Super Moist Vanilla Cake & Buttercream Frosting

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Super Moist Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is the perfect pairing!  Our luscious cake is super moist, rich and oozing vanilla flavor right along with the fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting that is to die for!!

It’s probably the most requested, best white cake recipe!  We can’t get enough of this dreamy duo!  More classic cakes? Super Moist Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Ultimate Carrot Cake and “American Beauty” Retro Red Velvet Cake are always welcome!

Super Moist Vanilla white Cake & Buttercream Frosting recipe

My mom is a huge fan of  vanilla cake!  She will always pick the vanilla cake no matter what other cake is being served at weddings and showers for family and friends.  

Not saying she didn’t sample the other kinds offered, but she always preferred vanilla over them all.  Lemon was a very close second.

I can’t say I can blame her! Totally delish and always a favorite! 

best moist vanilla cake recipe

Who Else Loves The Aroma of  Vanilla Cake?

When you’re baking this cake, the whole house smells incredibly delicious with vanilla intoxication!

I love the smell of vanilla candles, so if you ever buy those, that’s what the house smells like when you bake this cake and make the frosting!   Good God Gertie!  Heavenly!!

I’ve been on a bit of a vanilla kick lately, have you noticed?  Hmm…this recipe and this Very Vanilla Magic Custard Cake are pretty wonderful since I’m name-dropping on VANILLA! 

Anyways, I can’t seem to get shake it off the vanilla vibe here lately, so here I am bamming out the double vanilla hit with moist vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream frosting. 

It’s so traditional, so vintage-cool, so NOT boring!   Whoever said Vanilla was boring anyways?  

Super Moist Vanilla white Cake & Buttercream Frosting recipe

Ingredients You Need for Super Moist Vanilla Cake Recipe

Super Moist Vanilla White Cake Recipe

  • all-purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • salt
  • unsalted butter, softened
  • vegetable shortening, softened
  • granulated sugar
  • eggs, room temp
  • buttermilk or milk of choice or use ½ buttermilk – ½ whole milk combo , room temperature (can also use non-dairy milk, or add some heavy cream to your milk choice 
  • vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Super Moist Vanilla white Cake & Buttercream Frosting recipe

How to Make Super Moist Vanilla Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
  2. Prepare two or three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray or coat well with shortening or butter and flour the pans, taking care to remove all excess flour. Adjust time for other pan conversions (see conversion chart below recipe if you want to bake other sizes and have leftover batter in some cases, make cupcakes!)
  3. In a medium-sized bowl. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.
  4. Using a mixer, in another bowl, cream together butter and shortening until light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes.
  5. Gradually add sugar one cup at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each cup before adding another. Then start adding each egg one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding another, but gently incorporate in, don’t over beat.
  6. Pour milk (s) and vanilla into measuring cup and whisk together until mixed.
  7. Add creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture and the dry mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
  8. Gently stir all ingredients until combined, getting all ingredients from side of mixing bowl mixed in as well, but do not over-mix! 
  9. Evenly distribute cake batter between cake pans and place pans into oven.
  10. Bake until the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes for two 9-inch pans, 25-30 minutes for three 9-inch pans, and 35-40 minutes for a 9×13 baking pan.
  11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 8-10 minutes in the pan placed on a wire cooling rack. Then, turn the cakes out on the cooling rack to cool completely, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 
  12. Frost cake as desired.

How to Make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  1. Using mixer on a medium setting, cream the butter until it is smooth and has lightened in color, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add confectioner’s sugar, ½ a cup at a time. After each cup has been incorporated, turn the mixer onto the highest speed setting and for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.
  3. Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and combine until well-incorporated.
  4. Add heavy cream until the frosting has reached the preferred consistency.
  5. For a firmer frosting, add more confectioner’s sugar, a ¼ cup at a time.
  6. For a softer frosting, add more milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time.

You may enjoy our The Ultimate Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe too!

Super Moist Vanilla white Cake & Buttercream Frosting recipe

Storing Cake

  • Store cake covered or in a cake dome for up to 3 days.  For longer storage, store in fridge for up to 5 days.
  • You can make the cake in advance, freeze it, and frost either the day you want to serve it or the day before.
  • You can freeze the layers. Allow the cakes to cool completely, wrap them well in plastic wrap and place each layer into a zip top freezer bag.
  • You can freeze the cake layers for up to one month. To frost the cake, simply remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator with wrapping intact. Then, frost the cake once it has completely thawed.

Making Vanilla Cupcakes

  • This white cake recipe also makes approximately 24 cupcakes when cupcake tins are filled more than ¾ full. Bake cupcakes approximately 18 minutes.

Best Super Moist Vanilla Cake Recipe Tips

  • Best to cream the butter shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t over beat when adding eggs and other ingredients, just mix gently until incorporated well into batter.
  • This white cake recipe makes approximately 24 cupcakes when cupcake tin is filled more than ¾ full.  -Bake approximately 18 minutes.
  • For other pan conversions, don’t overfill your pans, whether you use, 6 in, 8 in or 9 inch pans and accommodate your baking time accordingly.  Below is a conversion chart with baking times to help out.
  • Don’t be tempted to keep opening the oven door a lot while the cake is baking as the oven temperature drops each time the door is opened.
  • Remove and allow to cool slightly in cake pans for about 5 minutes, then cool cake layers completely on a wire rack.
  • Leaving cake in cake pans too long could make the cakes stick to the pan and hard to remove because of the moisture that builds up in the pan while it cools.

Super Moist Vanilla white Cake & Buttercream Frosting recipe

This Super Moist Vanilla White Cake recipe is probably the most classic cake ever in my book and the most requested for birthdays, weddings, baby showers or just because it’s so popular!! 

Give it a try for all your cupcakes, layer cakes and sheet cakes!  You  may love this Super Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe with Chocolate Frosting!

Of course, you can enjoy this delicious vanilla cake a bajillion ways with different frostings, fruits, candies, sprinkles, and fillings.  Bring it on!  

More Delicious Cakes & Desserts!

Baking Tips

Super Moist Vanilla Cake & Buttercream Frosting

Super Moist Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Kim Lange
When you're baking this super moist, delicious cake, the whole house smells incredibly delicious with vanilla cake intoxication! Perfect for all your celebrations and holidays!
4.37 from 68 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, baking
Servings 12 Servings
Calories

Ingredients
  

Super Moist Vanilla Cake

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening softened, I used Crisco
  • 2 ¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup milk of choice buttermilk, non-dairy milk, milk at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • cups unsalted butter softened
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3-5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350º F.
  • Prepare two or three 9" round baking pans (or three 8" pans can also be used) or a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick baking spray or by coating with butter and lightly flouring, shaking away any excess flour and discarding. I like to add parchment paper to the bottoms of the pans and then spray with Baker's Joy. It's the best!
  • In a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together or sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.
  • Using a mixer, in another bowl, cream together butter and shortening until light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes.
  • Gradually add sugar one cup at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each cup before adding another. Then start adding each egg one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding another, but gently incorporate in, don't over beat.
  • Pour milk of choice and vanilla into measuring cup and whisk together until mixed.
  • Add creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture and the dry mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
  • Gently stir all ingredients until combined, getting all ingredients from side of mixing bowl mixed in as well, but do not over-mix! 
  • Evenly distribute cake batter between cake pans and place pans into oven.
  • Bake until the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes for two 9-inch pans, 25-30 minutes for three 9-inch pans, 35-40 for three 8-inch pans and 35-40 minutes for a 9×13 baking pan. Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 8-10 minutes in the pan placed on a wire cooling rack. Then, turn the cakes out on the cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Frost cake as desired.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • Using mixer on a medium setting, cream the butter until it is smooth and has lightened in color, about 3 minutes.
  • Add confectioner's sugar, ½ a cup at a time. After each cup has been incorporated, turn the mixer onto the highest speed setting and for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.
  • Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and combine until well-incorporated.
  • Add heavy cream until the frosting has reached the preferred consistency.
  • For a firmer frosting, add more confectioner's sugar, a ¼ cup at a time.
  • For a softer frosting, add more milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time.

Notes

Adapted from Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch
Notes:
  • Best to cream the butter shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Don't over beat when adding eggs and other ingredients, just mix gently until incorporated well into batter. 
  • This recipe makes approximately 24 cupcakes when cupcake tin is filled more than ¾ full.  -Bake approximately 18 minutes.
  • For other pan conversions, don't overfill your pans, whether you use, 6 in, 8 in or 9 inch pans and accommodate your baking time accordingly.  Below is a conversion chart with baking times to help out.  
  • Don't be tempted to keep opening the oven door a lot while the cake is baking as the oven temperature drops each time the door is opened.
  • Remove and allow to cool slightly in cake pans for about 5 minutes, then cool cake layers completely on a wire rack.
  • Leaving cake in cake pans too long could make the cakes stick to the pan and hard to remove because of the moisture that builds up in the pan while it cools.
Keyword 2 layer, 3 layer, baking, cake, vanilla, vanilla frosting
Tried This Recipe?Let us know how it was by commenting below!

 

102 Comments

  1. Hi! I’m not sure but you would be better off just substituting with butter, making it 1 1/2 cups. I don’t know how the oil would work out. Hope you enjoy!

  2. Hi Brooke! After you’ve made the frosting, then add some food gel or coloring in and mix it in, and keep adding in more if needed. Hope you enjoy!

  3. Going to try this recipe for my friend’s birthday party this weekend. I would like to make the frosting light pink – at what point should I add the food coloring? Thanks!

  4. After experimenting with other recipes for a vanilla cake, this one was IT! Granddaughter wanted a vanilla cake with vanilla icing for her birthday and it was a big hit with everybody. Delicious.

  5. Hi Zina! 🙂 Thank you so much for following me! I haven’t tried it with cake flour but I do use it in cake recipes a lot and sometimes use the ratio of 1/2 ap flour and 1/2 cake flour. The texture should be a little softer, but you’ll have to let us know if you try it. 🙂

  6. Love all the yummy recipes ! I saw you on The Kitchen today and decided to follow you . I wondered if you think the cake would be better is I used cake flour? Just wondering. Thanks!

  7. I’ve never doubled it, so I’m not sure. But I would probably do two separate batches if I wanted to double it the recipe instead of all together.

  8. I made this cake for my nieces birthday and while it was a good cake, the density and flavor is more like a pound cake. I was searching for a soft, moist vanilla cake recipe. I followed the recipe 100%.

  9. It doesn’t sound like you baked it long enough if it’s still gooey. Did you test the cake with a tester or touch the cake in the center with your finger tip and see if it was firm? Also, use baking foil on the edges of the cake or cover it lightly, if the cake starts to getting browner, you have to continue baking, every oven is different. Best results is baking on the center rack as well. Hope that helps!

  10. I made this cake in two 9” pans. The top was very brown and flaky yet the inside was still gooey. Any suggestions on what I may have done wrong or can do different?

  11. This recipe did not work. The sugar to flour ratio is off. I tried it twice. The first time in 2 9 inch cake tins. They overflowed and made a horrid mess. Then I baked in a 9×13 and it’s been over an hour and it still not baked in the center and it has sunk. I’m extremely disappointed.

  12. Hi! Do you pack the flour or spoon it into your measuring cups?
    Also, how long is butter cream icing good for and how do you store it?
    Thank you!

  13. Hi Mary, I don’t have one like that on the blog (yet, thinking I need to right?), but I think this might be what you are looking for: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/whipped-cream-frosting-39013 or this: https://www.gretchensbakery.com/stabilized-whipped-cream-for-icing-cakes/

    Also, yes keep it refrigerated, but refrigerated whipped cream cakes aren’t good after 3 days and the longer it sets, the frosting might crack, just make sure it’s well sealed. The vegetable oil would be the same measurement as the shortening. Hope you enjoy!

  14. The recipe looks really good. I love to try this but would be happy to have a soft creamy icing. Can you suggest fresh cream icing recipe that goes well with this vanilla cake.
    If I use fresh cream icing, will that be okay if I keep the decorated cake refrigerated for 24hr prior to use?
    Can you suggest me the amount of vegetable oil I can use istead of shortening?

  15. Lorena, that would be really good! If you’re talking just the middle layer, you could add in 1/2 to 1 cup of strawberries diced up in that frosting and then add your strawberries for decoration. Sounds yummy!! 🙂

  16. Can I add strawberries in the filling? If so, how many? I also wanted to add some as decoration.

  17. Hi ,

    Can i bake without egg….what is subtitute for egg. please advice

  18. Of course you can Melisa! I would love it if you did! 🙂 Vanilla is so wonderful! I’m addicted to it!! haha… Thank you so much for your sweet comment, you’re so kind Melisa!

  19. I use to be a chocoholic, and now a dyed in the vanilla obsessed zealot! Never had I realized until a few years ago just how complex vanilla is. And I am about to start a vanilla Pinterest board, can I put this up? This is hands down THE BEST recipe I have ever tried!!! Yeah something this good you gotta shout about ?✨?

  20. Hi Sandra! To tell you the truth I’ve never used unbleached flour. But if it works in cupcakes well, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for cake? I believe the only difference is bleached flour has been made chemically whiter in appearance than unbleached flour. The unbleached flour will turn white on it’s own, but it needs to be exposed to air and time. By using bleaching agents to the unbleached flour, it speeds the whitening up. Happy Baking! 🙂

  21. HI there,

    I would like to use this recipe to make a the dress of a barbie cake.
    Can you tell me to approximately what height each round rises? I am planning to use 9 inch pans.

  22. I have used an unbleached All Purpose flour for many year and am happy with it for cupcakes. I want to try this recipe. What is your opinion and experience between regular All Purpose and unbleached?

  23. 1 cup unsalted butter , softened (227 grams)
    ½ cup vegetable shortening (113 grams)
    3 cups granulated sugar (603 grams)
    5 eggs , room temp
    3 cups all-purpose flour (384 grams)
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    ½ cup whole milk , room temp (125 grams)
    ½ cup buttermilk , room temp (125 grams)
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
    1½ cups unsalted butter , softened (340 grams)
    5 cups powdered sugar (640 grams)
    2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    Pinch of salt
    2 – 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

    You might want to check them, I’m not well versed on grams and I need too get better! Hope you enjoy!!

  24. It sounds underbaked, even though you said you tested it, To check that it is cooked, insert a skewer into the deepest part of the cake at the centre. If the skewer pulls out clean, meaning no mixture sticks to it, the cake is cooked. If mixture clings to it, the cake needs longer.

    Another way to check if your cake is cooked is to gently press the top of the cake with your thumb. If it springs back immediately, it’s cooked; if not, give it a couple more minutes, then test again.

    Another reason cakes sink is because the mixture doesn’t have enough structure to it. Something wasn’t balanced, ingredients may have been off. I hope you give it another try Cherie!

  25. hello, i made this in a 13×9 pan and it tested done with a toothpick and was golden brown on top. after 10 minutes out of the oven i looked at it and it had fallen in the middle.
    what dd i do wrong ?
    thank you
    cherie

  26. Stacey,
    I think you could, but I definitely would not do more than that. The other option is to decrease by 1/4 or 1/3 instead of 1/2 to see how that works. Hope that helps! Let us know what you end up doing. Merry Christmas!

  27. Made this cake for the family last night and its delicious! Cake is very moist and we just love the buttercream! Thank you for sharing the recipe.

  28. Sania I would use the same amount as it’s called out in the recipe for the shortening measurement to substitute the butter. So a total of 1 1/2 cups total. Let us know how it works out! 🙂

  29. This recipe is my 7th vanilla cake trial from online and by far the most moist, delicous and dense cake i have ever tried. Thank you so much for sharing. My clients love it too! Will definitely stick to this?

  30. Amazing! I actually used coconut oil instead of shortening. Surprisingly, it left no odd coconut taste (whew!). Thanks for posting this (I’m even freezing it to send to my sister in a cold ship box, she’ll just have to apply the frosting).

  31. I’m from England, UK and want to make this recipe. Are the cup measurements the standard American ones?

  32. I haven’t but I would not have a problem using a really good gluten free flour. I love Better Batter Gluten Free Flour and Orly gluten free flour blends, but let us know how it works out if you do try it Darlene!

  33. Have you ever substituted the gluten free complete flour? Its supposed to be equal to regular flour.

  34. Thanks. I have used this recipe many times and everyone loved the cake. Nice to know it only gets better when frozen for a few days. Awesome ??

  35. Hi Francis! All you have to do is go to the recipe and put servings to 6 instead of 12 and it will automatically give you the measurements. Pretty cool! Enjoy!!

  36. Adeeba, I haven’t tried it , but most cakes made with butter can be as light and tender as those made with shortening, if the butter and sugar are creamed properly. Just make sure you cream the butter and sugar well to incorporate the air bubbles into the fat, which helps to make the cake texture light about 4 minutes together. Hope that helps! Hope you enjoy it!! Let me know!

  37. Munna, I haven’t tried it , but most cakes made with butter can be as light and tender as those made with shortening, if the butter and sugar are creamed properly. Just make sure you cream the butter and sugar well to incorporate the air bubbles into the fat, which helps to make the cake texture light about 4 minutes together. Hope that helps! Hope you both enjoy it!! Let me know!

  38. please tell me a substitute for vegetable shortening…I want to make this cake for my mom who is visiting me.

  39. Thanks so much! I’ll have to try some of your other recipes too. 🙂 God bless!

  40. Naomi, here are the options you can do, it makes 12 cups:
    1 (9×13-inch) baking dish
    2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans
    1 (9-inch) tube pan
    3 (8-inch) round cake pans
    1 (10-inch) Bundt pan
    2 (11 x 7-inch) baking dishes
    1 (10-inch) springform pan
    36 (standard) cupcakes

    Hope this helps! 🙂 Happy Graduation!! 🙂

  41. Can I make it a single rectangular layered cake? I want to use it for my graduation party.

  42. Megan, the answer to the question is yes, but the substitution is not one-to-one. The general rules of substitution are:
    1 cup of cake flour is equivalent to 1 cup of all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons (1 cup – 2 tbsp) Enjoy!!!

  43. I only have one 9-inch cake pan…but i really was to make this cake…could i cut the recipe in half?

  44. I made it and it came out very moist, soft and delicious. Thank you for share this recipe.

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