Today we’re sharing a new scratch Vanilla Bean Cake recipe that we just love!
This layer cake is moist, has wonderful flavor, and would taste fantastic with so many fillings and frostings (from Chocolate to Lemon), although today we are staying consistent with a lovely vanilla bean buttercream.
What Makes a Vanilla Cake Different from a White Cake?
We have many delicious cakes in our recipes section that are flavored with vanilla, including our White Almond Sour Cream Cake, Classic White Cake from scratch, and Vanilla Buttermilk Cake.
While white cake recipes often call for a little vanilla flavoring, a true white cake doesn’t contain egg yolks in an effort to keep the cake light extra light in color.
In addition, the whitest of white cake recipes call for using clear vanilla rather than natural, and even use shortening in place of butter to keep the color especially light.
This Vanilla Bean Cake wouldn’t be considered a true white cake as it contains whole eggs as well as a good amount of real vanilla (in this case, vanilla bean paste).
The richness from butter and whole eggs, coupled with the moistness from the sour cream in the recipe, and more than a tablespoon of vanilla makes this cake a stand-out!
It is moist and flavorful, but also sturdy enough that it can withstand the additional weight of fondant if your design calls for it. It’s an all-around great recipe and we hope that you enjoy it!
What is Vanilla Bean Paste?
In this recipe, I used Vanilla Bean Paste. Have you used it before? Vanilla bean paste, which depending on the brand, will be sold in bottles or tubes, is not a paste at all. It’s more the consistency of syrup (and the flavor is amazing).
Vanilla bean paste is a happy medium between using vanilla extract and vanilla bean pods.
It gives you the convenience of a vanilla extract, but it also contains the vanilla been seeds from the pod without any of the work! Those little vanilla bean flecks lend a richness of flavor and I love the look of the vanilla speckles in the cake and frosting.
Can You Substitute Vanilla Extract for Vanilla Bean Paste?
Yes you can! Vanilla Bean Paste and Vanilla Extract can be used interchangeably.
For this recipe, you can use the same amount of vanilla extract instead, or for your other recipes that contain vanilla extract, you can swap in vanilla bean paste for something a little different.
Using Vanilla Bean Pods instead?
The most common formula that I have seen for using scraped-out Vanilla Bean Pods instead of Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract is that 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract is equal to one 2-inch piece of vanilla bean.
So, the typical vanilla bean pod would give you the equivalent of 3-4 teaspoons of vanilla extract. As with anything, taste and adjust to your liking.
Vanilla Bean Cake Recipe
Moist and Delicious Vanilla Bean Cake recipe!
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Bean Cake
- 2 Sticks (226 g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature (you can add to warm water to bring to room temp)
- 1 cup (242 g) sour cream (we use full fat)
- 1/3 cup (81g) milk (we use whole milk)
- 1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste (you can substitute vanilla extract if you like)
- 3 cups (342 g) cake flour *See substitution below
- 3 teaspoons (12g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (4g) salt
For the Vanilla Bean Buttercream
- 3 sticks (354g) unsalted butter
- 9 cups (1035g) powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons (12 g) vanilla bean paste (adjust amount to your liking)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (optional to cut sweetness)
- 1/4 cup (60g) milk (adjust based on desired consistency)
Instructions
For the Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour three 8 inch x 2 inch round cake pans. (You could use 2 cake pans for slightly thicker layers if you would rather, but we like the additional layer filling.)
- In a medium sized bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to blend for 30 seconds. Set aside.
- In another bowl or measuring cup, combine the sour cream, milk and vanilla
- In the bowl of your mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until fluffy and lightened in color.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.
- Add the flour mixture and the sour cream mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (3 additions of dry ingredients, 2 of wet).
- Mix until combined and smooth, do not mix above medium speed or over-mix.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let the cakes cool 5-10 minutes, then turn out.
- Makes 7 cups batter. The recipe works well for cupcakes.
For the Vanilla Bean Buttercream
- Cream the softened butter until smooth. Blend in the vanilla.
- Add half of the powdered sugar and most of the milk. Beat at medium speed until the powdered sugar is incorporated.
- Add remaining powdered sugar and milk and mix at medium speed another 3 to 4 minutes scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. I slow down the mixer to very slow. (#2 on the Kitchenaid) for 1 to 2 minutes. This will help eliminate air pockets in the buttercream. The texture will become very smooth.
- Makes approximately 6 cups of frosting.
Notes
Substitution for Cake Flour: If you have no cake flour, here is a substitution: For each cup of flour in a recipe, remove 2 Tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK). This recipe has 3 cups of flour so you will measure out 3 cups of all purpose flour, remove 6 Tablespoons and replace with 6 Tablespoons cornstarch, whisk to blend.
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Yummy! Vanilla cake is my favourite! :-)
Can I use regular liquid Vanilla for this recipe?
Hi Claudia, yes you can! You can use extract in place of vanilla bean paste in the same amount.
Oops sorry I just read the whole post. Thx
This Is Coming At A Perfect Time, Hoping This Would Be Perfect For A Wedding Cake Next Month, I Plan On Doing A Three Tier Cake 12,9,7 or A 10,9,7. Which One Would You Do?
1. Would You Do Each Tier 3 Layers
2.Milk, Sour Cream, & Eggs Should They Be At Room Temp. For The Best Results, If So About How Long, Before Starting.
3. Does The Layers Bake Flat and Thin? Please I Need Your Help.
Hi Carol, How many servings do you need? You want your cake to looked balanced so I would use 12, 9, 6 inch tiers. This gives you 3 inches between each tier. This will give you a 1 1/2 inch space between the tiers for adding flowers or other piping details. I will post a link to cake serving charts at the end of this post to help you determine your tier sizes for the number of servings you need. As for you second question, I take out the milk and sour cream when I am assembling my ingredients and preheating the oven, greasing and flouring the pans, measuring ,etc. The chill is off the milk and sour cream but they are not room at temperature. I place my eggs in a bowl of very warm water for 10 minutes or so to warm them quickly. The cake layers bake up flat, we did not need to trim off the tops. I think the layers were 1 1/4 inches high. Our completed cake was 4 inches high after filling and frosting. We used three 8×2 inch pans. If we had used two 8 inch pans, we still would have had a 4 inch tall cake because more batter would have been in the two 8 inch pans. This is a large order to fill so be sure to price your cake to make the profit you should. Let me know if you have other questions. Links below — Karen’s chart gives you party sized servings and Wilton gives wedding size
http://www.fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
http://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html
can I cut the recipe in a third to make cupcakes?
Hi Melissa or BeBe
with this recipe, can it be used to make cupcakes? I realize the amount of batter it yields I would end up with tons of cupcakes but that’s what I need.. Just wondering if it’ll work.. It looks wonderful…
thank you
Stella
Hi Stella, Yes, the recipe works well for cupcakes. For standard size cupcakes, bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Hi Sherrie, I am sorry but we have never reduced the recipe to 1/3 so I can’t give you a definite answer on the outcome.
thank you, when I do make them I’ll let you know how many I end up with, if I can get close to 3 dozen in one shot that would be awesome… Can’t wait to try them..
Made a batch of cupcakes with this recipe. The cake is delicious! Thank you for this recipe. Will be using it often!
Hi Melissa or Bebe,
I would like to use this recipe for a full sheet cake ..and want to use 2 half sheet pans..
so i figure i would have to double the recipe or make it twice..
always made your recipes in round pans and loved them .. thanks
Hi Meena, The typical half sheet pan for the home baker is 13×9 (bakery size is 15×11). This recipes makes 7 cups of batter and that is the amount you will need for one 13x9x2 inch pan. So you will need to make the recipe twice. Below are 2 cake batter amounts charts that you will find helpful.
http://www.fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
http://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html
Can you tell me how many cupcakes the recipe makes?
Hi Debbie, We reserved a small amount of batter to make just a few cupcakes for testing purposes but I think it should make over 30 standard size cupcakes.
Hi Heidi, Thanks for posting your picture, your cupcake looks great!
I got 36 standard cupcakes using a #24 Disher. I had leftover icing so next time I’ll use more icing per cupcake. They were delicious and had great comments from the two different groups I took them to.
Hi Janet, Thank you so much for posting your information on the cupcakes, very helpful. I’m happy your friends enjoyed the recipe!
Wow, I’m saving this for later! Awesome job. I’ve been hunting for great recipes of vanilla cake for ages. Maybe this one is exactly what I’ve been looking for for so long. This cake looks so lovely, classy, and elegant. Perfect for any occasion.
I wonder if it will be a good idea to decorate the cake with raspberries. What do you think? I adore the combination of white and crimson and wanna give it a try. Thank you for this inspiration and all of the useful tips. I really appreciate it. Look forward to your new ideas!
Would this cake be a good base for a tres Leches cake?
Thanks!
Karen
Hi Karen, We have never made a Tres Leches cake, it is on our list of cakes to make. From recipes I have read on that cake, I don’t think our Vanilla Bean recipe is light enough to absorb all the milk in a Tres Leches cake.
Hi Melissa and BeBe- I am looking for a scratch vanilla cake that uses butter and all purpose flour. I see many of the vanilla recipes call for cake flour. I always have all purpose, but I really don’t want to do the cornstarch adjustment. I also am looking for a vanilla cake that doesn’t incorporate the almond extract. Sorry if this seems confusing. I know that almond can be left out, so I guess I am really looking for a vanilla butter cake using all purpose flour. Can you help? Thanks very much!
Does this cake stay moist for a couple of days? My biggest complaint with scratch vanilla cake, is that it tastes stale in a day or two, and is best eaten day of baking. I’ve tried so many scratch recipes ?
Hi Cherie, I don’t find this cake to be dry on the second day. Though I do think cakes are best eaten by the third day, unless they are refrigerated. If refrigerated, they must be kept in a airtight cover or refrigeration will dry them out. Let us know what you think if you give it a try.
Do you have high altitude suggestions for 5000 feet?
Hi Barbara, I am sorry that we don’t have first hand experience with high altitude baking because we live near sea level. Click on the link below, I think you will find this information helpful.
https://www.craftsy.com/baking/article/how-to-bake-at-high-altitude/
I’m interested in making this as a 6” layer cake. Looks like I’d have a cup of batter left over. How long do you think these layers would take to bake?
Hi Laurie, Baking at 350 degrees with 2 cups of batter in each pan, the time would be 25 to 30 minutes. Check at 25 minutes with a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake. It is done when there are no crumbs or just a few crumbs attached.
Thank you so much!
Hi, this looks really good. Do you have any recommendations for making a half recipe of this? My concern is the eggs, since there is an odd number.
Hi Kelly, A large egg is typically 3 Tablespoons . Crack one egg into a small bowl and whisk until the yolk and white are well combined. Measure out how many Tablespoons you have. If it is 3 T. then you would measure out 1 1/2 Tablespoon. If you have a scale, another option would be to whisk one egg, get the gram weight and divide by 2 .
If I’m going to make it as a sheet cake instead would you recommend 2/3rds of each ingredient?
Hi Rainey, If you are making a 9×13 sheet cake, you will need the full recipe. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Thanks! I loved the frosting, but found the cake to be too dense. Did I go wrong somewhere or is the cake dense because it’s moist (sour cream and whole milk)?
Hi Rainey, I am sorry there was a problem, the cake should not have been dense. These are a few things that can make your cake too dense and heavy. Did you use cake flour instead of all purpose flour. If a recipe specifies cake flour the texture will change unless you use it or a substitute for cake four. Using the incorrect amount of baking powder or baking powder that is out of date. It is also very important to cream the butter and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes or until the mixture becomes light and fluffy and has lightened in color. Hope this helps.
Hello –
Very excited to make this. Do you know how many 6 inch pans this would fill and cupcakes this would make ?
Thank you!
Hi Corena, This recipe makes 7 cups batter using 2 cups of batter for each 6 inch round pan. You will have 3 cake layers with a cup of batter leftover for a few cupcakes. You can get approximately 36 standard size cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Below is a link to a cake batter amounts chart
http://fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
Hello!
Any ideas why my cupcakes would come out flat?? I followed the measurements exactly. :(
Hi Nina, Most scratch recipe will give you cupcakes with a no dome or very little dome. A recipe using a cake mix will give you a much higher dome.
Oh okay! I was worried I did something wrong. They taste wonderful! Awesome recipe, I definitely plan on using this Recipe a lot so I’m glad to hear that they came out how they should’ve. :) thank you for the reply!
Hi, i made this today, but it didn’t rise well like yours. I baked it in 3 8×2 pans. I follow every steps to a T. Pls help. Thank u in advance.
Hi,
Is there any substitute for sour cream as sour cream is not avaiable in India
Hi Seema, You can use yogurt as a substitute for the sour cream. I prefer plain Greek yogurt but regular plain yogurt is fine also. Hope you will enjoy the cake.
Good morning!
Do you need to sift the flour before or after measuring?
Hi Beckie, The flour is not sifted. If you do not have a scale to weigh the flour, spoon it into a measuring cup for dry ingredients. Slightly overfill the cup and level off with the back of a knife. The flour is added to a bowl along with the baking powder and salt, then you will whisk it for at least 30 seconds. This aerates the flour and also blends the 3 ingredients. Hope you will enjoy the cake.
Hi,
I typically don’t have regular milk at home. Would Oat milk be okay to use?
Hi Antonella, I have never tried using oat milk. You will be removing some of the fat that the recipe would have if using whole milk, but I think it could be ok to use it. Fat helps to make the cake tender so be sure not to over bake the layers as that can make the cake dry.
Could I do this with 2 round 9″x1 1/2″ cake pans, and then use an 8″ square pan or a cupcake pan for the extra batter?
The batter amounts charts we use are based on 2 inch deep pans so I can’t give you an exact amount for a 9 x 1 1/2 pan. Fill your pans 2/3’s full, allowing room for the cake to rise. This recipe makes only 7 cups of batter. There may be some left over for cupcakes. Below is a link to a batter chart for 2 inch deep pans, you may find it helpful.
http://fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
Hello can this cake be made ahead of time, and how would you store it if so?
Hi Brittany, This cake can be kept on the countertop for up to 3 days if the conditions are not too hot, after that the frosting can develop an “off” taste. It can be refrigerated for 5 days. Remove from the refrigerator about 2 hours in advance of serving to give it time to warm up a bit. Keep the cake in an airtight container or under cake cover. If you wanted to bake the cake layers in advance, you could do so. Place them on individual cake boards, double wrap with plastic wrap and place in individual freezer bags….if not freezer bags, then use aluminum foil. They can be successfully frozen for 2 months. Thaw on the countertop when ready to fill and frost. They can even be frosted when partially frozen. Hope you will enjoy the recipe
Hi can I use this for tier cakes…I plan to make a wedding cake for my sister in law and was wondering if it can take the weight of fondant and buttercream.
Hi Pooja, Yes, you should have no problem using this cake recipe.
Is this cake light and fluffy or more on the dense side?
I’ve been searching and making layer cakes and haven’t gotten the results I want yet. It’s either too dense or eggy. Please advise if this cake will give me what I’m looking for so I don’t keep making cakes that don’t meet my expectations. Thanks.
Hi Jody, We don’t find the cake too dense or eggy. I hope you will give it a try.
Between this one and your coconut lemon cake, which is lighter and fluffier (less dense) assuming I make the coconut cake the conventional way?
Hi Jody, I think you will like the texture of the coconut lemon cake due to the oil that is in the recipe. I have written it in the conventional method under your comment on the cake.
I would like to make this into a Bundt cake. How would I adjust the time and temperature for baking?
Hi Maureen, Yes, the recipe can be baked in a bundt pan. The recipe makes 7 cups of batter. I don’t know what size bundt pan you will using but leave 1 inch of space between the batter and the top of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for probably around 50 minutes 45 minutes if your pan has a dark interior. I am not sure about the time because I have not baked this recipe in a bundt so keep an eye on it. Check for doneness with a long skewer, it will be done when the skewer comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Hello, what brand of bean paste did you use? TIA
Hi Debbie, We used Taylor & Colledge Vanilla Bean Paste
I have never made a cake with cake flour…….The batter seems really thick…is that normal
Hi Anita, The batter of this recipe is rather thick. I hope you will enjoy the cake.
Hi Melissa and BeBe! I could not recall if I had tried your vanilla bean cake recipe, so I made a 1/2 recipe yesterday to test it out. I wanted to compare the difference cake flour yields vs all purpose. Also, sour cream and no buttermilk. So, I made your recipe and I had a few frozen layers of another vanilla cake recipe that I thought I loved, and I had my family try both, at room temp. Your recipe won!!!! And I do love the difference of cake flour vs ap. Softer and smaller crumb, yet not dense like a pound cake. Wonderful flavor with the butter and lots of vanilla, and moisture from the sour cream. For my 1/2 recipe, I used 2 6″ pans, because I do like taller layers. Each layer rose to a bit over 1 1/4″. A winner!!! I read reviews, and I see that you can use this cake recipe for cupcakes too. Good to know. I wonder, do the cupcakes yield a flat top or a rounded, even slight, dome? Thank you again!!!
Hi Paula, I enjoyed reading your post and experiment. I’m happy your family chose the Vanilla Bean Cake as their favorite. I did not make a note on the cupcake dome but most of our scratch recipe cupcakes bake with a slight dome. Thanks so much for your review of the recipe.
can you use vegetable oil instead of butter
Hi Lorena, I am sorry but we have never tried using oil instead of butter so I can’t be sure of the outcome.
Hello, amazing recipe…
I’m curious if this would be possible to do by hand and without a mixer?
Thanks for posting!
Hi Ikeja, It can be done by hand but I have never tried doing so. The time consuming part will be creaming the butter and sugar until it has lightened in color and becomes fluffy looking. Cut your butter into slices so if will soften more quickly, softened but not melting at all. Do not soften in microwave. It will take quite a bit of time and stirring. Below is a link to a video that you might find helpful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_p-ppkDNL8
Hi Melissa and BeBe! I was thinking of trying to make this cake into a lemon cake. What do you think? If you think it could make a nice lemon cake, would you please recommend amounts of zest, juice and extract that I would add? Thanks again!
Hi Paula, You should use the Lemon Sour Cream Cake recipe, link below. The Vanilla Bean Cake recipe was based on this. You will be using vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract, then follow the Lemon Sour Cream Cake recipe. Hope you like it.
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/lemon-sour-cream-cake/
I just saw your reply, BeBe! I didn’t know you had another lemon cake recipe! I actually made 1/2 the vanilla bean recipe but added zest, lemon juice and lemon extract (I based the quantities on whole amounts of another lemon recipe I had tried). It turned out really tasty!!!! But, I will make the lemon sour cream cake recipe that you provided the link for, which as you said, the vanilla was based on. I can see how the ingredients are almost the same.
Hi Bebe! Well!! I just tried a 1/2 recipe of your Lemon Sour Cream cake. Yum!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is fantastic!!! I made one 6″ layer (rose to about 1 3/4″ tall using 2 1/4 cups of batter, for a taller layer. Also made around 7 cupcakes. So good!!! I will definitely be using this recipe for my “go to” lemon cake! Wanted to ask, I see the difference besides flavor, juice, etc in the lemon vs the vanilla bean is that the lemon includes baking soda, in addition to baking powder. The vanilla only has baking powder. Does the addition of the baking soda, which I believe is a rising agent and acts with the acid of the lemon, help with rise and fluffier crumb? The lemon seems to be a bit more fluffy; not as dense a crumb as the vanilla. Thank you again for your recipes and help!!
Hi BeBe and Melissa. I have another question about this recipe. Have you tried using 1/2 cake flour and 1/2 all purpose? I wonder if the texture/crumb result would be a bit “fluffier” cake, maybe some air holes instead of a small finer crumb? Just wondering your thoughts, as I made another vanilla cake recipe yesterday using those flour ratios and I did get a few air holes and a bit fluffier crumb.
Hi Paula, I have not tried using 1/2 cake flour, 1/2 all purpose flour in a recipe. When using AP flour you will see more and bigger pockets of air holes because there will be more gluten in the recipe, so the cake will have a more open texture and not quite as tender. It is all about personal preference and you may prefer that, so it is good to experiment.
Thanks BeBe! I do love your recipe, so I think I will give it a try!
Can you find vanilla bean paste at a Walmart? Where would it be?
Is there a difference in texture between this cake recipe and your vanilla buttermilk recipe?
Hi Fiona, Walmart should have vanilla bean paste, it will be found with the other food flavorings. Also, if you cannot find vanilla bean paste you can use vanilla extract for the recipe. It is an equal exchange, 1 teaspoon extract equals 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste.
I think the texture of both cake recipes are similar.
Thank you Bebe!
Hi BeBe. Another question. I would like to use this recipe for my own anniversary cake that I will be making next month. I want to replicate my cake from 1991! It was an amazing marble cake. If I want to make this vanilla bean recipe a marble cake, what would you recommend for the chocolate part? Cocoa, melted chocolate? And how much batter would you reserve for a great marble? Thank you.
Hi Paula, Congratulations on your 30 year anniversary, that is great. We have only used unsweetened coco powder when making our marble cakes. We use 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder dissolved in 3 1/2 to 4 Tablespoons very hot water. Just adding cocoa power without the water will cause your cake to be dry. We mix this into 1 1/2 cups batter. Link below to our marble cake
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/marble-scratch-recipe/
Thank you BeBe! You’re the best!!