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Making the Ultimate Vegan Vanilla Cake with a tender crumb, rich vegan buttercream frosting, and tons of pure vanilla flavor is easy enough for even novice home bakers! All you need is 10 simple ingredients and a reason to celebrate.
Table of Contents
What Makes a Cake Vegan?
If you’re familiar with our vegan dessert recipes, you’ll know they’re always made without animal products like dairy, butter, eggs, or other animal-based ingredients like gelatin. Vegan cakes are no different! In this simple vegan vanilla cake recipe, we’ll teach you just how easy it is to bake without eggs or dairy products, and most importantly, your guests won’t taste the difference!
It’s the perfect decadent dessert to prepare for special occasions like birthday parties, graduations, holidays, office parties, weddings, bridal showers, and more.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour: We developed this classic vegan cake recipe using all-purpose flour because it’s most accessible and a pantry staple for many. If you’d like to use cake flour for a lighter, more tender crumbed cake, replace the all-purpose flour with 5 cups of cake flour or 600 grams (an extra half cup).
- Sugar: To keep this vanilla cake light in color and allow the vanilla flavor to shine, make sure to use granulated white sugar. We like to use Wholesome Sweet Organic Cane Sugar as it’s naturally vegan-friendly.
- Baking powder + baking soda: These leavening agents help the cake layers rise and become light and fluffy while developing a lightly golden crust.
- Non-dairy milk: Any plain, unsweetened plant milk of choice will work well. If you’d like to make homemade milk, try our Homemade Almond Milk.
- Vegetable oil/canola oil: Adds necessary moisture while keeping the flavor of the cake neutral. Avoid using stronger-tasting oils such as coconut oil or olive oil.
- Apple cider vinegar: A small splash of apple cider vinegar not only helps curdle the non-dairy milk into homemade vegan buttermilk but also helps to activate the baking soda, which creates light and fluffy cake layers.
- Vanilla extract: For the best vanilla flavor, use pure vanilla extract over imitation vanilla. Or, opt for a homemade vanilla extract!
- Buttercream frosting: We highly recommend our homemade vegan buttercream frosting, but a store-bought frosting of choice works well, too.
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- 7 to 8″ round cake pans (2)
- Wire rack (for cooling)
- Electric mixer
- Offset spatula (for frosting)
- Cake turntable (optional, but can be very useful when frosting the outside of a cake)
How to Make Vegan Vanilla Cake
- Combine the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the non-dairy milk, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the large mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined.
- Divide between cake pans. Carefully pour the cake batter between three 7 or 8″ round cake pans greased and layered with parchment paper.
- Bake. Place the cake pans in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Prepare the vegan frosting. While the cakes cool to room temperature, prepare the vegan buttercream frosting. In a large mixing bowl, cream the vegan butter using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add half of the powdered sugar and beat again until well combined. Add the vanilla extract, salt, and 3 tablespoons of non-dairy milk and beat until combined. Lastly, add the remaining powdered sugar and beat once more until a thick and creamy buttercream frosting forms.
- Frost and layer the cake. We like to layer the cake layers into a 2-layer cake, but feel free to frost and layer the cakes, as desired.
- Serve. Slice and serve the cake room temperature or lightly chilled. Enjoy!
Tips for Layering a Tiered Cake
- We found this video very helpful for frosting a layered cake.
- Level the cake layers. Once the cake layers are baked and cooled, carefully trim the tops of the cakes using a serrated knife to create an even surface. This will help ensure the layers stack evenly and won’t lean.
- Use a crumb coat. Apply a thin layer of frosting (known as a crumb coat) between each cake layer to help it stick, retain moisture, and create a smooth surface.
- Chill the cake as needed. As you work, the cake layers may become warm and make it difficult to spread the vegan buttercream frosting. If this is the case, place the cake in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, or until firm to the touch again.
Recipe FAQs
We have only tested this classic cake recipe using regular all-purpose flour, but the recipe may work with a gluten-free flour blend. If you try and have good results, please let us know in the comments!
This typically happens when a cake is made with too much flour or the cake batter is over-mixed. For best results, use the weighted flour measurement (grams are far more accurate than cups!) and mix the dry and wet ingredients gently until just combined.
If you’d like to bake this cake into a sheet cake, we’d recommend halving the recipe and baking in a greased 9×13 dish for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Always frost your cakes while chilled or room temperature. If the cake is even slightly warm, the frosting will melt.
Changing this recipe into a vegan chocolate cake recipe would require additional ingredients and altered ratios, so we wouldn’t recommend it. Instead, you might like our Chocolate Soufflé Cake or Mini Chocolate Cake recipe! Or, bake the vanilla cake as written and frost it with our Raw Vegan Chocolate Frosting instead!
Prep Ahead Instructions
Making this easy vegan vanilla cake as a vegan birthday cake? Prep the cake layers up to 1 month in advance and stash them in the freezer!
To do so, bake and cool the cake layers as written. Make sure the cakes are completely cooled to the touch – if they are warm at all, they will develop freezer burn and negatively affect the cake’s texture once defrosted.
Wrap the room-temperature cakes tightly and separately in plastic wrap, followed by a tight layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to one month.
Then, when ready to layer and frost, transfer the cakes to the refrigerator and thaw overnight (ideally about 12 hours).
Storage Instructions
Once frosted, this vegan cake will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Vegan Cake Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
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Vegan Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 medium cake
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Making the Ultimate Vegan Vanilla Cake with a tender crumb, rich vegan buttercream frosting, and tons of pure vanilla flavor is easy enough for even the most novice home bakers! All you need is 10 simple ingredients and a reason to celebrate.
Ingredients
- 2 cups non-dairy milk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4½ cups (540g) flour
- 2 cups (400g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Serve with
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- 7 to 8″ round cake pans (2)
- Wire rack (for cooling)
- Electric mixer
- Offset spatula (for frosting)
- Cake turntable (optional, but can be very useful when frosting the outside of a cake)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare your pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 7 or 8” round cake pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Combine the non-dairy milk, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate large mixing bowl. Whisk well to combine.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the large mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined.
- Divide between cake pans. Carefully pour the cake batter between two to 7 or 8″ round cake pans greased and layered with parchment paper. We used 2 pans.
- Bake. Place the cake pans in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool cakes. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes before removing from the cake pans. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- Prepare the vegan frosting. While the cakes cool to room temperature, prepare the vegan buttercream frosting.
- Frost and layer the cake. We like to layer the cake layers into a 2-layer cake but feel free to frost and layer the cakes as desired. We found this video very helpful when it comes to frosting a layered cake.
- Serve. Slice and serve the cake room temperature or lightly chilled. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Once frosted, this vegan cake will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep ahead: You can bake and cool the cake layers up to one month in advance and stash them in the freezer! To do so, bake and cool the cake layers as written. Make sure the cakes are completely cooled to the touch—if they are warm at all, they will develop freezer burn and negatively affect the cake’s texture once defrosted. Wrap the room-temperature cakes tightly and separately in plastic wrap, followed by a tight layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to one month. When ready to layer and frost, transfer the cakes to the refrigerator and thaw overnight (ideally about 12 hours).
- Gluten-free: We have only tested this classic cake recipe using regular all-purpose flour, but the recipe may work with a gluten-free flour blend. If you try and have good results, please let us know in the comments!
- Sheet cake: If you’d like to bake this cake into a sheet cake, we’d recommend halving the recipe and baking in a greased 9×13 dish for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
Looks delicious! Definitely baking it for my son’s birthday!
Congratulations on your 10 years ❤️ I love your recipes!! I always receive great feedback when I try your recipes. I will definitely try to make this cake. It looks simple and very beautiful 😍
This cake tastes so good! I love the flavor and that it is easy to make. This is great for parties and a treat at home and something I recommend!
All your recipes are amazing! ♥️
Congratulations!! It looks so good and I can’t wait to try it!
I am much more likely to try a recipe when the ingredients are simple and things I already have. Great recipe with low intimidation!
I love all of your baking recipes. Happy 10 year anniversary! You are a beautiful couple are an inspiration to me.
My go-to vanilla cake recipe! Time and time again, it has never failed me and always turns out amazing!
This cake looks so delicious! I can’t wait to make it just in time for Easter too! And congratulations on 10 years I love your recipes! Your chocolate chip cookie recipe is my go to that even my non vegan friends like!
Easy to follow instructions.
rhiannadicent@gmail.com
Ok, so I wanted to make the Ube pie but I had powdered Ube not frozen so I added Ube powder to this cake and some Ube flavor in the wet ingredients. Made it a flat cake and made some cream cheese frosting with almond extract. I added blueberries to the top. OMG, it was really good! So pleased with my purple cake! Thanks for the recipe and introducing Ube to me!
This cake looks amazing and I can’t wait to eat it, thank you for sharing this!
So simple, easy, and delicious! It is also so versatile, I love adding different jams between the layers and serving with different fruits.
I can’t wait to try this! I love all your recipes.
This looks amazing ! I can’t wait to make it 😀
This looks amazingly moist and fluffy. I’m going to make a gluten free version and let you know how it comes out.
Looks yummy! Can’t wait to try it!
Perfect cake every time! It’s the gold standard for vanilla cake! Happy 10 year anniversary ❤️
This looks amazing! And happy 10 years!
I love all of your guys’ recipes! Thank you for making being vegan that much easier 😍!