This Vegan Vanilla Cake recipe is a two layer cake that is full of big vanilla flavor and makes the perfect birthday cake! It is easy to make and is as delicious as it is beautiful.
I love to have a variety of cake recipes to make for any occasion. Sometimes you need a simple Vegan Lemon Cake or a delicious and creamy Vegan Banana Cream Pie Cake or even a rich and chocolatey Vegan Chocolate Strawberry Fudge Cake.
But, a Vegan Vanilla Layer Cake is the most versatile cake recipe that you can have. And sharing my favorite recipe is long overdue.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This Vegan Vanilla Cake is easy to make, and bakes up super moist and fluffy.
- It is absolutely delicious and has big vanilla flavor.
- This recipe makes the perfect vegan birthday cake.
- This cake is made without eggs and milk, so anyone can enjoy it!
- In this post, show you step-by-step how to stack the cake layers, so even a beginner can make this recipe!
Ingredient Notes
All-Purpose Flour: I use all-purpose for this cake recipe rather than cake flour. I find I can still get a light and fluffy texture and everyone has all-purpose flour on hand.
Vegan Butter: I like Soy-Free Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: I like to use a combination of baking powder and baking soda for a light and tender cake.
Non-Dairy Milk: I used oat milk, but soy milk, or almond milk will also work!
Vanilla Extract: The vegan cake layers and and vanilla frosting both get big doses of vanilla extract.
Lemon Juice or Vinegar: I used lemon juice, but white vinegar or apple cider vinegar will also work. You will not taste this in the final cake. Its just to activate the baking soda.
Variations and Substitutions
I use my recipe for Vegan Vanilla Frosting for this recipe.
But, you could also use Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe if you like the vanilla and chocolate combination.
Special Equipment
You will need two 8 inch round cake pans for this recipe.
And, you will need a hand mixer or a stand mixer for the vanilla frosting.
How to Make the Cake and Frosting
Step 1. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, non-dairy milk, melted vegan butter, vanilla extract and vinegar or lemon juice. Whisk well.
Step 2. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to form the batter.
Step 3. Divide the batter into two prepared 8 inch round cake pans and spread the batter out evenly. If you have a kitchen scale, it will be 13 ounces per pan.
Step 4. Bake the vegan vanilla cake layers for about 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of a cake layer should come out clean. Allow the layers to cool completely before frosting.
Step 5. To make the vegan vanilla frosting, cream vegan butter in a large bowl using a hand mixer.
Step 6. Add powdered sugar and mix until combined. Then, add vanilla and non-dairy milk and mix on medium speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.
How to Stack and Decorate A Layer Cake
Step 7. To stack the cake, place one cake layer upside down on a cake board or a cake stand. Then, scoop about ¾ cup of vanilla frosting on top.
Step 8. Then use a metal spatula or a butter knife to evenly spread the frosting across the top of the cake.
Step 9. Flip the remaining vanilla cake layer upside town and top the frosted layer with it.
Step 10. Frost the outside using the same spatula or knife. I topped my cake with a few rainbow sprinkles, but you can use any garnishes you like!
Recipe FAQs
Place the cake in a large cake box or other large container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes! Bake the cake layers, then allow them to cool completely. Turn them out of the cake pans and wrap them with plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month. On the day you want to stack and decorate the cake, just make the frosting and proceed with the recipe.
Vegan cake is made of the same ingredients as regular cake: flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda and salt. The only difference is that vegan cakes use non-dairy butter and non-dairy milk.
No! They taste exactly the same. This vegan cake recipe in particular has big vanilla flavor.
Expert Recipe Tips
Make sure that the vegan butter is room temperature for making the vanilla frosting. It will be much easier to mix to a light and fluffy texture.
If you are a beginner at stacking cakes, I recommend that you turn the cakes out of the cake pans and freeze the layers for 30 minutes before stacking the cake.
This will give you more stability when stacking and frosting this Vegan Vanilla Cake.
Looking for More Vegan Dessert Recipes?
If you tried this Vegan Vanilla Layer Cake recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Vanilla Cake
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 2 8" Round Cake Pans
- 1 Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- 1 Cake Stand
- 1 Metal Spatula
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cake Layers
- 2 ⅔ Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 ½ Cup Non-Dairy Milk
- 9 tablespoon Vegan Butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice or White Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
For the Vanilla Frosting
- 16 tablespoon Vegan Butter, room temperature
- 4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
Instructions
To Make the Vanilla Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans with coconut oil or pan spray. Insert a parchment circle into the bottom of each pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together and set aside.2 ⅔ Cup All-Purpose Flour, 1 tablespoon Baking Powder, ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda, ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, non-dairy milk, melted vegan butter, lemon juice or vinegar and vanilla. Whisk to combine.1 ½ Cup Granulated Sugar, 1 ½ Cup Non-Dairy Milk, 9 tablespoon Vegan Butter, melted, 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice or White Vinegar, 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk to form the batter. Then, divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. If you are using a scale, it will be about 20 ounces of batter per pan. Then, use a spatula to spread the batter out evenly.
- Bake the cakes in a 350* oven for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Vanilla Frosting
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the vegan butter until completely smooth.16 tablespoon Vegan Butter, room temperature
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Then, add the vanilla and mix until combined. Finally, add the non-dairy milk and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted, 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
Stack and Frost the Cake
- Place one layer of cake upside down on a cake stand or a cake plate. Top the cake layer with about ¾ cup of frosting and use a metal spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the cake.
- Top with the remaining cake layer, then frost the exterior of the cake.
- Decorate as desired and serve!
Jessica
Hi! I’m looking to make a mini cake with your recipe so using two 4in pans.
Would I just cut the recipe in half?
Megan Calipari
Yes, that's what I'd recommend! It will still probably be too much cake batter, but it can be hard to divide more than that with the fractions. So maybe make a few cupcakes with the additional batter!
Cindy
Hi there!
this recipe look so yummy!!
can we do it gluten free ?
thank you