Description

A rich and moist Vanilla Velvet Cake featuring a tender crumb with a smooth, creamy vanilla buttercream frosting. Perfect for celebrations or a special dessert, this three-layer cake combines cream cheese, buttermilk, and vanilla extract to create a luscious, velvety texture and classic flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake

8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 sticks (168g) unsalted butter, softened (3/4 cup)
2 cups (400g) sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups (342g) cake flour
2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3g) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
1 cup (242g) buttermilk
1/4 cup (54g) vegetable oil (canola oil preferred)
1 tablespoon (12g) vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

3 sticks (339g) unsalted butter, softened
7 cups (690-805g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract (clear imitation vanilla for whiter frosting)
1/3 cup (72g) whole milk or cream, plus more if needed
1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans, and line each pan with a circle of parchment or wax paper on the bottom to ensure easy release.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for about 30 seconds. Set aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients (Except Eggs and Buttercream): In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Cream Cheese: In the mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and well combined.
Add Sugar: Gradually add the sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture, beating at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time at medium speed, mixing well after each addition until the yolk color is fully incorporated.
Combine Mixtures: With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry flour mixture and the wet buttermilk mixture in three additions of dry and two of wet, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined—do not overmix.
Divide Batter and Bake: Evenly divide the batter among the three prepared pans. Bake at 325°F for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Prepare Buttercream Frosting: Cream the softened butter until smooth. Blend in the vanilla extract. Add half the powdered sugar and most of the milk, beating at medium speed until incorporated. Add the remaining powdered sugar and milk and continue beating for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low for 1 to 2 minutes to eliminate air pockets and achieve a smooth texture. Adjust consistency with additional powdered sugar or milk as needed.
Assemble the Cake: Place the first cake layer on your cake plate or pedestal. Spread an even layer of buttercream on top, then repeat with the second and third layers.
Apply Crumb Coat: Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Chill the crumb-coated cake in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes or in the refrigerator until firm; this step is optional but recommended for easier decorating.
Final Frosting and Decoration: Apply a second, thicker coat of frosting using a bench scraper or spatula, rotating the cake on a turntable for smoothness. Decorate with borders using a small round piping tip (tip 3) for bead borders and create ribbon roses with a piping tip 104 on a rose nail. Chill if desired before serving.

Notes

For cake flour substitution, you can use all-purpose flour with cornstarch: replace 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch per cup of flour, sifted together.
If buttermilk is unavailable, substitute with 1 cup of whole milk plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit for 5 minutes to curdle.
Use room temperature eggs for better incorporation; to warm quickly, place in warm water for 5 minutes.
This recipe yields approximately 7 1/2 cups of batter, suitable for cupcakes (though domes may be minimal).
Buttercream can be doubled or halved depending on the size of the frosting required.
Adjust buttercream consistency by adding powdered sugar for thickness or milk for thinning.
For a whiter buttercream, use clear imitation vanilla extract.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 28 minutes
Category: Dessert, Cake
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of cake)
Calories: 490 kcal
Sugar: 45 g
Sodium: 320 mg
Fat: 27 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 57 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg

Keywords: vanilla velvet cake, moist vanilla cake, cream cheese cake, vanilla buttercream frosting, three-layer cake, classic birthday cake, creamy frosting, homemade cake