The Best Vanilla Cake
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The Best Vanilla Cake. All bakers search for the best vanilla cake recipe. After 30 years, I developed my own moist, buttery, perfect vanilla cake. I've added Marshmallow Frosting too!
Originally published Aug 2010.
The best vanilla cake recipe is something every curious baker spends plenty of time searching for. I've tried dozens over the years and have conducted many experiments.
I tweaked each recipe trying to get the result I want. This one is the best I've tried so far.
It is quite moist and has a good density but not as dense as pound cake. I like the balance of texture that is achieved by using a combination of all-purpose flour and cake flour. It is important not to over measure the flour.
Essential ingredients!
One essential ingredient in this recipe is real dairy butter.
Margarine just won't cut it.
I've used whipping cream in other recipes but this one gets a lot of richness from using undiluted evaporated milk instead.
Finally, the vanilla flavouring is crucial. DO NOT use artificial vanilla flavouring! In fact NEVER use it! Use the best quality, real vanilla extract that you can find for real, exotically fragrant vanilla cake.
Vanilla paste is also delicious in this recipe. You use an equal amount to vanilla extract.
The frosting for the Best Vanilla Cake.
The frosting on this cake is a family favourite which goes by many names but is referred to at our house as Marshmallow Frosting. It has been featured several times on this site.
You can find our terrific recipe for Marshmallow Frosting here. It is the perfect frosting for this cake.
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The Best Vanilla Cake
All bakers search for The Best Vanilla Cake recipe. After 30 years, I developed my own moist, buttery, perfect vanilla cake; with Marshmallow Frosting too.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cake or pastry flour
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted.
- 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Sift together both flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- For this recipe it is very important to be sure to sift the flour very well before measuring. Flour that is too compacted can cause a denser, heavier cake. If you do not have a flour sifter, put some flour in a bowl and whisk it for a minute before spooning the flour into the measuring cup to measure. Do this for both types of flour in the recipe.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after every addition.
- Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients in three equal portions, alternately with the evaporated milk. When adding dry and wet ingredients alternately in any baking recipe, always begin and end with the dry ingredients.
- Pour batter evenly into 2 well greased and floured 9 inch cake pans.
- Bake in a 325 degree F oven for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Watch it carefully, you will not want to over bake this cake, as soon as the toothpick comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pans for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
As with all my cake recipes I recommend using aluminum cake pans for gentle even heating with much less chance of over baking.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
one sliceAmount Per Serving Calories 407Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 100mgSodium 224mgCarbohydrates 54gFiber 1gSugar 36gProtein 6g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Hi Barry,,
I have been looking for a nice vanilla cake for quite some time now...I sure hope this recipe works for me. I'm not too sure about the undiluted evaporated milk... To me it has a strong taste, would it interfere with the vanilla flavor?? Another thing should be mentioned is to sift your flour before measuring it, right? I will be trying your recipe soon...
Thanks... Sue PS love your page..
I made this cake on the weekend and it was fantastic! The evaporated milk makes it so moist and delicious, and the cake and pastry flour is definitely the way to go! The best vanilla cake I've ever had - period! Thank you for posting this recipe and making sure to explain why pure vanilla is important to use and also how to fold dry & wet ingredients - most helpful!
Hi Barry, I want to try this recipe...so to understand to the fullest...there will be 3 types of flour added to this recipe....cake, pastry, and all purpose flour..Also when adding up the total amount of flour when using all three, it totals to 4 1/4 cups of flour to this recipe........and undiluted evaporated milk is just can carnation milk without adding water to it... correct?....... Want to get this correct because i want a good vanilla cake recipe that is moist & not dry....... Question...what is your opinion about using buttermilk instead of evaporated milk?
No, you've misunderstood "cake and pastry flour" is one type of flour. It may be just known as cake flour in your neck of the woods.
Good old carnation is perfect. I've never used buttermilk. I prefer to try a cake recipe as written before trying variations.
Happy Baking!
Hi Barry, this recipe looks delicious.
Do you think this recipe can be used to make ice cream cake?
Thank you.
Barry, this cake is AMAZING in both texture and flavor, by far the best recipe I've tried thus far. I took the liberty of steeping the evaporated milk with two vanilla pods with the seeds scraped into the milk because I am a huge fan of the vanilla bean. Keep up your wonderful posts, you inspire me with your recipes!
Hello Barry - I live in the U.S. and I think your pictures and recipes are AMAZING!!!!
I have recently taken an interest in cooking..Im going to try baking this cake over the weekend.
I would like to add fresh strawberries in between. Do you think that will make the cake soggy?
http://soulforfood-nia.blogspot.com/
Thank you Nia. I don't see a problem with adding the strawberries but I would not use the marshmallow frosting as shown in the photo, that might "melt" if moisture was added to it. I'd recommend a buttercream frosting instead.Happy Baking!
Just curious if you have ever made this cake as a whole slab? Am attempting a full slab for the first time and was any different instruction for baking something that large?
Don't remember making this as a slab cake. It's rare that I make a slab cake at all.You will have to be careful not to overbake a large cake,so just keep a close eye on it.
I love baking, i was surprised to find your recipe which is exactly the recipe i use for my vanilla cakes! i also use evaporated milk, sometimes for a richer taste i half it by adding heavy cream!
I've done the half and half thing too. Cream can help to make a moister cake, I've found.
Hi, I'm wanting to make a rainbow marble cake for my daughters 4th birthday. You say over mixing will make a more dense cake but I'll have to divide the mixture to add the colours. Do you think this recipe will work for what I'm wanting to make?
I'd definitely give it a try. Kids are more enthralled by the colors than texture anyway. 😉