Vanilla Velvet Cake Recipe

Ingredients

8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened

1 ½ sticks (168g) unsalted butter, softened (equivalent to ¾ cup)

2 cups (400g) sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature (in a rush? Place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes)

3 cups (342g) cake flour (see Notes for substitutions)

2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder

½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda

½ teaspoon (3g) salt

1 cup (242g) buttermilk (see Notes for substitutions)

¼ cup (54g) vegetable oil (canola oil works great too)

1 tablespoon (12g) vanilla extract

Directions

Cream the Butter, Cream Cheese, and Sugar:

Begin by placing the softened butter, cream cheese, and sugar into your stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Using a paddle attachment (or hand mixer), beat the ingredients together on medium speed until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. This will take about 4-5 minutes, so be patient. Proper creaming is crucial for a soft, velvety texture.

Add the Eggs:

Next, add the eggs one at a time, ensuring that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. This step is important because it helps the batter emulsify, resulting in a smooth texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine Dry Ingredients:

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cake flour is ideal for this recipe as it provides a lighter, softer crumb. If you don’t have cake flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour, but the texture may not be as delicate.

Alternate Adding Dry and Wet Ingredients:

With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Add the vegetable oil and vanilla extract in between. Mix gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing at this stage to keep the cake light.

Check the Consistency:

The batter should be thick yet pourable. If it feels too thick, you can add a little more buttermilk—just a tablespoon at a time.

Prepare the Cake Pans:

Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. This will make removing the cakes from the pans a breeze once they’ve cooled.

Pour the Batter:

Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula.

Bake the Cakes:

Place the cake pans in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) and bake for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know the cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few crumbs attached.

Cool the Cakes:

Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. It’s important to let the cakes cool fully before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting.