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A round, frosted cake with smooth white icing, decorated with colorful sprinkles around the top and bottom edges, placed on a white plate with a wooden background.
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5 from 7 votes

Classic Vanilla Cake Recipe That Always Works (Soft and Moist)

This moist vanilla cake is light, fluffy, and packed with real vanilla flavor. A classic, foolproof birthday cake recipe.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: World
Keyword: cake
Servings: 14
Calories: 487kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 2 ⅓ cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon Baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ½ cup Butter unsalted, softened
  • ½ cup Oil neutral
  • 1½ cups Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 cup Buttermilk (more if needed)
  • 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract

For the frosting:

  • ⅔ cup Butter softened
  • ½ cup Heavy cream
  • 1¼ cups Icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups Cream cheese

Decoration:

  • Confetti sprinkles
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Cake:

  • Prep the pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line and grease two 8-inch (20cm) round cake pans.
  • Dry ingredients: In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • Cream butter & sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
  • Add eggs: Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in oil and vanilla.
  • Combine: Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until smooth.
  • Bake: Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 38–42 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool: Cool 10 minutes in pans, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Make the Frosting:

  • Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until fully combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until incorporated,

Assemble:

  • Place one cake layer flat-side down, spread frosting evenly, top with second layer flat-side up.
  • Frost top and sides. Decorate with sprinkles.
  • Refrigerate at least 2-3 hours before slicing.

Video

Notes

  • Don’t skip buttermilk: Buttermilk adds moisture, tenderness, and a subtle tang while activating the baking soda. Don’t skip it.
  • Buttermilk Substitute: Mix 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar. Let stand 5 minutes before using.
  • Pan & Size Adjustments: 
    • Works well as a 9×13-inch sheet cake (bake ~40–45 min).
    • For cupcakes: bake 18–22 minutes.
  • Storage: 
    • Refrigerator: Store covered for up to 4 days.
    • Freezing: Cake layers (unfrosted) freeze well for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 428mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 0.001g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 1058IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 0.3mg