Description
A reliable, budget-friendly vanilla birthday cake that delivers a moist, tender crumb and rich flavor without expensive ingredients or complex techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 4 large Eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Almond Extract
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vegetable oil and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture on low speed. Pour in the buttermilk, then add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, frost with buttercream and decorate as desired.
Notes
Ensure ingredients are at room temperature for best emulsification. Do not overmix the batter once flour is added to prevent a tough texture. If you don’t have buttermilk, substitute with milk plus 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice per cup, let sit for 10 minutes. Cake layers can be frozen for up to three months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 38
- Sodium: 320
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
Keywords: birthday cake, moist cake, budget baking, vanilla cake, easy cake recipe, homemade cake