Description
A classic homemade vanilla cake recipe that yields a soft, moist, and flavorful cake perfect for any occasion. With simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, this vanilla cake is sure to delight your taste buds and impress your guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the ideal baking temperature before you start preparing the batter.
- Prepare Pans: Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to prevent the cakes from sticking after baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps in incorporating air for a tender cake.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, mixing well after adding each egg to ensure a smooth, homogeneous batter.
- Mix in Vanilla: Stir in the vanilla extract, which provides the characteristic rich vanilla flavor to the cake.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning agents.
- Incorporate Dry and Milk Alternately: Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix gently to combine without overworking the batter.
- Divide Batter: Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans to ensure even baking.
- Bake: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove them and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting or serving.
Notes
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature for best results.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake tender.
- You can swap the milk for buttermilk to add extra moisture and tanginess.
- Use a toothpick or cake tester to check doneness before removing from oven.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting to prevent melting or sliding.
