Description
Classic vanilla cake recipe with soft white layers and delicate vanilla flavor, perfect for birthdays and celebrations.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
5 large egg whites, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper so the cakes release easily once baked.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. This usually takes about three to four minutes and is an essential step for creating the soft crumb that makes a great vanilla cake recipe.
Add the egg whites one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
The batter may look slightly silky and light at this stage, which is exactly what you want for a white cake.
Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing gently until the batter is smooth and just combined.
Avoid overmixing, which can make the cake dense rather than soft.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until the centers spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about ten minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.