Favorite Vanilla Birthday Cake (Fluffy and Easy!)

Are you looking for a favorite vanilla birthday cake that is moist, fluffy, and delicious? This is the perfect cake for any special occasion!

When my daughter turned 2, I wanted to bake a white frosted cake with dye-free sprinkles for her Gabby’s Dollhouse-themed party. I tested more than five vanilla cake recipes, and they were all too bland or dry in a few hours. I wanted a recipe that would be light and soft while being moist and full of vanilla flavor. After several adjustments, I loved how this turned out; it is so cute and delicious!

The best part about this recipe is that it is easy to make. You will end up with a moist, layered cake that will be soft for days! The secret was adding two types of fat (butter and vegetable oil) and a small amount of almond flour to the batter!

Reasons to Love This Sprinkle Party Birthday Cake

• Simple and Easy: This moist vanilla cake recipe uses easy-to-find, simple ingredients, most of which you already have in your pantry.
• Soft: The cake’s texture is perfect; it is light and has a tender crumb. It is also moist for days! It will be your new go-to classic vanilla cake recipe.
• Versatile: You can decorate this cake only with dye-free sprinkles or add fruit compote as a filling and top it with fresh berries. It can be decorated in so many ways! I also made a pink cake by mixing dragon fruit powder with white frosting, which was so cute!

Ingredients to Make Birthday Vanilla Cake

Cake

• All-purpose flour: I like using all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, as most people have it in their pantries (especially outside the USA). You may also use a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute.
• Almond flour: A small amount is added to increase softness.
• Baking soda: A leavening agent to make the cake rise.
• Baking powder: A leavening agent to make the cake rise.
• Salt: To make the vanilla flavor pop!
• Unsalted butter: soft at room temperature. Adds fat, flavor, and moisture to the cake.
• Vegetable oil: I like avocado oil, but any neutral-tasting vegetable oil will work! When combined with butter, vegetable oils make a moist and tender cake that will not dry for days.
• Granulated sugar: I usually use unrefined sugars in my recipes, but we allow for a bakery-style sweet treat on special occasions. Homemade is always a better option as it doesn’t have all the additives store-bought cakes have. It is all about balance! So, I used granulated sugar in this birthday cake recipe.
• Whole eggs: Whole eggs are used in this yellow vanilla cake.
• Vanilla: Use a good-quality vanilla extract. I like using this water-based vanilla in my kid’s recipes.
• Buttermilk: I like to make my buttermilk for this recipe. It is so easy: mix whole milk with white vinegar. This will make the cake more tender!

American Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• Confectioners’ sugar
• Unsalted butter
• Milk
• Vanilla
• Dye-free sprinkles
• Dragon fruit powder: Optional if you want a pink cake.

Find the full recipe with ingredient quantities in the recipe card at the bottom.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cake

• Prepare the homemade buttermilk by mixing milk and white vinegar, mixing, and waiting at least 5 minutes (see quantities in the recipe card).
• Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare two 8” cake pans (brush a little butter and coat with flour; you may also add a round piece of parchment paper on the bottom).
• In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt)
• Add unsalted butter (ambient temperature), oil, and sugar to the stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for about 3 minutes until white and fluffy. You can also use a handheld mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
• Add one egg at a time and mix in between for a few seconds until incorporated.
• Add vanilla and ½ cup buttermilk and mix until combined.
• Reduce the speed to low. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the remainder of the buttermilk until it finishes.
• Using a kitchen scale, divide the batter evenly between the 2 8” cake pans (about 630 grams each) and bake for about 35 minutes until the cakes are light golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let the cake layers cool for about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan, then remove the brownies from the baking pan and add them to a cooling rack.

American Buttercream Frosting

• Add confectioners’ sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla, and milk to a stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment.
• Mix at a low speed to incorporate the fine sugar without splashing, then increase to medium speed and mix for 10 minutes until the frosting is white and stable. Scrape down the bowl halfway through mixing to ensure the ingredients are well mixed. If you want to add food coloring, do this step. I love using natural products such as this pink dragon fruit powder to make the cutest pink cake!

Assembling the Homemade Vanilla Cake

• Add one layer of cake and top with the filling or frosting. Spread the filling or frosting well in the center of the cake, then add the second layer (the cakes MUST be completely cooled for this step, or the frosting will melt).
• Spread the frosting in a thin layer on top and sides of the cake.
• Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, allowing the frosting to set the cake crumbs.
• Add the remaining frosting and decorate as desired. I love using a large Wilton decorating kit and dye-free sprinkles.

Recipe Tips to Make the Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

• Don’t overwork the batter in the final mixing steps. You want a fluffy cake!
• Before starting, make sure the eggs and butter are at room temperature. If your butter is cold, add it to the microwave and heat for 10 seconds until soft (you don’t want it melting).
• If the eggs are cold, add them to a bowl with warm water for 5 minutes before adding to the cake batter.
• To bake even layers, use a kitchen scale to split the batter evenly between the cake pans. Tap the pans on the counter to minimize air bubbles in the batter. 
• While baking, do not open the oven door before the 25-minute mark, as the cakes will sink.

Tools Needed

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer.
• Mixing bowl.
• Whisk.
• Silicone spatula.
• Offset spatula.
• Round cake serving plate.
• Kitchen scale.
• 2 8″ cake pans.
• Decorating kit.

Serving Suggestions and Substitutions

• Kids’ birthday party: Make a white cake with sprinkles for a girl’s party. You may add dragon fruit powder for a pink cake or blue/green powdered spirulina for a boy’s cake.
• Mother’s Day or Easter: Add fruit compote to the filling and fresh fruit on top.

Substitutions

• Flour: You may use all-purpose flour or a gluten-free 1:1 replacement.
• Almond flour: You may also use cornstarch.
• Homemade buttermilk: Increase the quantity by ¼ cup when using store-bought buttermilk.

Storage Instructions

Room Temperature: You may bake and assemble this cake up to two days before the birthday party, and it will be perfect!

Freezer: I have not yet tested freezing this cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Recipes You May Like

• Healthy First Birthday Smash Cake (no added sugar)
• Super Fluffy Double Chocolate Birthday Cupcakes

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