Perfected Soft Vanilla Cake (Bakery Style Crumb)
Cakes by MK (adapted by JojoM)
Ultra-soft, fluffy vanilla cake perfected over months — moist crumb, real vanilla flavour, and a stable base for layer cakes, birthdays, or weddings.
Perfected Soft Vanilla Cake 🎂✨
If you’ve been searching for the perfect soft vanilla cake — this is the one 💛. After months of tweaking ratios and testing methods, this bakery-style vanilla cake delivers everything you’d want: a buttery aroma, plush crumb, and a flavour that actually tastes of real vanilla.
Whether you’re making a birthday cake, a wedding tier, or just craving a classic vanilla slice with afternoon tea, this recipe gives you professional results without fancy techniques.
🧈 What Makes This Vanilla Cake Special
Unlike basic pound cake formulas, this version combines butter and oil — giving you both rich flavour and long-lasting moisture. The mix of buttermilk and a touch of vinegar creates a gentle acidity that reacts with baking soda for that soft, tender lift every baker dreams of.
The result? A crumb that’s light yet stable enough to stack or frost beautifully — perfect for layer cakes and celebration desserts.
🥣 Step-by-Step Highlights
1️⃣ Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together flour, cornflour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cornflour helps keep the crumb ultra-soft and fine.
2️⃣ Cream the Fats & Sugar
Beat butter, oil, and sugar until pale and airy — this step traps air bubbles that expand during baking for height.
3️⃣ Add the Wet Ingredients
Mix in eggs, vanilla, and vinegar for flavour and lift. Alternate dry ingredients with buttermilk, starting and ending with dry.
💡 Tip: The batter will be slightly looser than a typical butter cake — that’s exactly what gives the sponge its melt-in-your-mouth texture!
4️⃣ Bake Gently
Bake at 165°C fan (175°C conventional) until golden and springy. A lower temperature prevents doming, giving you level layers that stack easily.
5️⃣ Cool & Frost
Once fully cooled, frost with vanilla buttercream — smooth, pipe, or swirl to your heart’s content.
🧁 Vanilla Buttercream Magic
This simple American buttercream uses just butter, icing sugar, vanilla, and milk for a creamy, pipeable frosting. Beat until light and fluffy, then taste — a pinch of salt makes it balanced and delicious.
For a softer texture, add milk or cream one teaspoon at a time. Want to elevate it further? Try adding a splash of almond extract or a touch of white chocolate.
🎉 Serving Ideas
- Layer with raspberry jam or lemon curd for a twist.
- Pair with Swiss meringue buttercream for an elegant wedding cake.
- Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream for a lighter touch.
- Tint your frosting pastel pink or yellow for birthdays or spring gatherings.
💬 Baker’s Tips & Secrets
👉 Always use room-temperature ingredients to avoid curdling.
👉 Measure by weight (grams) for consistent texture.
👉 If using homemade buttermilk, reduce slightly to avoid a loose batter.
👉 Bake at a slightly lower temperature for flat tops and a fine crumb.
👉 Cool completely before frosting — patience pays off!
❤️ Reviews from Home Bakers
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Made this for my daughter’s birthday — the softest vanilla cake I’ve ever baked. That oil + butter combo is magic!” — Leah B.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Baked at 165°C fan, no doming at all. Perfect layers every time.” — Tom, London
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Used Swiss meringue buttercream instead — still stayed moist even on day 2!” — Maria G.
🧠 FAQ
Can I use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour + cornflour?
Yes! Use 325 g cake flour. It gives an even silkier, bakery-style crumb.
Can I bake this as cupcakes?
Definitely! Fill liners ⅔ full and bake at 170°C for about 18–20 minutes.
What if I only have homemade buttermilk?
Use about 275 g (1¼ cups). Homemade versions are thinner than store-bought.
🎂 Final Thoughts
This Perfected Soft Vanilla Cake is a keeper — reliable, light, and flavourful every single time. With its moist crumb, balanced sweetness, and simple method, it’s the ideal base for any celebration cake. 💕
Adapted by JojoM from Cakes by MK.
Perfected Soft Vanilla Cake (Bakery Style Crumb)
Cakes by MK (adapted by JojoM)Ultra-soft, fluffy vanilla cake perfected over months — moist crumb, real vanilla flavour, and a stable base for layer cakes, birthdays, or weddings.
Chef's Tips
Use room-temperature ingredients (butter, eggs, buttermilk) to prevent the batter from curdling.
If using homemade buttermilk, reduce to about 275 g (1¼ cups) so the batter does not get too loose.
Bake at 165°C with fan (or 175°C conventional) for a flat, even top.
You can replace the flour + cornflour with 325 g cake flour for an even finer crumb.
Cool cakes completely before frosting to stop the buttercream melting or slipping.
Tools Used
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Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Instructions
Prepare the tins & oven
- 1
Heat the oven to 165°C (fan) or 175°C (no fan) / 329–347°F.
- 2
Grease and line 2 x 8-inch (20 cm) round cake tins with parchment on the base and sides. Lightly flour the sides.
Mix the dry ingredients
- 1
In a medium bowl whisk together the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.
Make the vanilla cake batter
- 1
In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the room-temperature butter, oil and sugar together on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes until very pale and slightly thickened.
- 2
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each and scraping the bowl. Mix in the vanilla extract and the white vinegar.
- 3
Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low only until just combined — do not overmix. The batter will be slightly looser than a standard butter cake.
Bake
- 1
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins and level the tops.
- 2
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the tops spring back and a skewer comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- 3
Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
Make the vanilla buttercream
- 1
Beat the butter on medium-high for 2–3 minutes until smooth and light.
- 2
Add the sifted icing sugar in 2–3 additions, beating on low at first, then increasing to medium until fluffy.
- 3
Beat in the vanilla and 1–2 tbsp milk/cream until you reach a soft, spreadable consistency. Taste and add a pinch of salt if you like it less sweet.
Assemble
- 1
Trim the cake layers if domed.
- 2
Place the first layer on a serving plate, add a generous layer of buttercream and smooth.
- 3
Top with the second layer and cover the top and sides with the remaining buttercream. Swirl or pipe as desired.
- 4
Chill for 20–30 minutes for neater slices.
Comments & Reviews
Leah B.
11/2/2025
Made this for my daughter’s birthday and it was the softest vanilla cake I’ve ever baked. That oil + butter combo is magic.
Tom — London
11/2/2025
Followed the gram measurements and baked at 165°C fan like you said — no doming, perfect layers. Keeping this as my house vanilla.
Maria G.
11/2/2025
I used Swiss meringue buttercream instead of American and it paired SO well. Cake stayed moist even on day 2.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
