Recipes > Vanilla Cake
- Serves: 3 cups batter
- Active Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr
- Views: 29,496
- Success Rating: 100% (?)
Steps
Step 1: Preparing & Baking the Cake
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 7/8 cup organic cane sugar, lightly ground
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 6 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp non-dairy milk
- 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Method
Depending on the type/size of cake you will be making — a single layer cake, a torte with a two layers or cupcakes — the size of the pan will differ. See the notes below for more information on sizing and cooking times.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Oil the sides and bottom of the cake pan and line the bottom with a parchment circle or cut the parchment paper to fit. Do not oil the paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk, measure and sift together the dry ingredients.
Place the oil in a medium mixing bowl. Add the milk, vanilla and vinegar and whisk until very well combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. The batter should be pourable. Rotate the pan to level the batter and tap it lightly on the counter to get rid of some of the air bubbles.
Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the top of has set, the sides have started to pull away from the pan and a tester or wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes. Run a thin spatula around the sides of the cake to release the sides from the pan. Invert the cake onto the wire rack, remove the pan and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Invert the cake again so that the top is facing up on the rack. Cool completely.
When the cake is completely cool, slide a cardboard circle or a flat plate underneath it. Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold before glazing or frosting.
This cake can be wrapped airtight in a double layer of plastic wrap and frozen for up to 2 months. When defrosting, be sure to defrost unwrapped.
To torte the cake: Refrigerate or freeze the layer. Use a serrated knife to carefully slice across the cake horizontally until you have two separate, but equal layers. Lift off the top layer using a cake board. Fill and frost as desired.
Chef's Notes
- by Fran Costigan
- •
- November 3, 2016
Baking Suggestions:
This recipe makes 3 cups of batter. This is enough for one 8- x 1 1/2"-inch high layered cake, which can be cut into 2 thinner layers to make a torte. Alternatively, the cake can be made into one 9- x 1-inch high layer. This batter can also be used to make delicious vanilla cupcakes.
Bake an 8-inch cake in an 8- x 3-inch round pan: 40 to 45 minutes
Bake 9-inch cake in a 9- x 2-inch or a 9- x 3-inch round: 30-35 minutes
If you will be preparing a torte, chill before torting/slicing into 2 thinner layers
Scale for different size cakes and double for a 2 layer cake.
Options:
- Add seeds from 1 vanilla bean to batter.
- Add 2/3 cup toasted, finely shredded coconut, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or other add-ins of choice.
30 Comments
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I didn't know where I should ask this question. I don't know anything about baking and I'm not gonna try anything from scratch yet. So my question is about box cake mix, lol, sorry. I moved to a house with a gas stove, never made a cake in one before. After I had taken my cake out if the oven, I saw that it had fallen. Can someone tell me why? I always follow directions. Don't, over mix, the heat was supposedly the right temperature. I didn't open the oven before it had sufficient time to bake... Thanks for your help! -
7 to 8 cups of sugar for 1 cake? What's going on here? I don't get it, can someone help me out? -
Rouxbe Staff
Erica, if all was good when you removed the cake from the oven, then what comes to mind is that the cake pan was bumped or otherwise experienced a sudden or jarring movement. When the cake is still hot the structure is not yet set (this is especially true with cakes because they call for relatively low gluten flour), so delicate handling is necessary to avoid deflation of the cake. Another thought: You don't mention that you tested for doneness, only that you baked according to time. If the cake was a little underdone when removed, then this will cause the cake to deflate or fall. -
Rouxbe Staff
Gaurav, the measurement is actually for 7/8th of a cup of sugar, rather than 7 to 8 cups of sugar.
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can please explain what is 7/8th cups sugar? Is there any grams measurement for this. Thanks -
Rouxbe Staff
Coco, It's equivalent to about 175 grams.
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can dairy milk be substituted for the non-dairy milk ingredient?? -
Hi Karthik. Yes it can. Lauren -
Thanks a lot ,that really helped !!
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Hi team, I just made this cake as a double layer with the buttercream and lemon curd-- it tastes amazing! However, it came out more dense and honestly slightly rubbery in places. It also deflated out of the oven. Any thoughts on this? My taste testers think I might have knocked too much of the air out of it whilst vigorously tapping, but could that have really made such a difference? Thanks!
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Hi Robert. It is true that to vigorous of a shake can make a cake denser but if it deflated I am guessing that you pulled it out a little early or the oven was not quite hot enough. There should be a springiness to the top of the cake when you touch it as it finishes. Also, over mixing usually causes a rubbery nature so maybe dial that back next time. If you are at altitude, like I am, you might need a heaping teaspoon or 2 teaspoons of baking powder. Lauren
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@Eric W: thank you, but why use 7/8 cups must be another way to arrive at 175 grams right? Could you please share how did the author/chef arrive at 7/8? Any staff member can answer :)
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Also the cake tastes weird and dry like sweet bread, it doesn't taste like a cake cake :(
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Rouxbe Staff
Gaurav, I don't know how the original author of this recipe arrived at 7/8 of a cup. The weight of this volume of granulated sugar can vary depending on the particular sugar, ranging from approximately 175-185 grams.
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what is a neautral oil?
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Hi Hazel, a neutral oil is an oil with no real aroma or flavor, and very light in color. For example, vegetable oil. Hope that helps you. Cheers, Sandy -
Thanks, Sandy!
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What is the brand of all purpose flour you use in this recipe..?
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Rouxbe Staff
Hello Cintia, A variety of different AP flours are used to make the recipes. We have people making the particular desserts all over the world. To standardize it, though, King Arthur flours are standardized in their protein content. I hope this helps. Fran -
For the people asking about how much a 7/8th cup of sugar is, my conclusion is that a cup or regular sugar is 200gr. 200 divided by 8 is 25. 25x7 is 175 lol. It’s a long way to get to 175 but makes sense. I usually only bake by weight so I get how this was confusing for you as well. And if anyone wanted to know this recipe makes 18 delicious cupcakes :) -
This is a wonderful, versatile cake, delicious by any standard, not just vegan. The texture is wonderfully tender and light. -
what's the best replacement for sugar -
Rouxbe Staff
Koralee, I'm so glad you like the vanilla cake. Our intention is make desserts that are delicious and just happen to be vegan.
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Rouxbe Staff
Janice, We don't generally recommend non-nurtritive sugars but you can try using Allulose which is to my mind, the best of this category of granulated sugar. You might want to cut the recipe in half and bake a 6inch cake as a test. Let us know how it works out. Fran
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This Vanilla Cake recipe is my go-to dessert for family birthdays. The very first time I made this (a couple years ago), I made it as is. Then, I substituted the large amount of oil with applesauce (using 7 Tbls.) to decrease the amount of fat in the cake recipe. It turns out more moist than normal, but holds up very nicely and considerably well being that it is very low in oil. The only amount of oil I use is to coat the bottom of the pan. It is very delicious. I pair it with my own mixture sweet cream cheese mixture (all vegan: cream cheese, whipped cream, and confectioners' sugar) and top with strawberries. I am about to make it again and this time I am going to fold in (vegan) chocolate chips. I can't wait to eat it. Cheers, Hannah -
Baked it, tastes great! Fluffy and light. I think following the steps for whisk, measure and sift made the difference for me. In the future I think I’ll try vainilla pods/seeds instead of extract, would that work? Is there any easy substitution to make this a chocolate cake or is it a totally different recipe? Thanks!
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Rouxbe Staff
Mario, As the developer of this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that your made it and liked it. Whisk, measure and sift is a technique, simple as it is, that will elevate all of your baked goods. Dry ingredients settle, and this helps the measure be more accurate. Vanilla seeds would be a nice visual and they certainly add flavor but extract is needed too. You can cut back some. You might wan to try double fold vanilla which is a stronger flavored vanilla to make this cake sometime. Use 1/2 the amount. As to making this into a chocolate cake, you are correct in thinking that is a totally different recipe. The Chocolate Cakes in Essential Vegan Desserts and some of the other Rouxbe courses are sensational. Happy cake to you! Fran
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I made this cake a few weeks ago on a Sunday morning when I was looking for an easy and light cake recipe. I cut some dark chocolate pieces and added in. It turned out delicious, now my daughter’s favorite cake. Thank you! -
Can someone explain to me why when I bake my pound cake the bottom and sides of the cake get burnt while the inside of the cake is cooked perfectly? The oven temp is accurate. The cake also calls for shortening (in case that's relevant). I believe the shortening is what gives the cake a wonderful crunchy crust. Also, I am able to scrape of the overdone bottom and sides as one would scratch off burnt toast. I just wish it wouldn't happen and wonder if there is anything I could do to stop it from happening. I believe the pans are aluminum. Standard loaf pans.
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Rouxbe Staff
Paul, burning of the bottom and sides is an indication that the oven temperature is too high. It's not uncommon for oven thermostats to be inaccurate. Therefore, I recommend placing an oven thermometer in the oven or simply lowering the oven temperature setting by about 25 degrees F and testing with another cake. A time adjustment may be necessary, too. And, multiple trials may be required to fine-tune your results. Consider taking notes along the way.
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