!
Jacquelyn, I've found that some brands of oil work better (and taste better) than others, and since this is a vanilla cake with no other stand-out flavors, then I've noticed the oil can be a bit much when I buy the wrong brand. But if you find it to be too oily, then you can simply reduce the oil to a half cup and replace that with the same amount of melted butter, and it will turn out great.
Hi, I made this cake yesterday and it was delicious. I left it a little bit more time in the oven, (about 8 -10 minutes) and came out perfect in color, texture and the flavor was awesome. My family was happy and enjoyed it so much. I will make this again for my niece´s bday. Thank you so much for such an easy and delicious cake recipe. Greetings from Perú
Want to make a large cake (11×15) can I double the ingredients, also can I use apple cider vinegar?
I think you can probably double it to bake a large sheet cake, just watch the center for doneness. I'm not sure about the apple cider vinegar; the acidity level might be different from white vinegar, so I couldn't say how that might affect the batter.
Hi, I was wondering if you have the recipe in metric units….grams, milliliter, etc….I weigh my ingredients usually as measuring cups can differ…Thanks! Your cakes looks devine !
No, I'm sorry, I don't. There are lots of guides online, though, for comparing volume and weight of various ingredients.
For others who may have this question and can't find the answer in previous comments, buttermilk is equivalent to the whole milk + vinegar combo that I used, and either can be used successfully in this cake.
Thank you, I'm making this tonight.
Baked this yesterday and it was amazing…
I'm so glad to hear that, thank you! 🙂
Are you able to freeze the cake once baked.
Yes, I often freeze my cakes after baking, until I'm ready to decorate them. Just wrap each layer in plastic wrap and freeze indefinitely for future use. I've also frozen completely frosted cakes as well, just in a cardboard cake box, for several weeks, with perfect results after thawing them out.
Used this recipe last week because I was randomly craving cake, and this recipe looked AWESOME. I used butter instead of oil (I’ve had too many experiences in the past with cakes tasting like oil that I didn’t want to take any chances) and man let me tell you!! It was DELICIOUS!! The cake was so moist and flavorful. This is my go to vanilla cake recipe now. Thank you so much!!
Jessa, I'm so glad to hear that! And good to know that substituting melted butter works great, too. I've found that the brand of vegetable oil makes a difference in the flavor of the cake, but I'm also planning on re-testing this recipe with a little less oil to see if it's just as moist.
Hi Heather was wondering if I can use a bundt pan or fluted pan
Can this be used in a bundt or fluted pan? Need to know quickly just found out guests are coming and would love to make this 🎂 cake!!! Thank you
Kimberly, I've never made this particular recipe in a bundt pan,, but I don't see why it wouldn't work! As for the sprinkles, though, my guess is they might sink to the bottom while baking, since it's not a very thick batter. You might also look at my Funfetti Cake I just recently posted – that would also work beautifully in a bundt pan: curlygirlkitchen.com/2020/03/funfetti-cake.html
I also have another variation on this recipe, but with butter instead of oil, and it might work better with the addition of the sprinkles. Let me know which recipe you end up trying and how it works! curlygirlkitchen.com/2020/02/vanilla-bean-butter-cake.html
Oh forgot can you add sprinkles too? Thanks! Sorry for bugging!
It's in the oven. Didn't trust the bundt pan…went with 9×13!!!
Hi Heather…thank you for your response. Just sent a pic over and no the sprinkles didn't sink at all. Not a great decorator and didn't want to pipe leaves but I'm just learning to use tips!!
That's so good to hear!
Hi, do we need to make adjustments for being at sea level?
You might need to. Usually, I would say to try a recipe first as it's written, and then make adjustments from there as needed if it isn't quite right, but it doesn't hurt to be proactive. This article has charts for converting recipes for high altitude, so you would just do the opposite to convert this to sea level: kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Hi! Is it possible to use almond milk instead of whole milk? Or would that totally mess with the recipe?
I think you could make that substitution with good results. I've often used coconut milk instead of whole milk in cakes, and it always turns out great. Just make sure that you do not omit the vinegar, since you need that acid to react with the leavening. (the vinegar is in the recipe essentially to make a homemade buttermilk with the milk/vinegar combo)
Hi, do we hav to beat the eggs and sugar first ?? Or is just mixing all ingredients together
No, the instructions are simple. Combine the dry ingredients, combine the wet ingredients, and then mix them all together.
Can I replace milk with water or more oil?
Definitely NOT with more oil, or your cake will end up far too oily and greasy. And if you replace the buttermilk with water, you’ll lose the acidity from the buttermilk, and your cake won’t rise correctly.
Hi Heather,
I tried this recipe but unfortunately the sponge was too dense and baking soda smell and taste was over powering. I was to try this for my daughter's birthday cake base but I am kinda lost where I went wrong. Followed your recipe word by word…. Any suggestions?
I'm sorry it didn't go well for you! Unfortunately, since I wasn't there, I couldn't say what went wrong. There are so many factors that can affect baking, so I'd suggest you read through my Baking FAQs: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/baking-faqs/
Hi Heather,
Thankyou so much for your reply. I'll check the url and will try it again. Hopefully it'll come out right this time :).
Hi Heather,
Thankyou for your reply. I'll surely go through your suggested link. Will try this recipe again and see how it comes out, will let you know :).
Did this used to be a different recipe with vinegar because I remember these exact instructions but it had no butter milk.
It's the exact same recipe, just noted as 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk instead of 1 1/2 cups whole milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar. People just kept getting so confused about that, even though it's essentially the same thing.
If so can you write down the original recipe because it was so delicious!!
Thanks so much!
Hello, I don't have baking soda,how can I substitute
Do you not have access to buy some baking soda? There's no simple answer to your question, since the cake needs leavening to rise. You could increase the amount of baking powder to make up for no baking soda, but the two are not exactly interchangeable, and do not react the same in baked goods, so it would take some experimenting on your part to come up with the right amount if you only used baking powder. My guess would be somewhere between 3-4 teaspoons of baking powder for this recipe, if you're omitting the baking soda.
I don't currently have access to buying some baking soda, I don't think I've come across it in stores around me. But I guess I'll wait till I can get some to try your recipe, thank you.
Hello I’m wondering exactly how to
Use the egg yolks then the egg whites ?
Two whole eggs, plus two extra whites are called for (so you will have two yolks leftover that you can use for another recipe). The eggs and whites are just mixed right into the wet ingredients.
Ok thank you so much for your speedy response ! Can’t wait to make this 😊
I have made this cake several times and love it so much! However, lately when ive made it it has come out a little spongy with air holes throughout the layers. I am wondering if you had any idea what would be causing this and how to fix it? I am sifting my dry ingridients-do you recommend this or think this would contribute to this problem?
Caroline, texture issues are usually from over-mixing cake batter, so I would just advise to be careful not to overmix, and also, after filling the cake pans, tap the pans on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles before baking. I always sift the dry ingredients – that's a good practice!
Just baked this cake: smells delicious. However, I baked 2×8” and 1×6”. There is no way that it would make 3 8” layers unless they were very thin. My layers are about 1.75” thick at the highest point. Followed recipe meticulously. If I make it again, only 2×8” for sure, so that the cake is a decent size.
I’ve always baked this in three 8-inch pans, and the cake is nice and tall. Even if your cake layers were 1 1/2 inches tall each, that’s about right for a cake layer. Put together, that would be 4 1/2 inches of cake, plus the buttercream in between and on top, which would add another inch over all, for a cake that’s over 5″ tall, so that’s a perfectly standard height for a layer cake. Happy baking!
Hi, I’m wanting to make a cake into a train shape for my sons 1st bday. So my first question is, can I bake this in loaf pans? And if so, what adjustments would you do? And secondly, do you think this cake is dense enough to handle/cut it into train/train car shapes? And if not, would you recommend going 100% butter instead of the butter/oil combo?
Thank you so much,
Kaitlin
Kaitlin,
I’ve never baked this cake in loaf pans, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. As far as carving it into shapes, though, I’m honestly not sure. Using more butter would make it more dense, and it will probably work if you’re not trying to carve it too intricately.
Thank you so much for your response. I have one more question, I’m having trouble tracking down whole buttermilk. Would it be better to used low fat buttermilk, or whole milk and vinegar?
Lowfat buttermilk will work just fine – I often use it when I can’t get whole buttermilk. For the milk/vinegar combo, I usually combine 1 tablespoon of vinegar with every 1 cup of milk, adding the vinegar to the measuring cup first, and then filling with milk up to the 1 cup line.
Also, if I should use the whole milk/vinegar instead of the low fat buttermilk, how much of each of these should I use for this recipe?
I love this cake but everytime I make it it falls what am I doing wrong.
Kelly, I’m sorry to hear that! My first question would be, what altitude do you live at? All of my recipes are tested for high altitude, so if you don’t live at a similar altitude, you would need to make some adjustments. I have lots of baking faqs in these two posts – please give them a read and let me know if you have any questions that aren’t answered there! 🙂
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/baking-faqs/
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/white-velvet-cake/
Wow. It looks delicious. I love vanilla cakes. So, I will try to make it. Your recipe will help me. Thanks for sharing.
I just took my three 6-inch layer cakes out of the oven and they smell amazing. And the batter tasted amazing. However…they fell in the middle. I do not think this recipe should be labeled high altitude. I’m at 7000 feet and, admittedly, that’s very high, so maybe that’s the problem. Anybody have any ideas how I might tweak this recipe so it’s actually high altitude? It’s so tasty, that I would like to use it. But the fallen centers are going to make decorating hard.
Karen, I live in Denver, which is at 5,280 feet, so that is certainly high altitude, although that doesn’t mean it will work for EVERY elevation above sea level. Since you’re 2,000 feet higher, you would need to make a few further adjustments to make sure your cake doesn’t fall. I’d suggest you read this article, which has very specific guidelines for increased elevation. You’ll probably need to reduce the baking powder/baking soda a little, reduce the sugar, and add a little more flour.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
You might also try completely eliminating the baking soda, which can sometimes be less reliable for high altitude cake baking than baking powder is. So instead of 1 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, I would try using 3 teaspoons baking powder (since baking powder isn’t as strong as baking soda). At your altitude, I’d suggest 2 1/2 – 2 3/4 tsp baking powder. I hope that helps!
Wow, thank you so much, Heather! I will try all of that, as I love the taste of your recipe and would like to continue to use it for decorating ventures.
Thanks so much for this recipe. I live in CO and it came out beautifully. More importantly, the texture and taste were perfect. I added sprinkles to make it funfetti. I also added “birthday cake crumbs” on top, from Momofuku Milkbar recipe. Yum!
I’m so glad you loved it, Laura!
I’m so glad I came across this website for high-altitude baking. I always use the King Arthur Flour high altitude guide to change recipes, but I’m excited to try your perfected recipes. I have a questions about how you measure your flour since you don’t list the weights. Most cake recipes I find include a weighted flour amount, which always ends up seeming a lot less than the amount I measure out, even with the spoon and scoop method. I just want to use your same method to get the intended result. Thanks.
Hi Sam,
Good question! I’m working on putting together a chart of “my” weights according to how I measure ingredients, for those who prefer to use a scale. I’ve been using measuring cups for so long, that my method yields very consistent results for me, but I want to be as helpful as possible to everyone else. So first I aerate the flour a little in the canister with a spoon to loosen it up, and then I spoon it lightly into the measuring cup and sweep it off the top with the back of a butter knife to level it. For all-purpose flour, I consistently get 4.6 ounces per cup, and for cake flour, I get 4.2 ounces per cup. I hope that helps!
Please help! In the instructions you say to soft together the all of the dry ingredients including baking soda but there is none listed in the ingredients. Was that a typo in the instructions or did you forget to list it in the ingredients? I’m getting ready to make this but don’t want the soupy middle I’ve seen others say they got and I’m wondering if it’s due to not adding soda.
Thanks for catching that! The updated recipe does NOT include baking soda, so the ingredients list is correct. I’ve fixed the instructions.
I live in Northern Colorado and made this cake today for my mother in law’s birthday. Turned out beautifully. Thank you!
I made this at 7,200 feet and they came out great! I halved the recipe for 6” pans.
I couldn’t find whole butter milk but i found 1.5 with 56% less fat. What adjustments do i need to make so the cake still come out great?
Lowfat buttermilk will work just fine!
This cake was delicious! My only question was how can I make it not so dry? I like that it was dense but it was a bit too dry. How could I fix it? Thanks in advance!
This cake shouldn’t be dense at all, or dry. It’s very light, fluffy and moist. Did you measure your flour using the “spoon and sweep” method, where you lightly spoon it in, then use a knife to sweep it off the top? If you use your measuring cups to scoop flour out of the canister, it packs too much flour into the cups, resulting in dry, dense cakes. Over-baking also results in dry cakes.
Can I add sprinkles to make it a funfetti cake or would other adjustments need to be made too?
I think you probably can without it affecting how the cake bakes, but I haven’t personally tested it. There might be a comment on this post from someone who tried it and said it worked well! You might also want to check out my Funfetti Cake post: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/funfetti-cake/
I followed the recipe to a tee (in Denver as well) except for the buttermilk part, but I did the milk and vinegar you recommended. The taste and texture is great, I’m just not sure why mine didn’t plump up like yours. Mine are fairly thin layers. Your picture suggests otherwise, do you know why this could be? I had all three pans on the same rack.
Did you bake the cakes in 8-inch pans or 9-inch? Using 9-inch pans will result in thinner cake layers. Also, you might need to check the expiration on your baking powder to make sure it’s still good.
Hi, is the cake flour recipe or your first one APFlour recipe ok for 8,000 feet of altitude ?
So I need to still
Adjust or is that already set for 8,000
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
3 ¼ cups cake flour, sifted
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp coarse Kosher salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 ½ cups whole buttermilk
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
I test all of my recipes at Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet, so you’ll probably need to make a few more adjustments for 8,000 feet.
Ahh I thought you had revised the recipe. I remember your original recipe was on a pretty turquoise coloured cake stand it looked quite stunning. I thought I was on the wrong blog for a moment. I notice also in the revised recipe there’s only 1/2 cup oil. Can I use that measurement instead of the full cup in your original recipe or will that change the cake? I do like the addition of baking soda which I notice you have omitted in the revised one.
Actually, the original photo pictured the cake on a black and white stand, but yes, I updated both the recipe and the photos. 🙂 If you’re looking for the original ingredients list, check the notes section of the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Personally, I wouldn’t use a full cup of oil, which is why I updated the recipe, since I think the revised version is much better.
I do remember the recipe I bookmarked the cake was on a pretty pale turquoise cake stand I think that’s what caught my eye first (I’m a sucker for cake stands). I haven’t tried your revised recipe but I need to make a birthday cake soon so I’ll be making it and will let you know how it goes.
Thanks for sharing!
This might be the one you’re thinking of! 🙂
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/white-velvet-cake/
hello I loved your recipe, but when I made it, it turned out to be a dense and not fluffy cake, it also had large holes in the bread, the flavor was incredible, but if it was very dense, I do not live high 124 feet. I am from Mexico that could have gone wrong, I do not know if the method can change it and add my cake with butter and sugar and create air or increase the baking powder? Thanks in advance ! Another point I must say that I baked it in a large pancake mold, I don’t know if it also had to do with that it turned out like this?
Claudia, This recipe (and everything on my site) is developed for high altitude, so it will need adjustments to work correctly at lower altitudes or sea level. You would need to decrease the flour and liquid, and increase the baking powder to get a light, fluffy cake. This article has good guidelines: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
I’ve also never baked a cake in a pancake mold, but that probably affected the outcome as well.
Oh my gosh lady! I live at over 5000 feet and have made it my mission to find/adapt a scratch cake that would be successful. I have made at least 50 cakes. Every one has fallen and has been a disaster. I should say, every one but this one!!! It turned out perfect!!! Thank you- thank you- thank you!!! No more box cakes for me!!!
This makes me so happy to hear!
Can I use homemade cheese instead of buttermilk and what quantity of cheese
No, cheese is not a substitute for buttermilk. You can use a mixture of milk + vinegar/lemon juice instead of the buttermilk. I usually add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to every cup of milk when I don’t have buttermilk on hand.
Hi,
i love your recipe alot and always prepare cake from from your recipe at my family special occasion. please provide a recipe of pinata cake also.
Thanks! I can’t say that I’ve ever made a pinata cake, but it sounds fun! 🙂
Thanks for the great recipe , i love red velvet cake very much..
Tried making this recipe at ~7500 feet and am having trouble with the rise. I added 3T flour and reduced the baking powder by ~1/3t. The layers are pretty flat. Any suggestions for different edits next time?
Brittney, at 7500 feet, you might be able to make it exactly as is, without any adjustments. I’ve had feedback from many people at 7000-8000 feet who have been able to use my recipes without changing anything.
It is so nice to finally find a good high altitude recipe for a white cake. My daughter always requests a white cake for her birthday and this one is perfect! I use less vanilla and add almond extract as that is her preference but it still tastes great and is light with good texture.
Thanks!
Hi,
Can I make this cake with sifted white
whole wheat flour?
That would probably make the cake more coarse and dry.
very delicious cake!!! Everyone loved it, altho I thought it was a bit too sweet!! The cake is very tasty and lovely! will definitely make it again! Made it for an anniversary!
Hi, Heather
Thank you for your Vanilla Cake. Really wonderful recipe. Thank you for doing what you do
Hi!
Thank you for meaning high altitude recipes. I live in New Mexico. Could I use 1c melted butter instead of 1/2 butter 1/2 oil? I don’t like to use vegetable oil.
Thank you!
The recipe definitely works with all butter instead of butter/oil, although the oil does help to keep the cake a little more moist and soft.