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–+ servings
A close-up of a slice of delicious vanilla cake with fluffy white frosting and a hint of pink icing.

Simple Vanilla Cake

This recipe makes a basic, moist vanilla cake suitable for layering or serving plain.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12 people
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 3 cups All-purpose flour Sifted
  • 1.5 tbsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
Wet Ingredients
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter Softened
  • 2 cups Granulated sugar
  • 4 Large eggs
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups Milk Whole milk recommended

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Electric mixer
  • Two 8-inch round cake pans

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside.
  3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
  6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
  7. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. You may need to adjust time based on your oven.
  8. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Notes

For a richer flavor, use buttermilk instead of regular milk. You can also add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter for a subtle citrus note.

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