The Best Vanilla Bean Cake

Celebrate life’s big and little moments with an instant classic. It will be love at first bite when you sink your fork into the tender, moist, delicately sweet slice of Vanilla Bean Cake. Combining baking staples with an easy process, this will become your go-to recipe.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect dessert to celebrate a birthday with or just want to bake up a sweet treat for family and friends, this graceful cake will take center stage. With a double dose of floral and aromatic vanilla, it’s the perfect canvas for everything from chocolate or vanilla frosting to even a tangy Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting. 

Jump to:

• Why you will love this recipe
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Storage
• Equipment
• Top Tips
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why you will love this recipe

Easy Process - Skip the boxed mix and make this homemade vanilla cake. This is an easy and straightforward process that is ideal for everyone including the beginning baker. It’s also a great recipe to get your kids into the kitchen and let them help as well. And unlike a boxed mix, you’re in control of all of the ingredients. 

Adaptability - You can easily adapt this recipe to your personal dietary needs. 

Make Ahead - Looking for a pretty confection to make ahead of time to bring to a party? This is it. 

Ingredients

• Greek Yogurt - You can use dairy-free or dairy Greek yogurt for this recipe. This gives the cake moisture and a slight tang that balances the sweetness. 
• Vegetable Oil - A neutral flavor that adds moisture to the cake and keeps it tender and moist for days to come. 
• Plant Butter - This gives your cake richness while also keeping it tender and moist. You’ll want to melt it, and allow it to cool. 
• Oat Milk
• Vanilla Extract - The higher the quality of the vanilla, the more pronounced the flavor. Vanilla is a little floral and naturally sweet. It gives depth to this cake. 
• Vanilla Bean Paste - Intensely concentrated vanilla flavor, it’s a combination of vanilla bean caviar, a simple syrup, and a thickener. This is what makes this Vanilla Bean Cake so special. 
• Eggs - Eggs give this cake its structure and stability while also giving it richness and light texture. 
• Gluten-Free Flour - Use a quality 1.1 Gluten Free flour for this recipe. Not all 1 to 1 flours are created equal so check the labels. Some contain powdered milk. 
• Cornstarch - A small amount of cornstarch helps keep gluten-free baked goods tender and moist. A little goes a long way. 
• Sugar 
• Baking Powder 
• Salt - Enhances all of the natural flavors of the ingredients and gives the cake depth of flavor. 
• Frosting
• Rose icing color
• Sprinkles: To achieve this same look with fun sprinkles, I used these Great Surprise Pastel Confetti Sprinkles

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 2 9-inch cake pans.
• Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. In the mixer, place butter and half of the sugar.
• Mix on medium-high until fluffy about 1 and a half minutes. Then add the remaining sugar and your oil and mix again until fluffy about 1 minute.  
• Begin adding eggs one by one, mixing after every 2 eggs.
• Add in vanilla and vanilla bean paste and mix lightly.
• Pour in half of your dry ingredients and mix until combined.
• Then add in your milk and yogurt.
• Mix those until combined.
• Finally, add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix on medium-high until all the way combined.
• This batter will be wet and pudding-like. 
• Bake at 350°F for 30- 37 mins. A toothpick will come out clean when done. Let cake cool for 1 hour before frosting. 

Storage

•  Allow your cake to cool completely before tightly wrapping it in plastic wrap. If it is still warm it’ll create condensation and become soggy. Make sure the cake is completely wrapped and the plastic wrap hugs the cake. This will prevent air from getting in.
• Place the wrapped cake in an airtight container such as a cake carrier. You want it large enough to safely accommodate the cake without squashing it.
• Keep your cake refrigerated until you’re ready to serve it. A moist cake will spoil quickly if left at room temperature.
• When you are ready to serve your masterpiece, allow it to sit out for an hour and come to room temperature.

Equipment

Mixing Bowls

Mixer

Measuring Cups

9-inch Round Cake Pans

Cooling Rack

Top Tips

• Make sure that all of your ingredients like the eggs, yogurt, and oat milk are at room temperature. This helps keep the cake tender and allows all of the ingredients to mix together smoothly without over-mixing.
• Don’t over-mix the batter! This will give you that tender crumb you crave. Over-mixing can result in a heavy and dense cake.
• While there aren’t a lot of ingredients in this vanilla bean cake recipe, you want to make sure you are using high-quality ingredients such as your 1 to 1 Gluten Free flour. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour is a great option.
• Let the cake cool completely before adding your frosting. Not only do you not want to melt your frosting, but gluten-free cakes are more fragile in texture than wheat-based caked. No one wants their frosting sliding off.

FAQ

Can Vanilla Bean Cake be made into cupcakes?

Yes, this recipe cake easily be adapted into cupcakes or even a sheet cake.

How long does this cake last?

The shelf life depends upon several factors including how it is stored. It will last longer refrigerated and if left at room temperature will keep for 3-4 days.

Can I freeze Vanilla Bean Cake?

Yes! Allow it to cool completely and then tightly wrap it in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped cakes in freezer-safe bags, making sure that all of the air is out. When ready to use them allow them to defrost in the refrigerator overnight.