The Best Vanilla Cake
This is the best vanilla cake made in an 8 inch cake pan. It is a layered and super soft vanilla bean white cake. It is topped with vanilla bean cream cheese frosting.
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 598kcal
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 3 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 TBSP Dry milk powder
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup Oil canola or vegetable
- 1 3/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 TBSP Vanilla bean paste
- 5 Egg whites room temperature
- 3/4 cup Sour cream room temperature or greek yogurt
- 1 cup Buttermilk room temperature
Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 cups Unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 4 cups Powdered sugar sifted
- 1 TBSP Vanilla bean paste
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with baking nonstick spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper circles. Spray again. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour. Add in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and dry milk powder.
- Using a mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. It will become white in color and fluffy.
- Add in the egg whites, vanilla bean paste, and sour cream. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute to add some air into the eggs.
- Add in the dry ingredients and buttermilk. Mix on low speed until just combined. Take off the mixer and use a baking rubber spatula to scrape the bowl and make sure it is all mixed together.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the three cake pans. Bake for 25-28 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cakes sit in the hot pans for 10 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before decorating.
Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Set aside.
- Using a mixer with a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl. Add in the cream cheese and beat on high for 1 minute.
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until just combined. Next, add in the rest of the powdered sugar and mix on low. Add in the vanilla bean paste and mix on high speed until creamy.
Assembly
- Use a serrated knife to cut off the domes of the cake.
- Spread 1 cup of frosting on the first cake layer. Place the second cake layer down and repeat. Add the last layer of the cake with the bottom side facing up.
- Frost the cake in a light layer of frosting. Freeze for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat layer. Then, frost and decorate the cake.
Notes
Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cake.
High altitude baking- Add an extra 3 TBSP of flour.
Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 1199IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 1mg