The Very Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

Recipe Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 11⁄2 cups sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour

Recipe Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Coat two 8 x 2-in. round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line bottoms with wax paper and spray the paper.

2. Beat butter, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with mixer on high speed 1 minute or until well blended. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes or until fluffy. Reduce speed to low and beat in milk and vanilla (batter may look curdled), then beat in flour just until blended. Divide batter between prepared pans; spread evenly.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Run small knife or spatula around edge of cakes to release. Invert cakes onto wire rack, remove wax paper and cool completely.