Fluffy Vanilla Cake Recipe

This is the best moist and fluffy vanilla cake recipe. A butter-based cake made with whipped egg whites is light and airy. A simple and easy cake recipe that works perfectly every single time. Perfect for any occasion, such as an evening dessert or birthday celebration.

When I ran my cake business, this light and fluffy vanilla cake was one of my most popular recipes. It wasn’t just any vanilla cake—it was incredibly airy, soft, and perfectly balanced in flavor, making it a favorite for wedding cakes, tiered cakes, and special celebrations.

I always received rave reviews from customers who loved how light yet stable this cake was. It had the perfect texture—delicate and soft, yet sturdy enough to hold up beautifully in multi-tiered designs. Brides, in particular, loved this cake because it was elegant, classic, and paired perfectly with any filling or frosting.

There’s something truly special about a well-made vanilla cake—it may be simple, but when done right, it becomes timeless, refined, and loved by everyone. And this one? It was the vanilla cake that never failed to impress.

To keep it simple, I’ve paired this with my vanilla buttercream frosting because it’s easy and simple to make. Having said that, there are so many other choices for the frosting you can use for this cake, such as Swiss or Italian Meringue Buttercream, French or German Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, and Ermine Frostings. See all over 30-plus frosting recipes.

Why make this vanilla cake?

• Incredibly Light and Airy Texture – This cake is soft, fluffy, and delicate, yet still holds its shape beautifully. The perfect balance of ingredients ensures a light-as-clouds crumb without being dry.
• Perfect for Weddings and Tiered Cakes – Unlike some vanilla cakes that are too fragile, this one is sturdy enough for stacking while still being soft and tender—ideal for wedding cakes and tiered designs.
• Rave Reviews Every Time – This cake was one of the most popular recipes in my cake business, consistently getting amazing feedback from customers who loved how moist and flavorful it was.
• Versatile and Elegant – It pairs beautifully with buttercream, whipped cream, ganache, or fruit fillings, making it perfect for any occasion—from birthdays to weddings to everyday indulgence!

Ingredients and substitutes

• Cake Flour – While most of my cakes use all-purpose flour, I prefer cake flour for this recipe. If you can’t find cake flour, use all-purpose flour, but substitute 3 tbsp of the flour with 3 tbsp of cornstarch.
• Butter– I prefer to use unsalted butter to control the sugar quantity in my recipe, but if salted butter is all you have, go ahead and use it. Just omit salt in the recipe.
• Sugar – I prefer to use white sugar, but feel free to experiment with other sugars as well.
• Eggs – Sounds like a lot, but it’s not..! It really makes the cake light and fluffy. Always use large eggs when baking unless specified. The size of eggs varies these days significantly, so as a guide, large eggs weigh between 50 and 60 grams
• Vanilla– A good quality vanilla will make a huge difference in anything you make. You can use vanilla extract, bean paste, or sugar.

Step-by-step: Light and fluffy vanilla cake

• Prep: Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3. Grease and line 2 x 9-inch round cake pans or 3 x 7-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

• Dry ingredients – Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Set aside
• Wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and half the sugar until light and fluffy. Next, add egg yolks one at a time. Followed by the vanilla extract.
• Wet to dry: Add the flour mixture and milk and combine well. Scrape the bowl to ensure no dry flour is left on the bottom.

• Whip whites: In a clean, grease-free bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with cream of tartar.
  Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter in three or four additions, using a folding motion.
• Bake: Divide the batter between the prepared baking pans. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes clean.
  Pro tip – I like to use cake strips to ensure my layer cakes bake flat without a dome.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert to a cooling rack and cool completely. Always cool cakes completely before you decorate or store them away.

Vanilla buttercream

• In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter with salt for a minute. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
• Once all the powdered sugar is in, gradually add the whipping cream. Continue to whip until you have a light and fluffy whipped cream consistency ( 2 to 3 minutes).
  Pro tip – If you do not whip, the consistency will be very soft. The whipping will add volume to the buttercream, making it light and fluffy.

Assemble

• Level: Using a bread knife or cake leveler, cut the domes off the cake layers. Then, brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup. Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.½ cup Simple syrup
• Stack – Top with a big dollop of the vanilla buttercream – spread evenly with a straight-edged spatula. Top the second cake layer, then add more frosting until you have used up all three layers. Place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes so the layers hold together. 
  Pro tip – Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don’t move when you frost the outside.

• Frost – Spread the remaining frosting on the top and around the cake. Use a straight-edge spatula for the top, an offset spatula,  and a bench scraper to smooth the sides.
• Final touches – Place the remaining frosting in a piping bag fitted with a star or round tip and pipe a border or swirls on top.

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Frequently asked questions

Veena Azmanov

Fluffy Vanilla Cake

5 from 58 votes

This is the best moist, light and fluffy vanilla cake recipe you will ever make. Made using a butter-based cake batter with whipped egg whites that gives it a light and fluffy texture and a delicate soft crumb. A surprisingly simple and easy recipe that takes 10 minutes to mix and 30 minutes to bake. Perfect for any special occasion or celebration cake.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 9 servings

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Calories: 438

Video

Ingredients

 

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Vanilla cake

• 3 cups (375 g) Cake flour
• 3 tsp Baking powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1½ cup (340 g) Unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 cup (400 g) White sugar  divided
• 6 large (300 g) Eggs separated
• 2 tbsp Vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 ml) Milk
• ⅛ tsp Cream of tartar

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup (227 g) Butter unsalted, room temperature
• 4 cup (480 g) Powdered sugar confectioners sugar
• ½ cup (120 ml) Heavy cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• ½ tsp Kosher salt

Simple syrup

• ½ cup (120 ml) Simple syrup

Method

 

Bake the cake

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C/Gas Mark 3. Grease and line 2 x 9-inch round cake pan or 3 x 7-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
2. Dry ingredients – Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Set aside
   3 cups Cake flour, 3 tsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Salt
3. Wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer hand mixerwith the paddle attachment, cream butter, and half the sugar until light and fluffy. Next, add egg yolks one at a time. Followed by the vanilla extract.
   1½ cup Unsalted butter, 2 cup White sugar , 2 tbsp Vanilla extract
4. Wet to dry: Add the flour mixture and milk and combine well. Scrape the bowl to ensure no dry flour is left on the bottom.
   1 cup Milk
5. Whip whites: In a clean, grease-free bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with cream of tartar. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter in three or four additions, making sure to use the folding motion.
   2 cup White sugar , ⅛ tsp Cream of tartar, 6 large Eggs
6. Bake: Divide the batter between the prepared baking pans. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes clean.
7. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert to a cooling rack and cool completely. Always cool cakes completely before you decorate or store them away.

Assemble

1. Vanilla Buttercream: In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and salt for a minute. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Once all the powdered sugar is in – gradually add the whipping cream. Continue to whip until you have a light and fluffy whipped cream consistency ( 2 to 3 minutes)
   1 cup Butter , 4 cup Powdered sugar, ½ cup Heavy cream, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, ½ tsp Kosher salt
2. Level: Using a bread knife or cake leveler, cut the domes off the cake layers. Then, brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup. Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
   ½ cup Simple syrup
3. Stack – Top with a big dollop of the vanilla buttercream – spread evenly with a straight-edged spatula. Top the second cake layer on top, followed by more frosting until you have used up all three layers. Place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes so the layers hold together. 
4. Frost – Spread the remaining frosting on the top and around the cake. Use a straight-edge spatula for the top, an off-set spatula,  and a bench scraper to smooth the sides.
5. Final touches – Place the remaining frosting in a piping bag with a star or round piping tip and pipe a border or swirls on top.

Notes

• Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature so you have a smooth, not curdled batter. 
• Whip the butter and sugar until it is light and airy. 
• You can use clear vanilla extract to keep the white color of the cake, but real vanilla extract makes a difference in flavor. 
• Separate the eggs individually in a clean bowl so you do not have any trace of egg yolks. Save those for your breakfast omelet. Eggs are best separated when cold but whip better when warm.
• Use a clean, grease-free bowl to whip the eggs. Any grease in the bowl will not give you stiff peaks, resulting in a not-so-airy cake.
• When folding the egg whites into the batter, use a circular motion like shaping an ‘O’ inside the bowl. Up and over (see video) 
• Don’t overmix the egg whites as it can cause them to deflate. 
• Preheat the oven well in advance so you do not have to wait until the batter is ready. Batters with whipped eggs must be baked immediately. 
• It is best to bake cakes on the center rack alternatively, rotate the cake pans halfway through baking for even baking. 
• Cake strips are highly recommended for this cake so you have a nice pale baked cake not dark. The top crust comes off easily. You can also make cake strips at home DIY
• Fondant cake – This cake can be covered with fondant. It is a butter-based cake and works beautifully in tiered wedding cakes.
• Lighter cake – You can whip the eggs separately to make the cake light and fluffy just as I have done in my recipe for light and fluffy vanilla cake.
• Naked cake – This is a fairly simple recipe that can be used to make a naked cake. And yet, I do have a one-bowl vanilla cake recipe decorated as a naked cake. Perhaps you can try using that recipe as a base.
• Freezing the cake –  Freeze it on a baking tray for a few hours then wrap it well in cling/plastic wrap, followed by parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Thaw wrapped in the fridge for 24 hours so the condensation will stay on the papers, not the cake.

If your vanilla cake isn’t turning out quite the way you had hoped, don’t panic. Even experienced bakers encounter issues from time to time. Here are a few troubleshooting tips to help you get to the bottom of any problems you might be having with your vanilla cake.

• If your cake is coming out dry, it might be overcooked. Check the cooking time and temperature, and consider reducing the time in the oven by a few minutes. Another possibility is that you’re using too much flour; be sure to measure your ingredients precisely, as too much flour can make your cake dry and dense.
• On the other hand, if your cake is coming out overly moist, the issue may be with the ingredients. Be sure that your eggs are at room temperature before mixing them into your batter. Cold eggs can cause your cake to be overly damp. You may also want to consider reducing the amount of liquid in your recipe slightly.
• If your cake is coming out slightly uneven or lopsided, make sure that your oven racks are level, and that you’re placing your cake pans in the center of the oven. If all else fails, you can try adding a few baking strips around your pans to help distribute the heat more evenly.
• Finally, if your cake is sticking to the pan, you may not have greased and floured it sufficiently. Be sure to give your pans a generous coating of cooking spray or butter, and then dust them lightly with flour before adding your batter. You can also try using parchment paper to line the bottom of your pans for added insurance.  

With your vanilla cake baked to perfection, it’s time to get creative with the decorations and presentation.

• One easy and classic option is a naked cake! Simply dust the top with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries or a dollop of whipped cream. If you’re looking for something a bit more unique, try layering sliced strawberries, raspberries, or peaches over the top of the cake for a fruity twist.
• For a more formal occasion, consider using a piping bag and frosting to decorate the cake with intricate designs or personalized messages. You can also add edible flowers or other decorations to give it a touch of elegance.
• Another fun option is to cut the cake into fun shapes and designs, such as squares or triangles, and serve it on a platter with a variety of toppings and sauces.
• Whatever your choice for decorating and serving your vanilla cake, be sure to have fun and let your creativity shine.

Storage

• Once decorated the cake does not need to be refrigerated.
• It can stay at room temperature for two days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Once cut always cover the cut side of the cake with cling/plastic wrap so the cake does not dry out.

Other pan suggestions

• If you don’t want to make a layer cake like this,
  • You can make this into a sheet cake – a ‘Vanilla Sheet Cake’.
  • You can also pour the batter into a well-greased and dusted bundt pan for a ‘Vanilla Bundt Cake‘.
  • This recipe can also be baked into 24 beautiful vanilla cupcakes

Equipment you will need

Stand Mixer

Meas Cups and Spoons

Kitchen Scale

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 136mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 715IU | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Tried this recipe?

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