Light Fluffy Vanilla Cake (Printable)

A classic light vanilla cake ideal for gatherings and special occasions.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tsp baking powder
03 - ½ tsp baking soda
04 - ½ tsp salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tbsp vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

→ Optional Frosting

10 - 4 cups powdered sugar
11 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 2-3 tbsp milk
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Let cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
08 - Beat together powdered sugar and butter until well combined. Add vanilla and milk, one tablespoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable.
09 - Spread frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • This cake manages to be both impressively tall and wonderfully light, the kind of dessert that makes people think you spent hours when it actually comes together quickly
  • The frosting stays soft for days, so you can make it ahead and it still tastes freshly made at the potluck
  • The batter is forgiving enough that I have successfully made it while carrying on conversations with children, pets, and distracted spouses
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not just a suggestion, cold eggs can cause butter to seize and create a curdled mess that never quite smooths out
  • That toothpick test is crucial, under baked cake will collapse and over baked cake becomes dry quickly
  • The frosting must be spread on a completely cool cake or it will slide right off the sides
03 -
  • When greasing the pan, use shortening or butter instead of cooking spray, as spray can create strange spots on the crust
  • If you do not have buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill with milk to reach 1 cup, let it sit for 5 minutes
  • The beating time in step 3 matters more than you think, those full 3 minutes create the texture that makes people ask for the recipe

Go Back