This is the best vegan vanilla cake recipe ever! It's moist and delicious with the perfect amount of sweetness, and best of all it's easy to make with a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
Made without eggs, milk, or even vegan egg replacers, yet it bakes up perfectly every time! Use this no-fail plant-based recipe to make layered cakes, sheet cakes, and cupcakes!
Honestly, I've struggled with finding a good vanilla cake recipe for years. My kids always wanted them for their birthdays, but they always turned out too dry and kind of flavorless.
I loved my tried and true chocolate cake recipe, so I finally decided to use that as a guide and convert it into a vanilla cake and it worked perfectly! It has the same rich, moist texture without being overly sweet.
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❤️ This recipe is
- moist, fluffy, and delicious.
- egg-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and nut-free, plus it can easily be made gluten-free too.
- made with simple ingredients you can find at any store.
- perfect for birthday parties and it's loved by vegans and nonvegans alike!
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- Flour - white all-purpose flour or a white gluten-free flour mix works the best and will give you the whitest cake. (Add a tsp of xanthan gum if using gluten-free flour mix).
- Sugar - for sweetness. You can use any granulated sweetener that you wish, but the lighter the sugar the whiter your cake will be. Look for organic sugar to be sure that it's vegan.
- Baking Soda - to make the cake rise.
- Salt - for flavor.
- Water - for the correct moister level. You can also swap the water out for soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, or any other plant-based milk. However, water will give you a light and fluffy cake.
- Oil - for a moist cake. Canola oil or vegetable oil works best since it has a very neutral flavor, but you can use any neutral-flavored oil. (You can reduce it slightly or replace it with apple sauce if you need it to be oil-free, but the oil is important for a truly moist cake).
- White Vinegar - to interact with the baking soda and make the cake rise. (You can probably use apple cider vinegar instead, I have just always used white in this cake). Don't worry, you won't taste the vinegar after it bakes.
- Vanilla Extract - for flavor.
- Butter Cream Frosting - to frost the cake. You can check out my vegan buttercream recipe for just about any flavor frosting you want. For a super light, silky, and creamy option, use my vegan whipped cream frosting recipe!
- Jelly or Jam - to put between the layers of cake. (This is completely optional, but tastes great when making a layered cake)! You can also use frosting, vegan pastry cream, or vegan lemon curd.
🥄 How to make vegan vanilla cake
Step 1 - Preheat your oven to 350° F.
Step 2 - Prepare two round cake pans (8"- 9" work well) by rubbing oil around them and then dusting them with a light coating of flour. (Or spray them will oil and place a cutout circle of parchment paper at the bottom of the pan).
Step 3 - Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Step 4 - Measure out the wet ingredients in a separate container.
Step 5 - Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a whisk. Stir until the wet and dry ingredients have combined, but don't over-mix.
Step 6 - Pour into prepared cake pans.
Step 7 - Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350° F until the top center appears dry and springs back up when touched.
Step 8 - Allow them to cool for 30 minutes in the cake pan then invert them onto a plate in the refrigerator to cool completely before frosting.
Assemble the cake
- Put your first cake topside down on your serving dish.
- Top with a thick layer of buttercream, jam, or jelly.
- Put your next layer on the top right side up.
- Frost the cake with a thick layer of vegan buttercream.
🎂 How to make a vanilla sheet cake
- Use a 12 X 18-inch sheet pan to bake the cake.
- Pour all of the cake batter into an oiled and lightly floured sheet pan.
- Bake at 325°F for 40-45 minutes until the top is dry to the touch and springs back up when pressed slightly.
- Let cool completely and frost in the pan.
🧁 How to make vanilla cupcakes
(Yields 24 cupcakes)
- Pour the batter into cupcake liners that have been placed in a muffin tin.
- Bake at 375°F for about 22 minutes until the top is dry to the touch and springs back up when pressed slightly.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- If your cake has a large dome or is lopsided, use a large bread knife to cut the top off even with the top of the cake pan before inverting. This will give you a uniform look when stacking.
- Make sure your cake is completely cooled before frosting it or your buttercream will melt. (You can put the cakes in the refrigerator to help them cool faster if you need to).
- Add 2 tbsp of vegan sprinkles to the cake batter just before baking for a Funfetti cake!
- Colder cakes are easier to frost and will not have as many crumbs when you frost them.
🍞 Gluten-free instructions
Since my son had to be gluten-free for many years, I have made this cake gluten-free numerous times. The only thing that you need to do is swap out the flour for an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix.
I have tried many different brands and they have all worked well. Just be sure to add 1 tsp of xanthan gum
🥡 Storage
This vegan vanilla cake will keep well on the countertop for 24 hours or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can freeze this dairy-free cake for up to 3 months in an airtight container. You can make it a few weeks ahead, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and freeze it until the morning of a party. Then frost the cake and serve it 3-8 hours later.
🍰 More dessert recipes
- Super Easy Vegan Cake
- Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
- Vegan Smores Pie
- No-Bake Vegan Cheesecake
- Veggie Brownies
- Vegan Strawberry Pie
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
📋 Vegan vanilla cake
Vegan Vanilla Cake
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cup water (you can use plant-based milk for a richer cake)
- 2/3 cup oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar (you can also use apple cider vinegar)
- 2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cup buttercream frosting
- 1/2 cup jelly or jam (for the center of a double cake - optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Prepare two round cake pans (8"- 9" work well) by rubbing oil around them and then dusting them with a light coating of flour. (Or spray them will oil and place a cutout circle of parchment paper at the bottom of the pan).
- Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Measure out the wet ingredients in a separate container.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a whisk.
- Stir until the wet and dry ingredients have combined, but don't over mix.
- Pour into prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F (177°C) until the top center appears dry and springs back up when touched.
- Allow cakes° to cool for 30 minutes in the cake pan then invert them onto a plate in the refrigerator to cool completely before frosting.
Assemble the cake:
- Put your first cake top side down on your serving dish. Top it with a thick layer of buttercream, jam, or jelly.
- Put your next layer on the top right side up, and frost the cake with a thick layer of vegan buttercream.
Notes
For vanilla sheet cake:
- Use a 12 X 18 inch sheet pan to bake the cake.
- Pour all of the cake batter into an oiled and lightly floured sheet pan.
- Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 40-45 minutes until the top is dry to the touch and springs back up when pressed slightly.
- Let cool completely and frost in the pan.
For vanilla cupcakes: (Yields 24 cupcakes)
- Pour the batter into a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 22 minutes until the top is dry to the touch and springs back up when pressed slightly.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
- If your cake has a large dome or is lopsided, use a large bread knife to cut the top off even with the top of the cake pan before inverting. This will give you a uniform look when stacking.
- Make sure your cake is completely cooled before frosting it or your buttercream will melt. (You can put the cakes in the refrigerator to help it cool faster if you need to).
- Add 2 tbsp of vegan sprinkles to the cake batter just before baking for a Funfetti cake!
- Colder cakes will be easier to frost and have less crumbs.
Nutrition
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click the stars above or leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!
Just made this cake, it was easy and looks delicious. Would I leave it on the counter until serving or put in the fridge?
You can leave it on the countertop for about 24 hours. If it is going to be longer than that before you serve it put it in the fridge. Enjoy! 🙂
Just baked the cake and both pans the cake is as flat as a pancake. What am I doing wrong. Folllowed directions exactly.
I'm not sure what happened, the baking soda and vinegar in the batter make it rise. Did you wait too long after mixing the batter before you baked the cakes?
No. I mixed and put in pans and baked. Tried it twice with same results. Used dark coated pans.
This happened to me too! I used gluten free flour. If using bobs 1 to 1 you do not add xanthan gum. I would say it needed more baking soda or something??
Can I use vanilla flavored plant based milk instead of water ?
Yes, any plant based milk will work in place of water. Enjoy! 🙂
This looks amazing. I am looking for a great cake but with not so much sugar - perhaps a sugar alternative. Do you have any suggestions for a monk fruit or alternative sugar that can be used in place of 1.5 cups of sugar?
I don't do low-sugar recipes, so I haven't tested it. Since it makes a 2 tier cake or 24 cupcakes, it is not overly sweet even with 1 1/2 cups of sugar. You can reduce the sugar to 1 cup without issue if that works for you. I have not tested it with alternative sugar substitutes.
Hi, this might be a silly question. I'm thinking about making this cake but turning into a rainbow cake for a vegan friends birthday. Would the food coloring have any effect on the cake batter?
No, food coloring won't have any effect on the cake. Enjoy! 🙂
Would this work in a bundt pan.
I have never tested it in a bunt pan, but I think that it would work.
Cake just turned out as goo. I used almond flour would that cause it? It is also brown.
You can use any grain-based gluten-free flour mix in place of the flour in this recipe, but since almond flour is simply ground almonds, it cooks like nuts, not flour. You can never swap it out 1:1 in a recipe with the same results as flour.
are the nutrition facts for just the cake or for the whole cake (cake, buttercream, and jam)
The nutrition facts include buttercream and jam. Enjoy! 🙂
This cake was delicious! I followed your recipe exactly and it came out perfect. I used your chocolate buttercream too - it was so good! No one knew that it was vegan.
I'm so happy that you liked it, Rachel! 🙂
My cake doesnt bake and stays a liquid even after 1,5 hours of baking. What am I doing wrong? I've never baked a vegan cake before but I wanted to surprise my vegan friend with one so I want this to work out!
Any cake should bake after that much time. Either your oven is not getting hot enough or you accidentally doubled the liquid or something.
Hi!,
I'm making this cake today but only have one 8" pan. Would halving the ingredients to make a one layer cake be okay?
Thanks,
K
Yes, that will work just fine. You may have a few tablespoons of batter left over after you fill your cake pan, but it should be really close. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi! I am just making this recipe now. Is it really supposed to be 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract? Or should that have been 2 teaspoons?
No, 2 tbsp is correct. You can add less if you want, but 2 tbsp give it a nice vanilla flavor. Enjoy! 🙂
Can you use cake flour if so what quantity I also wanted to swirl in vegan Nutella
Cake flour should work fine in equal amounts. A Nutella swirl sounds delicious! Enjoy! 🙂
Question..my Pillsbury Gluten Free all purpose flour blend has Xanthan Gum in it. Do I still need to add more?
No, if the mix already has it in it, there is no need to add more. Enjoy! 🙂
I made this yesterday w/ a different frosting recipe for my daughters birthday. There were 2 cakes and everyone liked the vegan one! I had to save to make again what an easy and great recipe!
I'm so happy that you all liked it! I find that people many times prefer the vegan one. It's so funny! My chocolate cake is very similar and super easy too if you're looking for another variety. 🙂
What flavor jam should I use? Thanks
Any flavor that you like. I usually use strawberry or Raspberry. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi is there a substitute for vinegar? Can we use baking powder instead?
I always use vinegar, but I think that you could use lemon juice instead and get the same effect. You just need the acid to mix with the baking soda to help the cake rise. A tsp of baking soda may also work, but I haven't tested it that way. Enjoy 🙂
Monica, have you tried this cake with your gf flour blend? Or do you have a favorite gf blend? tia
Yes, I have, many times. It works well with all of the gluten-free flour blends that I have tried. I usually use Trader Joe's GF flour, Namaste, or Bob's Red Mill and they all work fine. Just add 1 tsp of xanthan gum if the mix doesn't include it. 🙂
I just used this recipe to make vegan cupcakes for my daughter's birthday. They were a hit! No one could tell that they were vegan. I love how simple this recipe is!
I'm so happy that you liked it! 🙂
How can I make this gluten free?
You can just use any all-purpose gluten-free flour mix. I've made it with many different brands and they all worked well. A tsp of xanthan gum helps the GF cakes to hold together better too. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi and thankyou for your recipes.
What can I substitute for the sugar please, I'm trying to eliminate sugar as much as possible.
Thankyou,
Christine
You can use less sugar than I suggest in the recipe. You can use as little as a cup. I have never tried this recipe with liquid sweeteners, so I don't know how that would work. 🙂
This is so good!! I have tried the recipe and just loved.
Thank you for that
Kisses from Brazil 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
I'm so happy that you liked it, Elisa! 🙂
The cake looks yummy. Could I use a 13x9 pan?
thanks.
jacquie
So excited to try this cake-one question though. Why do you use water instead of almond milk like traditional cake recipes? Does it change the flavor at all?
Hi Ash, I always had better luck with water in my chocolate cake recipe, so I just used water in this one too. I think that water makes it a little lighter and fluffier. You can use plant-based milk if you want, but it's not necessary.