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.
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 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.