Description
This Homemade Vanilla Cake Recipe features a tender vanilla cake made with butter, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste, finished with creamy vanilla buttercream and optional rainbow sprinkles.
Ingredients
Scale
Vanilla Dream Cake
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped, or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 large eggs
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream, half and half, or milk
For Decoration (Optional)
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- If using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Set the seeds aside. If using vanilla bean paste, measure 1 tablespoon.
- Combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk until evenly distributed.
- Combine the water, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds or vanilla bean paste.
- Add the two large eggs and mix until incorporated.
- Gradually combine the dry ingredients with the wet mixture, mixing just until the flour is incorporated and the batter comes together.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pans and bake according to the recipe’s baking setup until the cake is baked through.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- For the buttercream, beat the room-temperature unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.
- Add the vanilla extract, then gradually add 2 to 3 tablespoons of heavy cream, half and half, or milk until the buttercream reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Spread the vanilla buttercream over the completely cooled cake.
- If desired, decorate with up to ½ cup rainbow sprinkles.
Notes
- Use either one scraped vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste as specified in the recipe.
- For the buttercream, heavy cream, half and half, or milk can be used.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting so the buttercream remains smooth and easy to spread.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cake
- Calories: 520 calories
Keywords: homemade vanilla cake, vanilla cake recipe, easy vanilla cake, homemade vanilla cake recipe, vanilla buttercream cake, classic vanilla cake