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Favorite Vanilla Bean Cake

This vanilla bean cake is super moist, full of vanilla flavor, rich, buttery, made from scratch, and covered in buttercream.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 443 kcal

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Two 8-inch round cake pans
  • Large mixing bowl
  • mixing bowl
  • Mixer
  • Silicone spatula
  • Wire racks

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups cake flour not all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter only slightly cooler than room temperature (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond emulsion optional
  • 3 large eggs
  • Vanilla Bean Buttercream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. The oven temperature will be lowered to 325 degrees F once the cakes go in.
  • Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, oil, vanilla bean paste, almond emulsion, and eggs. Set aside.
  • Cut the butter into chunks. With the mixer on low, slowly add the butter to the dry mixture. After all the butter is added, mix on medium to medium-high until the flour is coated and the mixture looks crumbly and sand-like.
  • Add about one-third of the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix on low to medium until combined, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • Add the remaining liquid mixture and mix again just until incorporated, about 20-30 seconds. Do not overmix.
  • Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then mix for only another 10-15 seconds.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.
  • Put the pans in the oven and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
  • Bake for about 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and no raw batter.
  • Cool the cakes on wire racks for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans and let them cool completely before frosting with buttercream.

Notes

Buttercream recipe: Vanilla Bean Buttercream. For cupcakes: Fill 2 cupcake pans with liners and fill about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15-25 minutes. Storage: Store covered at room temperature for several days if not filled or covered with perishable frosting. Refrigerate for a few extra days if needed. How to serve: Serve close to room temperature. Freezing: Cake layers can be frozen for up to a couple of months if wrapped well. Nutritional values are an estimate.
Keyword cake, vanilla cake