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Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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4.1 from 6 reviews

This classic Vanilla Cake recipe delivers moist, tender cake layers flavored with vanilla and topped with a smooth, creamy vanilla buttercream frosting. Perfect for small celebrations or a delightful everyday treat, the recipe uses a reverse creaming method for a light texture and provides detailed steps for baking, frosting, and decorating the cake.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 8 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

For the Cake Layers:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 1 tsp baking powder (4g)
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt (1g)
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled (56g)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil (56g)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature (120g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
  • Gel food coloring (optional)

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt (1g)
  • 3 cups powdered sugar (375g)
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp heavy cream or whipping cream (20g)
  • Gel food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line three 4-inch or two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease them with non-stick spray. Use light-colored metal pans for best results.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt until well combined.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the melted and cooled butter, oil, and egg to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. The batter will be thick.
  4. Incorporate Buttermilk and Vanilla: Stir in the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and optional gel food coloring. Mix until combined, scraping bowl sides as needed, then whisk an additional 30 seconds to lighten the texture using the reverse creaming method.
  5. Fill Pans and Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake on the middle oven rack for 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  6. Cool Cake Layers: Let the cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then carefully loosen edges with an offset spatula. Transfer to freezer for 20 minutes to speed cooling, then invert pans to release layers. Level the tops with a serrated knife if needed.
  7. Make Buttercream Frosting: While cakes bake and cool, beat room temperature butter on medium speed for 30 seconds until creamy. Add vanilla extract and salt on low speed. Gradually blend in powdered sugar and cream, scraping bowl sides regularly. Beat on low until desired spreadable consistency, adjusting cream or sugar as needed. Add gel coloring if desired and mix until even color.
  8. Assemble and Frost Cake: Place one cake layer on plate or cake stand, securing it with a dab of frosting. Spread an even layer of buttercream between layers using an offset spatula. Cover entire cake with a thin crumb coat, smooth with a bench scraper, and chill (20 minutes in fridge or 5 minutes in freezer).
  9. Finish Decorating: Apply a thicker second layer of frosting, smoothing sides and top. Decorate as desired, for example piping swirls with a Wilton 1M or star tip and adding sprinkles.

Notes

  • Using room temperature ingredients (egg, buttermilk, butter) ensures better mixing and texture.
  • The reverse creaming method (mixing fat with dry ingredients first) creates a finer crumb and tender cake.
  • Freeze cake layers after initial cooling to speed up the process and make leveling easier.
  • Adjust frosting consistency with cream or powdered sugar to achieve perfect spreadability.
  • Light-colored metal pans provide even baking and prevent over-browning.
  • Wrap and freeze assembled cake layers if making ahead; thaw before frosting.
  • Practice smoothing frosting using a bench scraper and chilled crumb coat for professional-looking finish.
  • Add gel food coloring to batter and/or frosting for vibrant colored cakes without altering texture.
  • Author: Olivia
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://yourdailycook.com/vanilla-cake-with-buttercream-frosting-recipe/