One Bowl Vanilla Cake - incredibly fluffy and moist cake with the best easy vanilla frosting! All you need is one bowl and a whisk to make it! Even kids can make it!
Easy cakes are the best! My One Bowl Chocolate Cake and the Best Chocolate Bundt Cake are the proof. This vanilla version is bound to be a hit!
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Why You'll Love This Cake
Fluffy and moist cake with delicious vanilla flavor, topped with the best and easiest fluffy vanilla frosting makes for an easy dessert you can make in under 30 minutes. It is the best vanilla cake you will ever make!
You can add other flavorings to make other variations, use gluten-free flour or even make it dairy-free with almond milk. This cake could not be easier to make. You only need one mixing bowl and a whisk to make the batter. It's a must-try dessert for every home baker!
How to make one-bowl vanilla cake?
- Star by gathering ingredients. Make sure the egg is at room temperature. If you don't have buttermilk, you can easily make it by mixing apple cider vinegar with half and half or whole milk.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Add wet ingredients (except water) and whisk. Add water and whisk it in. Pour batter into the prepared 8" square or round pan.
- Bake cake in a preheated oven until golden on top, 25 to 28 minutes.
- Cool completely before frosting.
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One-Bowl Cake variations:
- lemon cake: add lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (plus enough water to make ½ cup of liquid)
- berry summer cake: add lemon zest and blueberries or raspberries
- gluten-free cake: use gluten-free flour that can be used in 1:1 ratio
- dairy-free: use almond milk in place of half and half to make buttermilk
- zucchini cake: add shredded zucchini (squeeze out as much liquid out of it as you can before using) and frost with chocolate frosting
- funfetti cake: add sprinkles into the batter and on top of frosting.
The vanilla frosting:
I made my go-to vanilla frosting recipe by creaming butter and powdered sugar, then adding vanilla and a splash of heavy cream. It's fluffy and just perfect with this cake!
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! Pour batter into a cupcake pan and bake for 18 minutes, until golden on top. Cool completely before frosting.
You can add fruit to the batter, but I recommend dropping it into the batter while it's already in the pan. You can also add funfetti or other sprinkles.
More Easy Cake Recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
One-Bowl Vanilla Cake recipe
Ingredients
for cake:
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup buttermilk see note
- ½ cup hot water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
for frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease and flour or line with parchment paper, an 8" square or round pan. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add egg, buttermilk, vanilla and oil. Whisk together. Add hot water and whisk well until the batter is smooth. It will be runny but that's okay.1 large egg, ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup hot water, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap the pan gently against the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Bake cake for 25 to 28 minutes or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in a few places comes out clean.
- Cool cake completely before frosting.
- To make frosting: place butter in a medium mixing bowl and beat for 7 minutes. Add powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time and beat in well. Add heavy cream and beat in for 1 minute. Add vanilla and mix in. The frosting should be very fluffy. Spread over cooled cake. Decorate with sprinkles.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Notes
- To make homemade buttermilk: mix 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with enough half-and-half to make ½ cup of liquid. Let stand for 3 to 4 minutes. When the mixture looks thick and curdled, use it in the recipe.
- Use good quality vanilla as that is the primary flavor in this cake.
- For the best frosting: make sure the butter is soft. Otherwise, the frosting won't be fluffy.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.
Althea says
DELICIOUS!!! Very moist and tender. I live at 5,000 ft and made no adjustments in baking time nor ingredients. I followed the recipe exactly as written and it came out perfect. Frosting was delicious. Hubby raved over it and asked me to make it again. Thanks for a great recipe.
Adama Grace Kefas says
Great recipe, made the lemon cake version and it came out great, moist and fluffy.
Anna says
Thank you so much for making my recipe!
Judy Kennedy says
I made this vanilla cake and icing and I loved it. It was a reminder of the cakes that my mother used to make in my childhood thank you very much.
Jackelyn says
First time using this recipe I don’t think I followed directions the best. Second time around it was so much better since I did as followed and noticed I skipped crucial but could seem subtle steps. I now use this as my go-to recipe to follow for now that I am barely getting into baking cakes myself(:
Dee says
Tried the cake. Maybe it's me but the oil in the cake kinda turned my stomach. The oil was a new bottle & it is fine. I could taste it. I will probably throw the whole thing out.
I have gotten away from using veggie oil in anything.. so I now have learned my lesson.
Brenda says
I'm an experienced baker and like others it came out gummy, especially in the middle. Flavor is good but texture is all wrong.
Cynthia says
This cake was a failure, the greasy and dense texture . I really wanted it to work because vanilla cakes and I are not friends but, thanks
Y says
Made the cake exactly, but it really flattened, it was moist but too oily. Still delicious with buttercream but definitely reducing oil next time.
Brudy says
5 stars. Double recipe. Added crushed pineapple and a little almond extract. Made a light, pineapple glaze and it turned out Perfect. Love the denseness. I will keep this for when i want just a plain good tasting cake.
Anna says
What a wonderful version of the cake! Thank you for giving my recipe a try and for the lovely comment!
Amy says
The sugar level and flavor is good, but my cake turned out greasy. Only difference I made is that I doubled the recipe, and used an equal amount of maple syrup to replace the vanilla extract since I ran out. Maybe I should've baked one half of my batter at a time instead of all at once in the oven? It's too bad, the batter was so delicious before I put it in the oven.
Jola says
Very good recipe for vanilla cake. Probably one of the best.
Brenda Wilkerson says
This is thr only vanilla cake recipe I will ever use! I topped mine with a chocolate cream cheese frosting and it was divine. So moist with a soft crumb yet held up to the frosting. Love it!
Yenziwe says
I tried this recipe. Im pleased with how moist nd tasty .i have always struggled with homemade vanilla cake. I would like to try the X3 ration. Coz the one i made was very very thin .
Thank you
Layla says
Did this recipe to a tee and it came out like jelly in the middle... not sure what went wrong. Could be something on my end but since i followed the recipe im doubtful?? sad as the recipe looks great and im sure its usually fine haha, just disappointing after cost of ingredients
Chris says
Wonderful cake
Judy Boehmke says
Delicious! This is a keeper!