Make Any Style Vanilla Cake With One Amazing Recipe
Emma Fontanella’s Easy Multipurpose Vanilla Cake Recipe. One recipe for birthday cake, vanilla cupcakes, sheet cake and more.
About My Easy To Adjust Vanilla Cake Recipe
We all need an amazing birthday cake recipe, and we all need an incredible vanilla cupcake recipe. The idea of this recipe is to give you one base vanilla cake recipe that you can easily turn into what I think will be the best birthday cake or cupcakes you’ve ever had! In fact, the recipe is designed to make it easy to adjust to make any kind of vanilla cake where you’re looking for a soft, fluffy, moist texture.
It’s a true crowd pleaser of a recipe—I’ve sold many, many thousands of cakes made using this recipe in bakeries. So, I hope you can be confident it’s been well-tested on people.
This recipe can be found in my new cookbook, Simple Pleasures. In the book, you’ll find many more great cake recipes, including a chapter on easy, single layer snacking cakes, a chapter on showstopper celebration cakes, and a chapter on holiday baking.
The same base used for a birthday cake recipe and a cupcake recipe. Note the soft, moist, fluffy texture of the cake.
The overall idea of this recipe, then, is to give you a single tested, reliable and delicious base cake recipe to master. Then, show you how easy it is to convert to cupcakes and other cakes. That way, you can be confident in knowing that, whatever your application, you’ve got a foolproof recipe up your sleeve. I’ll give you everything you need (including frosting amounts, timings etc.) to make it easy to adjust the base recipe for:
A 2-layer birthday cake recipe
A vanilla cupcake recipe
A sheet cake recipe that’s perfect for serving crowds of people
However, those are just the start. You can use this recipe to make all sorts of cakes.
You can use this recipe to make all sorts of cakes of all sizes and shapes
How long does homemade cake last?
Homemade cakes like vanilla birthday cake, cupcakes etc., will last for 2 to 3 days when stored covered on the countertop at room temperature. It’s best to store cakes at room temperature, unless they have frostings that will spoil when kept at room temperature. In that case, store the cakes in the fridge, covered. Make sure to take them out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving (ideally longer) to allow them to come to room temperature.
What’s the secret to moist vanilla cake and cupcakes?
Use the right ingredients. The key ingredients for making the cake moist are the butter, oil and the yogurt. Bake at the right temperature. Most recipes will tell you to bake cakes and cupcakes at a higher temperature than you need to, which can dry the cake out. By baking the cake batter at a slightly lower temperature than usual — 320°F (160°C) — you will keep your cakes and cupcakes perfectly moist. Finally, don’t bake for too long. Always use the toothpick test to check when the cake is just done.
What is a classic birthday cake flavor?
The classic flavors in the kind of birthday cake that most people in the US grew up eating are vanilla and sugar. But don’t forget the psychological impact of sprinkles! Even though sprinkles are just sugar, they have their own distinct flavor in our minds!
Is birthday cake vanilla cake?
Yes, the iconic birthday cake in the United States is a vanilla cake.
Do you have to put vanilla extract in cupcakes?
No, you don’t. Just the sweetness from the sugar is delicious. However, adding vanilla flavor really helps add a delicious, complex flavor to the cupcakes. So, if you don’t have vanilla extract in your store cupboard, you can leave it out. However, if you have either vanilla extract or vanilla essence, you will get a better result if you use it.
What can I use instead of vanilla extract or vanilla essence?
Here are some substitutes for vanilla extract and vanilla essence if you don’t like the flavor of vanilla:
Almond extract / essence
Maple syrup
Honey
Bourbon, dark rum, brandy
Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder?
For vanilla cakes, it’s best to stick to using baking powder. The reason is that baking soda can cause unwanted browning in cakes, which really shows up in a light color vanilla cake. However, if you’re out of baking powder, and only have baking soda in your store cupboard, you can use it. You want to use one third the amount of baking soda compared to the amount of baking powder in a recipe. So, if the recipe calls for 3 teaspoons of baking powder, use 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
YIELD
One 2-layer birthday cake; or 15 to 18 vanilla cupcakes; or one 9 × 13-inch sheet cake
EQUIPMENT
Handheld mixer or stand mixer
For the birthday cake
Two 7-inch (18cm) round cake pans
For the cupcakes
1 or 2 cupcake pans
For the sheet cake
9 × 13-inch (23 × 33cm) cookie sheet, at least 2 inches (5cm) deep
INGREDIENTS
For the cake batter
Note, the quantity of the batter is for one of the kinds of cake. That is either the birthday cake, or the cupcakes, or the sheet cake
1¾ cups (240g) all-purpose flour or cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick / 115g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tbsp (45g) vegetable oil
¾ cup (150g) granulated white sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (120g) plain yogurt, at room temperature
½ cup (120g) whole milk, at room temperature
Birthday cake frosting
3 sticks(350g) softened butter
2 cups (350g) powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
Sprinkles
Vanilla cupcakes frosting
2 sticks (220g) softened butter
1¾ cup ( 230g) powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
Sprinkles
Sheet cake frosting
1½ sticks (175g) softened butter
1 cup (175g) powdered sugar
1½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
Sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven and prepare the cake pans
Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C).
Then, prepare the cake pans according to which cake you’re making.
How to prepare the birthday cake pans
Preparing the cake pans for the birthday cake
Grease and flour two 7-inch (18cm) cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper.
How to prepare the vanilla cupcake pans
The prepared cupcake pan
The recipe will yield 15 to 18 cupcakes. You can make the cupcakes in batches if you don’t have enough cupcake pans.
Fill each slot in your cupcake pan with a paper cupcake liner.
How to prepare the vanilla sheet cake pan
Preparing the sheet cake pan
Rub the base of cookie sheet with oil, and then dust the base with flour. Make sure the entire base is covered, and shake off any excess flour.
Make the cake batter
Whether you’re making a birthday cake, vanilla cupcakes, a sheet-pan cake, or any other kind of cake, the batter is the same.
Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Mix the batter
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or in another large bowl, if using a handheld mixer), cream together the softened butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Mix until well combined, about 1 minute.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture, yogurt, and milk, and mix until there are no more visible spots of flour.
Scrape the bottom and sides of your bowl. The batter should look smooth.
The finished vanilla cake batter. Note the smooth texture.
Make the birthday cake
Bake the cake layers
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
Pouring the batter into the cake pans.
Bake the cakes for 22 to 25 minutes. Do the toothpick test. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cakes are ready.
Cool the cake layers
Allow the cakes to sit in the pans for 5 minutes, then gently turn them out onto a cooling rack upside down, remove the parchment paper, and allow the cakes to cool completely.
The cooled birthday cake layers. Note how flat and evenly baked they are.
Assemble and frost the cake
When the cake layers have cooled completely, assemble and frost the birthday cake as desired.
The finished birthday cake
Make the vanilla cupcakes
Bake the cupcakes
Spoon or scoop the cake batter into the cupcake liners, filling them each about three-quarters full.
A cupcake liner about three-quarters filled with batter
Bake for 16 to 20 minutes. Do the toothpick test. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are ready.
Cool the cupcakes
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before decorating with frosting.
The baked cupcakes once cooled.
Decorate the cupcakes
Decorate the cupcakes with frosting. I piped mine in swirls, but decorate however you prefer.
Frosting the cupcakes
Make the vanilla sheet cake
Bake the sheet cake
Pouring the batter into the pan for the sheet cake
Pour the batter into the prepared cookie sheet. Spread it out as evenly as you can using a palette knife.
Bake for around 20 minutes. Do the toothpick test. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready.
Cool the sheet cake
The sheet cake, just out of the oven
You will be serving this cake directly from the pan, so allow it cool completely in its pan before frosting.
Frost the sheet cake
Frost the cake as desired.
The frosted and decorated sheet cake
Watch the video for more tips
Hi! I’m Emma Fontanella. Here you’ll find trusted, tested recipes to satisfy your baking addiction and carb cravings. Learn more…
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