Easy Vanilla Cake

This easy vanilla cake is soft and perfectly moist, and you can make it with simple pantry staples.

Its quick and easy preparation and simple cream cheese frosting make it suitable for bakers of all levels. For more easy cake recipes, try our chocolate banana bread, vegan carrot cake, and orange cake.

Cakes can be intimidating, so we developed this vanilla cake with oil recipe to be the easiest yet unbelievably tasty and most satisfying cake.

It’s a one-layer sheet cake, and you can make it with one eye closed and one hand behind your back. I promise!

The ingredients are all pantry staples, and the recipe does not include eggs.

You need only all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, water, oil, and vanilla extract.

The cake’s crumb is unbelievably moist yet has a light and delicate texture.

The recipe is easy to veganize by swapping the cream cheese in the frosting with a non-dairy alternative.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Flour

We recommend using plain all-purpose flour.

We haven’t tested it with gluten-free flour, so we’re unsure if it works.

Sugar

You can use white sugar or brown sugar.

Water

We recommend using water instead of milk for this recipe because it keeps the cake more moist, light, and fluffy.

You can substitute almond milk or any other milk for water.

Oil

You can use any vegetable oil with a neutral flavor.

We recommend olive oil (not extra virgin because it’s too strong), avocado oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, or safflower oil.

Oil is preferable to butter because oil makes a more moist and less dense cake.

Baking powder

Baking powder is our raising agent of choice. There’s no need for baking soda or vinegar.

Vanilla extract

We recommend vanilla extract to infuse this vanilla cake with the most beautiful vanilla aroma.

You can substitute the beans in a vanilla pod for vanilla extract.

Salt

Just a pinch. You won’t taste the salt, but it helps make the cake tastier.

Cream cheese frosting

You can use any frosting for this easy vanilla cake with oil. We make one with the following:

• Cream cheese: substitute non-dairy cream cheese.
• Butter: substitute vegan butter.
• Vanilla extract: substitute the seeds in a vanilla pod or grated lemon zest.
• Powdered sugar.

Equipment

We used and recommend an 8×8-inch squared pan.

You can also use a 9-inch round cake pan without changing the quantities.

To use other pans, check out the “TIPS” chapter below.

You can whip up the cake batter with a manual whisk, hand mixer, or stand mixer with a whisk attachment.

1. Make the cake batter

Preheat the oven to 340°F or 170°C. Line the bottom of an 8-inch squared baking pan with parchment paper and butter the sides.

Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl: 1½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Whisk to combine.

Tip: We recommend sifting the flour to break up any lumps and make the cake lighter and airier.

In a second bowl, add the wet ingredients: 1 cup water, ¼ cups oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined without overmixing.

You can use a whisk or an electric hand mixer but do not overmix.

Tip: overmixing will develop the gluten in the flour, making the cake heavy and gummy.

Transfer the vanilla cake batter to the prepared baking pan.

2. Bake the vanilla cake

Bake immediately at 340°F or 170°C for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly dry.

Let the vanilla cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, remove it from the pan, and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Tip: The cake must cool before you eat it. This will firm up the crumb and make it more flavorful.

3. Make the frosting

Take the butter out of the fridge and let it soften at room temperature for 15 minutes.

To a mixing bowl, add 4 tablespoons softened butter and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and beat with a hand mixer for 30 seconds or until creamy. Don’t overbeat it, or it’ll melt.

Tip: Optionally, add the grated zest of 1/2 organic lemon.

Add 4 ounces of cream cheese and beat for another 30 seconds or until combined. Again, don’t overbeat it.

Add 1 cup powdered sugar to the mixture. Sift it in if it’s lumpy.

Beat at low speed first, scrape down the sides, then beat at medium-high speed for 30 seconds or until smooth.

Let it firm up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15 before applying it to the vanilla cake.

5. Apply the frosting

Cover the cake with the frosting and keep it in the fridge if you don’t eat it immediately.

Shortly before serving, you can add sprinkles on top, then cut it into squares and enjoy.