Easy and Moist Vanilla Cake Recipe

I’m always chasing that perfect, go-to cake recipe—the one that works for every occasion and never lets you down. After months of testing and tweaking, this vanilla cake might just be the one. It’s soft, ultra-moist, and full of rich vanilla flavor, topped with my all-time favorite vanilla buttercream. The crumb is tender and fluffy, and the batter comes together fast with a hand or stand mixer. Whether you’re baking for a birthday, holiday, or just because you’re craving something sweet, this cake is always the right call. You can make it as a layer cake, cupcakes, or even a sheet cake if you need something easy to slice and serve.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Below I’ve included the main ingredients you’ll need for this vanilla cake recipe and frosting. The full recipe details and ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card, so don’t forget to scroll to the end.

• Oil – Oil makes for a lighter, moist crumb. Vegetable oil and coconut oil will both work great.
• Sour Cream – My essential ingredient for an ultra-moist cake! Sour cream (either light or full-fat) brings lots of added moisture and richness to cakes and cupcakes. If you don’t have sour cream, substitute plain Greek yogurt instead. If you need to, you can omit it completely but note that this vanilla cake will not be nearly as moist. Sour cream should be at room temperature.
• All-purpose flour: I often get asked if cake flour can be used, and the simple answer is no. They’re not a 1:1 replacement. Sifted, all-purpose flour is the way to go. Be sure to sift it be for best results.
• Milk – You can use any kind of milk (whole, 2%, etc.) you have on hand. The milk should be at room temperature before you start, so they’re easier to combine with the batter.
• Unsalted Butter – For the frosting. My secret to perfect buttercream frosting is cold butter (trust me!), so keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
• Heavy Whipping Cream – Or milk, to adjust the consistency of the frosting. I prefer to use heavy cream as it always yields the creamiest, fluffiest vanilla frosting.

How To Make a Moist Vanilla Cake

Here’s just how simple it is to make the perfect vanilla cake from scratch:

• Combine the wet Ingredients. Begin the sugar, oil, and the rest of the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Next, you’ll beat in the sour cream, and set the bowl aside.
• Sift the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt to combine.
• Make the cake batter. Slowly mix the sifted flour mixture into the wet ingredients, alternating with milk until you have a smooth batter.

• Bake. Add the vanilla cake batter to a 9×13-inch baking dish, and then bake at 350ºF for about 30 minutes. Once the cake is done, take it out and leave it to cool completely before frosting.

How to Make the Vanilla Frosting

This cake is frosted with my favorite Perfect Vanilla Frosting. It’s honestly the most versatile buttercream frosting. I use it for everything, from this vanilla cake to Rainbow CupcakesRed, White, and Blue Layer Cakes, and Sugar Cookies

The best buttercream frosting is whipped, fluffy, and very spreadable. Here’s how to prepare this easy frosting for decorating your vanilla cake. I have a more detailed tutorial on how to make frosting if needed (linked above- see my perfect vanilla frosting).

1. Whip the butter. This is key. Since this frosting begins with cold butter, you’ll need to whip it a little longer at the start. Cut the cold butter into cubes, then add it to your mixer and whip it for a good 3-5 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally.
2. Add powdered sugar. With the mixer on low, you’ll gradually add the powdered sugar, followed , and lastly the heavy cream.
3. Whip again. Continue to beat your vanilla frosting for an additional several minutes or so to get it nice and airy.
4. Frost the cake. When your cake is completely cool, it’s ready to frost. Place dollops of frosting around the top of the cake and use an angled spatula to spread the frosting. Don’t press too hard or you’ll risk pulling the top of the cake along with you! See below for more helpful frosting and decorating tips.

More Frosting and Decorating Ideas

Here are more frosting options to pair with this easy vanilla cake:

• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Whipped Cream Frosting

You can be as creative or as basic as you’d like when it comes to how you frost your cake, too. Most of the time I just smear the frosting in an even layer all over so I can get to slicing ASAP. But the vanilla buttercream frosting is also perfect for piping! I have helpful tutorials on How to Use a Piping Bag and How to Use and Decorate with Piping Tips that walk you through it.

Then, try one or more of these fun topping ideas:

• Fruit – Top your cake with fresh berries, fruit, or a compote.
• Chocolate Ganache – Drizzle the top of the cake with an easy homemade chocolate ganache (borrow the filling from my Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
• Caramel Sauce – Add a bit of caramel or butterscotch sauce over top.
• Sprinkles – Top your cake with fun and festive colorful sprinkles, nonpareils, or chocolate shavings.
• Crushed Cookies – Give your cake a crunchy texture thanks to a sprinkle of crushed cookies, like Oreos or Nilla Wafers.

Variation Ideas

This recipe makes a very simple and very delicious single-layer vanilla cake. But it doesn’t have to end there. Here are some more recipe variations you can try:

• Cupcakes – This vanilla cake recipe can easily be made as vanilla cupcakes. The batter will make a hefty 24 cupcakes, with a little left over. For some helpful cupcake decorating tips, check out my post on How to Decorate Cupcakes
• Layer Cake – I make this cake as an 8” three-layer cake in my recipe for Moist Vanilla Layer Cake. If you’d like to bake this as a 9-inch or 10-inch layer cake, the baking times will need to be adjusted accordingly. All the details are in the post.
• Bundt Cake – I’ll be honest, I don’t love the way this recipe bakes as a bundt cake. Luckily, I developed the perfect fluffy Vanilla Bundt Cake instead. The preparation is a bit different but just as easy!
• Gluten-Free – I’ve made a gluten-free vanilla cake using 1-to-1 gluten-free flour and it came out great. If you’re looking for another easy gluten-free dessert, try my Easy Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
• Poke Cakes- I’ve used this as a base recipe for many of my poke cake recipes

How to Store a Frosted Cake

Whenever possible, this homemade vanilla cake should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature to keep it fresh and moist. However, if you live in a hot and humid environment, you may want to store this in the refrigerator instead. Take the cake out of the fridge ahead of time and serve it at room temperature. Either way, be sure you’re using an airtight container.

Can I Freeze Vanilla Cake?

Yes, though it’s best to freeze homemade cakes before they’re frosted. Once the vanilla cake is baked and cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, plus a layer of foil. Store your cake frozen for up to 1 month.

Before serving, thaw the vanilla cake completely and let it come to room temperature before frosting.

More Cake Recipes to Try

• Homemade Confetti Cake
• Classic Yellow Cake
• Pound Cake