Vanilla Cake Recipe
Ingredients for the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
Instructions:
1. Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper for easy removal.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream the Butter and Sugar:
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the Eggs:
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Make sure the mixture is smooth before moving on to the next step.
Stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Add the Dry Ingredients and Milk:
With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined—be careful not to overmix.
6. Bake the Cake:
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
If you’re using one pan for a larger cake, increase the baking time by 10-15 minutes.
7. Cool the Cake:
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Frosting (Optional):
Once the cake is completely cool, you can frost it with your favorite frosting. Buttercream or cream cheese frosting works wonderfully with this light, fluffy vanilla cake.
