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Home Β» Blog Β» Recipes

Favorite Vanilla Bean Cake

Published: Dec 23, 2016 Β· Updated: Nov 6, 2021 by Kara Β· This post may contain affiliate links Β· This blog generates income via ads

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I am a vanilla cake kind of girl all the way. Vanilla cake is my first choice and this recipe is my absolute favorite vanilla bean cake.

Favorite Vanilla Bean Blog Title Graphic

Hey there! Before you scroll, there’s lot’s of important stuff in the post!…including the FAQ section, which may answer any questions you might have about this recipe. Enjoy!

It’s a scratch cake and I’m sure you know how hard it is to find a flavorful and moist scratch vanilla cake, but I promise, this is it.

favorite vanilla bean cake on white cake stand with slice cut on a small green plate

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE VANILLA BEAN CAKE:

I’ve worked and tested out recipes for so long and this baby is no ordinary bland vanilla cake. It’s got a full vanilla bean flavor, it’s rich and buttery and just a hint of almond flavor.

Vanilla bean cake on a green plate

Now, just hear me out on the almond flavor. I use almond emulsion and it does NOT taste like ordinary almond extract.

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Vanilla Bean Cake on a green plate with fork

Even if you think you won’t like anything with almond extract in it…I have one question for you. Have you tried it? It’s the same lecture I give my step-kids. Don’t say you don’t like it if you haven’t tried it yet. Sometimes things taste totally different than you expect.

Here’s my point on the almond extract: The recipe only calls for a half a teaspoon. That isn’t much and it’s not strong or overpowering at all. All it does is to help bring out the flavor of the vanilla bean.

When you taste this cake, you don’t taste almond. You just know it’s got this full vanilla bean flavor and something a little special that makes you never want to stop eating it.

Ok, I’m done with the lecture. If you’ve tried almond extract and you just can’t stand the thought of it, I promise I won’t be mad at you and you can still make this cake with just vanilla bean paste or extract and it will STILL be awesome.

Vanilla Bean Cake

So, onto the vanilla part of this cake. I use this vanilla bean paste: Vanilla Bean Paste. It really gives the cake a much better flavor than plain vanilla extract. Trust me, you’ve gotta try it.

MIXING METHOD FOR THE VANILLA BEAN CAKE:

The mixing method for this cake is a little different than the norm. It’s called the reverse creaming method. Instead of creaming the butter and sugar together first, you’ll be mixing the dry ingredients with the butter.

Vanilla Bean Cake

Without getting too technical on you, the butter coats the flour and minimizes gluten development, which in turn, creates a very fine crumb and an oh so tender cake.

Oh and by the way, if you want to watch a ‘real time’ video on how to properly mix a scratch cake, you can do that here: How to Mix Cake Batter

Here’s how it works: Take your dry ingredients and mix them in a mixing bowl. Add slightly cooler than room temperature butter in chunks to your dry mixture as your mixer is running on low. Mix until all the flour is coated and it looks crumbly.

reverse creaming method to mix vanilla cake

Next you’ll pour in about a third of your liquid ingredients and mix until well combined (about 30 seconds to a minute).

I’ve recently experimented and learned that you can actually mix at this point for a minute or so to get it fluffier, but I wouldn’t go over that amount, or you risk overmixing your batter and it coming out dense.

mixing the vanilla cake batter

Next you’ll add in the remaining liquid ingredients and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 30 seconds. Don’t overmix the batter.

vanilla bean cake batter mixed

Pour into two 8″ round cake pans (or you can use three 6″ round cake pans). For this cake, I preheated my oven to 350 degrees. But here’s the deal, once I put my cakes in the oven, I turned the temp down to 325 degrees. I wanted it a little hotter in the beginning to help with rising, but I didn’t want the outside to over brown.

Once it’s done baking, you want to set it on a wire rack to cool for only ten minutes.

cooling the vanilla cake on a rack

After ten minutes, Set your rack face down on your cake and flip it over. Now your cakes are directly onto your racks. Just lift your pan off the cakes. Let them cool completely like this.

cooling the vanilla cakes

You can ice them once they’re cool or you can also freeze them. Check out my post with tips for freezing cakes and cupcakes.

For this cake, I used my Favorite Vanilla Bean Buttercream. It’s a match made in vanilla heaven.

stacked vanilla cake with filling

Cut yourself a huge slice. Oh, and maybe if you feel like it, you can share it with your family πŸ˜‰

This cake is absolutely perfect for a birthday cake AND for a wedding cake. It has a wonderful vanilla, buttery flavor AND it stays moist.

TIPS AND FAQS FOR THE VANILLA BEAN CAKE:

Do I have to use a stand mixer to make this cake?

No you absolutely do not need a stand mixer. It’s really convenient, but you can still make a great cake with a hand mixer.

I don’t have access to cake flour, can I use all purpose flour instead?

Cake flour is different than all purpose flour and they can’t be substituted for each other in equal amounts. Cake flour will give your cake a more tender texture, so it’s best to use that in this recipe if you can get it. If not, and you really need to substitute for it, you can make these changes: For every cup of cake flour called for in the recipe, use one cup of all purpose flour instead and remove two tablespoons of it, then replace that with two tablespoons of cornstarch.

Do I have to use almond emulsion?

No you don’t have to use it, but it’s really a very small amount and just gives a hint of added flavor. Personally I think it add that extra secret ingredient that people just love.

Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean emulsion or paste?

Yes you sure can. I think using a good vanilla bean emulsion or paste really pumps up the flavor and can set your cake apart from the rest, but a real vanilla extract will work as well.

Can I substitute the sour cream with something else?

If you don’t have access to sour cream, you can use yogurt instead. Try to use the full fat version though and not the low fat.

What is whole milk and can I use 2% milk instead?

Whole milk just has more fat in it than 2% milk, so if you have access to it, use it, but if you don’t, just use the milk you have available.

Video:

Now, onto the recipe:

favorite vanilla bean cake featured image

Favorite Vanilla Bean Cake

This cake is my absolute favorite vanilla bean cake. It’s a scratch cake that is moist, full of vanilla bean flavor, rich and buttery with a hint of almond flavor.
4.86 from 91 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, vanilla cake
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 452kcal
Author: Kara @I Scream for Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cake flour (not all-purpose flour)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 Β½ teaspoon baking powder
  • Β½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter (slightly cooler than room temp)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • Β½ cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • Β½ teaspoon almond emulsion
  • 3 eggs
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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (You’re going to turn the oven temp down to 325 degrees once you put the cakes in the oven.)
  • Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans. (If making cupcakes, read notes below)
  • Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk.
  • In another bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, oil, vanilla, almond and eggs. Mix well with a whisk.
  • Now cut your butter into chunks. Turn your mixer on low and add in the butter slowly to your dry ingredients. Mix on low to medium until all the flour is coated with the butter and the mixture is crumbly.
  • Pour in about a third of the liquid mixture. Mix on low to medium until combined. About 30 seconds to one minute. (Some reverse creaming recipes call for mixing 1-2 minutes at this stage, but be careful about mixing longer than a minute as mixing for too long will cause a dense cake.)
  • Pour the last of the liquid mixture and mix again until well combined. Don't overmix the batter at this point. Stop mixing once everything is well incorporated.
  • Use a rubber spatula and scrape the sides of the bowl. Mix again for only about 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Pour into prepared pans.
  • Slide into the oven and turn the oven temp down to 325 degrees. (Unless you're making these as cupcakes, in which case you'll want to read the notes below.)
  • Bake approximately 40-45 minutes.
  • Set on wire racks to cool for ten minutes, then turn the cakes out onto the racks and let them cool out of the pans completely.

Notes

Cake layers can be frozen for later use.
For cupcakes: Fill the cupcake wrappers just slightly over half full. Bake at 350 degrees (don’t turn the oven down to 325 like the cake). Bake for about 25 – 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition

Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 154mg | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 0.6mg

How to Share

I’d love for you to share this recipe link or tag it, but please do not share screenshots or copy/paste the recipe to social media as the content and photographs are copyright protected and we (bloggers) work really hard on our content. Sharing the link, tagging us on socials and pinning it is super appreciated though!

Tried this recipe?Mention @iscreamforbuttercream or tag #iscreamforbuttercream!

UPDATE!!!  I got a very good question in the comments below: Can you use this recipe for cupcakes? I’ve tried it and YES, they make great cupcakes! Here are my tips though: If you’re using this recipe for cupcakes, you’ll want to leave the oven temp at 350 degrees. Fill your cupcake wrappers just slightly more than half full. Bake them at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Let them cool on a wire rack.

Ok, now I’m off to go and eat a slice…or two…or three.

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Filed Under: Cakes, Cupcakes, Recipes Tagged With: birthday cakes, layer cakes, vanilla, wedding

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Robin

    November 01, 2020 at 12:42 am

    This recipe looks amazing! Would you recommend using baking strips on the side for even rise or go without? Yours look really even right out of the oven! Thanks ?

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      November 01, 2020 at 7:30 pm

      Hi Robin, I normally don’t use baking strips. The only time I use something like that, or a heating core, is if I’m baking a cake larger than 10 inches. Hope this helps! (Oh, by the way, Magic Line pans bake cake layers evenly…much better than other pans I’ve tried.)

      Reply
      • Robin

        November 01, 2020 at 7:49 pm

        5 stars
        Thanks for the quick reply and the tip about those baking pans! I used fat Daddio pans. I went ahead and made it without the strips, and they turned out great! I am making layers for a three tier wedding cake. Today I made ten inch layers, and one of them has quite a few big air holes. I was very gentle with mixing, so not sure what happened there. The taste and texture is great, so I’m hesitant to start over just because of some holes. What do you think?

        Reply
        • Kara Jane

          November 01, 2020 at 8:41 pm

          Hmmm…not sure about the air holes. Sometimes you can sort of tap the pans on the counter a bit before you put them into the oven and that helps. Unless the holes were huge, I wouldn’t start over, but that’s just me. πŸ˜‰

          Reply
          • Robin

            November 02, 2020 at 8:23 am

            I tapped them on the counter too! Weird. Maybe there were still some trapped. Anyway, I don’t think it will be noticeable. Thank you so much for this recipe, and for your comments. This is will be my go-to recipe from now on! It’s funny, I so badly wanted to add the almond emulsion, but my friend specifically requested NO almond. Ugh. Next time!

            Reply
            • Kara Jane

              November 02, 2020 at 7:39 pm

              Hmmm…that’s a mystery! I can’t really think of anything else it could be. Cakes can be so finicky though and do weird things on occasion. And you’re welcome for the recipe! I’m so glad you like it. Yes, some people just can’t stand the thought of the almond emulsion. It’s just a tiny amount in this cake and it just adds flavor without making it taste almond, but a lot of people just don’t like the idea. To each their own, right? And you’re right…always next time!

              Reply
    • Melissa

      May 09, 2021 at 9:26 pm

      I made it today and it is delicious, very fluffy as I followed your advice and did not overmix. I baked it in a glass 9x 13 pan. It did dome a bit. Could it have been the higher temperature at the beginning?
      One more thing, have you tried the recipe with an extra egg yolk?

      Reply
      • Kara Jane

        May 10, 2021 at 11:42 am

        Hi there, you can try to bake it at 325 the next time instead of 350 at first. That’s an option and it may keep it from doming up a bit. I haven’t tried this one with an extra egg yolk.

        Reply
  2. Sue

    November 01, 2020 at 1:12 pm

    4 stars
    Hi there,
    I’ve tried making this cake afew times and although I’m loving the flavour of this cake, the cake is coming out too sense.
    What could I be doing wrong?

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      November 01, 2020 at 7:29 pm

      Hi Sue, thanks for your question. I’ve found mixing this cake batter too long will make it come out dense. You may or may not be doing that, but that’s usually the biggest reason. I do have a video on mixing this cake in real time…not sped up at all, if you’d like to check that out. Here’s the link to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM6EmApf6Hs

      Reply
  3. Daniele

    November 29, 2020 at 10:03 am

    5 stars
    Hi,
    This is a great recipie…and full of great tips! Question: If I am baking in a 6″ pan, would the bake tme be the same as the 8 in?

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      November 29, 2020 at 3:29 pm

      If you’re using three, 6 inch pans instead of two 8 inch pans, then the batter will be a bit thinner, so you’ll need to bake it for a little less time. Start checking it at about 32 minutes or so…you may need a few minutes longer.

      Reply
  4. Penny

    February 13, 2021 at 9:07 pm

    3 stars
    I made this twice this week. The recipe is not difficult to make. The cake is moist and has a really good flavor. The batter is delicious. It rose well. But it is dense and not light and fluffy. Id make this again but I’d probably serve it as a β€œpound cake” and top with berries By the time I put a thin layer of buttercream on it, the sweetness was too much for me and cake seemed β€œheavy”. I’m still looking for that perfect tender moist vanilla layer cake.

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      February 14, 2021 at 11:29 am

      Hi Penny, thanks for the review. If you try it again, just make sure not to mix it too much. Sometimes if you mix scratch cake batter a little too much, it will come out dense.

      Reply
  5. Polly

    March 02, 2021 at 7:46 pm

    Can I use a 13 by 9 pan

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      March 02, 2021 at 8:01 pm

      Yes you can, just make sure to grease and flour it, or spray it with baking spray.

      Reply
  6. Ciera

    March 21, 2021 at 3:16 pm

    5 stars
    Just wanted to say that I’ve been using this recipe for over a year now and it is the only vanilla cake recipe that I will ever use! It’s just INCREDIBLE! I haven’t ever been able to find vanilla paste so I’ve always used extract but today I found some and I can’t tell you how excited I am to try it out. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      March 21, 2021 at 6:00 pm

      Ciera I’m so glad you love this one and thank you so much for telling me! And I’m excited for you to use the vanilla bean paste! Let me know how it goes. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  7. Brooke

    April 01, 2021 at 1:12 am

    Hi! I’d like to make a 3 layer 9” cake. How would I modify this recipe for that please?

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      April 01, 2021 at 8:16 pm

      Hi Brooke, I think you could mix up two batches and it would be just slightly more than enough. You could probably make a few cupcakes with the little bit of batter you might have leftover. You could use those for taste testing. πŸ˜‰

      Reply
  8. Brooke

    April 12, 2021 at 11:24 am

    Thank you for getting back to me so quickly- I was able to make 3, 9” cakes and about 6 cupcakes by doubling the recipe. It was delicious and the moistest white cake recipe I’ve found to date.?

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      April 12, 2021 at 11:54 am

      Oh good! I’m so glad it worked out and really happy you liked the cake! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  9. Chastina

    April 13, 2021 at 8:49 am

    Hi Kara, thank you for the recipe. I wanna ask you couple of questions. Could I use this cake recipe to be covered with ganache and fondant? Will it be firm for fondant decoration? Thank you and have a nice day.

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      April 13, 2021 at 10:34 am

      Hi there, yes I feel like this cake would hold up just fine under fondant. It feels a little heavier than my vanilla bean cake and I’ve covered that with fondant multiple times.

      Reply
  10. Angel

    May 24, 2021 at 11:58 am

    Hi Kara,
    Thanks for the great recipe, can I reduce the among of sugar uses for the cake, and what is the appropriate portion?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      May 24, 2021 at 7:26 pm

      Hi Angel, you can probably reduce it a little, but don’t try too much as the sugar doesn’t just help with the sweetness, it also helps with moisture and texture. Reducing it too much could affect those things. Try reducing it to 1 1/2 cups instead of using 2 and see how you like it. I think it might be fine reducing it to that, but I’d be very nervous reducing it further. Hope this helps. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  11. Kathy

    June 06, 2021 at 8:09 pm

    Hello, i Love this cake! I am wanting to make this for a baby shower. Would this work using a lemon curd filling along with the buttercream frosting?
    Would you have any idea how many cups of batter one recipe makes?
    Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      June 07, 2021 at 6:27 pm

      Hi Kathy, yes I think adding lemon curd to this cake as a filling would be really good! I would probably omit the almond flavoring though as I think the lemon filling would taste better without the slight almond taste, but that’s your call. πŸ˜‰
      I’m not sure exactly how many cups this recipe makes. I usually just go by recipe batches when changing pan sizes or needing to make more. For example, if you wanted to make three 8″ round cake layers, you could make a recipe batch plus a half. If you need to make it a difference size, if you’ll let me know which sizes you’re making, I can help estimate how many recipe batches to make. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  12. Susan

    June 22, 2021 at 7:05 pm

    5 stars
    I stumbled upon your recipe by accident and I will have to say an amazingly delicious accident! I followed this to the “T” and my cupcakes came out perfect. They taste amazing and are nice and fluffy. So happy that I found this and I can present these at my son’s 1st birthday party.

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      June 23, 2021 at 7:04 pm

      Susan, I’m so glad you love the cupcakes! This makes me so happy…and also I hope your son has a wonderful 1st birthday!

      Reply
  13. Suzette

    July 03, 2021 at 12:04 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Kara,

    I love this cake and I like using Greek yogurt sometimes instead of sour cream as I like the flavor more with the yogurt. My question is do you have a frosting recipe that isn’t so sweet and more of a consistency of say a whipped cream or marshmallowy consistency? Butter creams are just too sweet my family says.

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      July 04, 2021 at 1:00 pm

      Hey Suzette, so glad you like this one! I have a couple of options for you for the buttercream. Most of the buttercreams that I make is American buttercream which is on the sweeter side, but I do have a couple of whipped options you might want to try. I’m not sure if you’ll find them less sweet…I think they are a little less sweet, but you might think differently. Anyway, I’ll add some links below if you’d like to try them out.
      Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting: https://iscreamforbuttercream.com/whipped-cream-cheese-frosting/
      Whipped Vanilla American Buttercream Frosting: https://iscreamforbuttercream.com/whipped-vanilla-american-buttercream-frosting/
      Fluffy Marshmallow Frosting: https://iscreamforbuttercream.com/fluffy-marshmallow-frosting/
      Hope this helps!

      Reply
  14. Jodi

    July 07, 2021 at 11:31 pm

    I live at 5900 feet altitude. Do you know what modifications I need to make?
    I’m new to this altitude and haven’t figured out how to make cake that isn’t dense. ?

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      July 08, 2021 at 11:25 am

      Hi Jodi, I’m not experienced with high-altitude baking. I’ve only ever lived in Texas, so I’ve just never had the chance to experiment with it. I usually refer people to the King Arthur baking website for adjustments. They have a good detailed article with a graph that will tell you all the changes you’ll need to make. Here’s the link: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking I hope it helps!

      Reply
  15. gab

    July 10, 2021 at 5:01 am

    hi kara im just wondering if i would have to change anything if i were going to use a rectangular cake pan? im pretty new to this and was hoping to get some help

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      July 10, 2021 at 8:36 am

      No, you don’t really need to change anything as far as the ingredients go. It should be plenty to fill a 13×9 inch pan. You may end up baking it a little longer, but go ahead and start checking it a little early.

      Reply
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Hey there, I’m Kara!

Hi, I'm so glad you're here! Cake shows up at our most important and happiest moments in life, like birthdays, weddings, baby showers and holidays. It's also for those everyday moments...it makes them even better. Put simply, cake just makes us happy! I love trying out new cake flavor combinations and decorating ideas. Have a look around and I bet you can find a cake recipe or tutorial for any of life's big moments and those everyday moments too. Click here if you want to learn more about me!

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