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Bon Appétit

Easiest Vanilla Birthday Cake

By Kelly Janke

4.0

(9)

The Easiest Vanilla Cake on a platter with a slice removed and two more slices cut
Photography by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman, Food Styling by Jesse Szewczyk

The blonde counterpoint to our Easiest Chocolate Birthday Cake, this homemade vanilla cake recipe is great for first-time bakers or seasoned pros looking to save time without sacrificing quality. Created with the promise of ease—no stand mixer needed—the single-layer round cake is the perfect centerpiece for birthdays, dinner parties, or any occasion worth celebrating.

Calling for sour cream (instead of whole milk or buttermilk) gives the white cake an ultra-plush crumb, while lemon juice balances the sweetness of both cake and frosting. A few drops of almond extract (a common addition in wedding cakes) strengthens the vanilla flavor. Mixing the cake batter by hand doesn’t just leave you with fewer dishes, it’s a smart way to prevent overmixing, which can happen easily when you let your mixer’s paddle attachment run wild. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients gently until just incorporated. Once baked, budget for plenty of time on the cooling rack; if you frost the cake too soon, the silky, buttery icing (a hybrid of vanilla buttercream and cream cheese frosting) will melt right off. We recommend splurging on vanilla bean paste for those mesmerizing specks, but if all you’ve got is vanilla extract, that’s fine. To decorate, stick with the recipe’s low-maintenance spirit and swirl the frosting in dramatic swoops on top of the cake. Sprinkles are welcome, and so is edible glitter, candied citrus peels, or any other adornment you like.

Prefer vanilla cupcakes or yellow cake? We have recipes for those too. As well as a just-as-easy chocolate cake with brown butter frosting or a double-decker vanilla layer cake for folks who want more. Happy birthday to you.

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hour and 30 minutes

  • Yield

    Makes one 9" cake

Ingredients

CAKE

⅔ cup vegetable oil, plus more for pan
1¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
2 large eggs
¾ cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. almond extract

FROSTING AND ASSEMBLY

2 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (220 g) powdered sugar, sifted, divided
1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Sprinkles (for decorating; optional)

Preparation

  1. CAKE

    Step 1

    Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Grease bottom of a 9"-diameter cake pan with oil and line with a parchment paper round. Grease parchment paper and lightly dust with flour, tapping out excess.

    Step 2

    Whisk 1¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 1¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1½ tsp. baking powder, and ½ tsp. baking soda in a medium bowl to combine.

    Step 3

    Whisk 2 large eggs, ¾ cup sour cream, ⅔ cup vegetable oil, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp. almond extract in a large bowl until combined and smooth. Add dry ingredients all at once and gently fold in with a rubber spatula just until incorporated and batter is smooth (do not overmix).

    Step 4

    Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake cake until golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30–35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 30 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and unmold; carefully remove parchment paper. Let cool completely.

  2. FROSTING AND ASSEMBLY

    Step 5

    While the cake is cooling, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 2 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, and ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stop mixer and add 1 cup (110 g) powdered sugar, sifted, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, and 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. Beat in remaining 1 cup (110 g) powdered sugar, sifted, until incorporated and frosting is lump-free, about 1 minute.

    Step 6

    Place cake, right side up, on a cake stand or large plate. Mound frosting on top and spread over surface, leaving a ½" border around the edges. Using an offset spatula or a large spoon, make decorative swirls, swoops, and divots in frosting if desired. Top with sprinkles (if using).

TagsDessertBakingCakeEasyVanillaHerbs & SpicesNut FreeCream CheeseCheeseDairyBon Appétit

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