Super Simple Cake Recipe

vanilla cake on a plate topped with frosting and sprinkles

4.88 from 39 votes

Easy doesn't mean you need to compromise on taste. This simple cake recipe has a rich vanilla flavor with a soft crumb and super moist texture.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Easy Cake, Easy Vanilla Cake, Simple Cake Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 184

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

12 tablespoons butter melted and cooled
3 tablespoons canola oil
¾ cup buttermilk
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F/175C and grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a small mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients and mix well to combine.
In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and mix until just combined.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Video

Notes

Baking Times For Different Pan Sizes:
For two 8-inch round pans, bake 30-35 minutes.
For two 9-inch round pans, bake 25-30 minutes.
For 24-36 cupcakes, 15-20 minutes

Follow the recipe closely. I know you'll be tempted to throw everything in the bowl and mix, but mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them helps prevent overmixing, which will ruin the cake texture.
Use room temperature ingredients. The cake batter mixes evenly when all the ingredients are about the same temperature. Set out your ingredients 1 hour before beginning and allow the melted butter to cool before using it.
If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding one teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 3/4 cup of milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. The mixture may be a little curdled, but that's just fine.
For homemade buttermilk, full-fat milk works best to produce a moister cake. That said, low-fat milk will work too.
Cool cake completely before frosting. Frosting a warm cake will melt the frosting.
Need a super simple frosting to top this cake? Try my Easy Buttercream or Chocolate Ganache Frosting.

Nutrition