Author: This is the vegan vanilla cake you've been searching for. Fluffy, moist, tender, and perfectly vanilla-infused. It tastes just like classic bakery-style vanilla cake, but it's totally egg-free and dairy-free. No one will ever guess.
FEATURED COMMENT:
Made this cake for my mom's birthday and we loved it. It was absolutely delicious, the texture was perfect, and it was so easy to make! Legit tastes like a gourmet recipe. - Clyde ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why You'll Love This Cake
- Fluffy, soft, and tender (never dense or gummy!)
- Uses simple pantry ingredients, no aquafaba, no weird binders
- Perfectly sweet with rich vanilla flavor
- Reliable and foolproof - great for beginners
- So delicious, no one can tell it's vegan!!
This is my go-to celebration cake for birthdays, dinner parties, showers, and "just because it's Tuesday."
Ingredients for Vegan Vanilla Cake:
For the Cake:
- All-purpose flour - creates that perfect soft and tender crumb. Use a 1:1 gluten-free blend with xanthan gum for GF.
- White sugar - classic vanilla cake sweetness and moisture.
- Baking soda + lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar) - react together to make the cake rise. No, you can't taste the vinegar.
- Salt - balances the sweetness and enhances vanilla flavor.
- Plant-based milk - soy gives the best structure, but oat, almond, or cashew also work. Make sure it's unflavored.
- Light oil - keeps the cake super moist and fluffy. Use a neutral oil like canola or vegetable.
- Vanilla extract - the star flavor, so use pure vanilla if possible.
For the Frosting:
- Firm vegan butter (not tub-style spread!) - frosting needs structure so it pipes and swirls beautifully. My go-to is Earth Balance.
- Powdered sugar, vanilla, and a splash of plant milk - mix until fluffy and spreadable
- Decorations: vegan food coloring if you want to color your frosting. Sprinkles, nuts, berries, candies, cookies, shaved chocolate, or any fun decoration ideas you may have!
How to Make Vegan Vanilla Cake
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk, oil, lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar), and vanilla.
- Combine: Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until just combined. A few small lumps are totally fine - don't overmix.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 22-28 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans.
- Frost: Beat the vegan butter until fluffy, then mix in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add plant-based milk as needed until smooth and spreadable. Frost, decorate, swoon.
More Vegan Cake Recipes You Might Like:
- Easy Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
- Vegan Red Velvet Cake
- Vegan Confetti Cake
- Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake
- Vegan Lemon Loaf
- Vegan Chocolate Sheet Cake
Storage & Make Ahead
Store this cake the same way you would a traditional vanilla cake:
- Room temperature: Store the frosted or unfrosted cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Keeps well for up to 5 days.Tip: Bring to room temperature before serving for the best soft, fluffy texture.
- Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cake layers or the fully frosted cake (well wrapped) for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
FAQs
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yep! Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum, such as Bob's Red Mill 1:1. Texture will be slightly more delicate and dense, but still delicious.
Can I use almond/oat/cashew milk?
Yes. Soy is my go-to because its protein helps the cake rise and gives the best texture, but any plant milk works.
Can I use margarine for the frosting?
No, the frosting needs firm vegan butter made for baking or it will melt. If your vegan butter is on the softer side, you can swap ½ cup of the vegan butter for ½ cup vegetable shortening for more structure.
Can I make this as cupcakes?
Yes! Here is my vegan vanilla cupcake recipe. (The same recipe, just tweaked slightly for the best cupcake results).
If you try this recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Vanilla Cake (Fluffy, Moist, & Foolproof!)
This vegan vanilla cake is fluffy, tender, and bursting with pure vanilla flavor. It uses simple pantry ingredients, and bakes into a beautiful two-layer celebration cake. No one will guess it's dairy-free and egg-free. Perfect for birthdays and special occasions. Looking for cupcakes instead? Get my Easy Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes recipe here.
Servings: - 16 slices (2-layer 9" round cake)
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 ⅓ cup plant-based milk, (such as oat or soy)
- ⅔ cup light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- ¼ cup lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, (for rise, you can't taste it)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Frosting:
- 1 cup firm vegan butter, (or ½ cup vegan butter + ½ cup vegetable shortening, see notes)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 4 tablespoons plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
- Vegan food coloring, optional
- Vegan sprinkles, chopped nuts, shaved chocolate, or vegan candies, optional, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease two 9-inch (or 8-inch) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment for easy release.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the plant-based milk, oil, lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar), and vanilla.
- Combine: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir until just combined. Don't overmix, some lumps are fine. Overmixing can lead to dense or flat cake layers. A light hand = fluffy cake!
- Bake: Divide batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 22-28 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the vegan butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and food coloring (if using), and continue mixing until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, beat in plant-based milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it's perfectly fluffy and spreadable.
- Frost & decorate. Ensure your cakes are cooled completely so the frosting doesn't melt. Spread frosting between the layers and over the sides and top. Add sprinkles or other decorations if desired.
Notes
Firm Vegan Butter: Some vegan butters/margarines are soft and spreadable, which is great for toast but not ideal for frosting as they can make it loose or melty. Use a firm vegan butter made for baking (it should say so on the package). If yours is on the softer side, you can swap ½ cup of the butter for ½ cup vegetable shortening to give the frosting more structure for piping and spreading.
Gluten-Free Option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour). If your blend doesn’t include xanthan gum, add ¼ teaspoon for better structure. Texture may be slightly more delicate and dense, but still delicious.
Lemon Juice / Apple Cider Vinegar: The lemon juice or vinegar reacts with the baking soda and acts as the egg replacer, helping the cake rise and become fluffy. The flavor disappears once baked.
Cooling Tip: You can cool the cake completely in the pans, no need to transfer to a wire rack while warm. This keeps the layers moist and makes them easier to handle.
Storage / Make Ahead:
- Room temp: Store frosted or unfrosted cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: Up to 5 days (bring to room temp before serving for best texture).
- Freeze: Cake layers or frosted cake freeze beautifully for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temp.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice with frosting (recipe makes 16 slices) | Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 2g | Sodium: 380mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 81IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
Elena says
I made these cupcakes for my first day at work and my colleagues couldn't believe they were vegan! They are delicious 🙂
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We're happy to hear they were a hit!
Kristina says
Will this work with 1 to 1 bobs red mill gluten free flour?
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Other readers have used 1:1 flour with great success!
Blair says
This cake is SO delicious! I halfed the recipe and just made a one layer 8 inch cake. I made a vanilla glaze to go on top, since I didn't have all the ingredients for the icing. This recipe is a keeper and I look forward to trying it with your icing next time! Thank you!
Jen says
Do you think I could substitute cake flour and get good results? I'd be measuring it out using a scale.
Jenn says
Hey Sam thank you for this delicious recipe! I’m not vegan but was looking for a recipe for a friend’s birthday that is vegan and these were a hit!
I used oat milk for the dairy sub and it was creamy and yum.
Will be definitely be using this base again for non-vegan cakes too. Soooo good.
Looking forward to trying out your other recipes!
Bryna says
Made these on the weekend for my grandsons birthday. I did not tell anyone (except my son who is vegan) that they were vegan and everyone raved about how good they were. I made them gluten free by replacing the flour with an equal amount of King Arthur's Measure for Measure GF flour mix. When I told my guests everyone was surprised and stated that you could not tell they were vegan or gluten free. The cupcakes were moist, fluffy, very flavorful and delicious. This recipe is a keeper. Definitely the best vanilla vegan cupcake recipe I've tried. Thank you for this great recipe.
Christiane says
Excellent! I added sprinkles to make funfetti cupcakes. It worked very well.
Terence Townsend says
The best recipe I have ever found. I have always made the chocolate recipe but this vanilla cake is soft, fluffy, rise’s beautifully and is delicious. It is literally flop proof. I used oat/almond milk mix and white vinegar and it works perfectly. Highly recommend
Janice says
For some reason, my cake didn't rise. Is there supposed to be baking powder? Thx!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Janice! The recipe is correct as written. I haven't heard this complaint before and this recipe has been made by thousands of people. Are you sure you measured everything accurately and didn't miss any ingredients? Sorry, I can't be more help!
Janice says
No worries. It’s probably me! I will try again, likely I made a mistake measuring somewhere!
Kim says
This is the best vanilla cake I’ve ever tasted!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you!
Dielda says
i am forever thankful for the perfect recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
aww shucks, thank you!
Karin says
I made this cake twice in two weeks! (I halved the recipe and made a dozen cupcakes each time). I decorated them with my own vegan version of chocolate ganache - heaven! I keep eating them 2 and 3 at a time
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you loved them Karin!
Karin says
Sam, have you ever used this recipe to make mini cupcakes? I'm trying to guess how many and how long to bake. I'm hosting a tea party this week and want everything teeny-tiny and cute lol
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That sounds so adorable! The recipe would definitely work to make mini cupcakes, you would just need to reduce your baking time and watch closely!
Linda says
Hi Sam! Could I add sprinkles to the batter to make it a ‘funfetti’ cake? I’ve made both this recipe and your
Funfetti cake before. I prefer this one so was hoping I could modify it. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Linda, yes go for it. 🙂
Clyde says
Made this cake for my mom's birthday and we loved it. It was absolutely delicious, the texture was perfect, and it was so easy to make! Legit tastes like a gourmet recipe. I used a coconut whip to frost it but look forward to making it again with your included frosting recipe. Thank you!!!!
Wanni says
Hi I've tried this cake and it's so so good I love it! I am thinking of trying a higher protein version by subbing out some of the flour for vegan protein powder, and also reducing the sugar. Do you think it'll work fine, and how will this affect the texture?
Dawn says
This was my first attempt at a vegan cake and I was very daring and doubled it to make my son a 12x18 sheet cake…. It came out perfect!!! Thank you so much for what you do! You are definitely my go to for no nonsense straight up vegan recipes.
Heather Lewis says
Hello, My husband and I love this cake!!! Just made this cake and the cupcakes for our birthday week for my husband and I.
But we have some Questions: ???
After the cake and cupcakes are made how long will they keep and or stay good for ? Maybe 5 to 7 days ?
What kind of non dairy vegan milk are you using the sweetened or unsweetened ? We used the unsweetened almond breeze vegan milk.. what kind do you suggest using ?
Does the cake and cupcakes need to be refrigerated after being made?
Or room temperature stable ?
How long should I let the cake and cupcakes cool for before putting the frosting on ?
Also does the frosting need to be chilled first before putting it on the cake and cupcakes?
Also how long will the frosting stay good for if i have extra left over ?
- Thank you
Icela says
It's usually 5 days for freshness sake.
The flavoring of the alondmilk doesn't really affect it in experience.
Room temperature stable is good.
The frosting doesn't need to be chilled since the shortening holds its shape.
The frosting if refrigerated should be good for 5-7 days.
Hope this helps! Although it's late lol
Tahira Akhtar says
This recipe is great for cupcakes but for some reason when I use it to make a cake it always ends up too dense. What have I done wrong?
Sam Turnbull says
It sounds like your oven temperature might be a bit off-it's likely that your oven just runs a little cool (it's pretty common). You can always grab yourself an oven thermometer to make sure. Enjoy!
Tahira Akhtar says
Just wondering when making cupcakes it's 180°C, is it the same when making layered cakes or should it be hotter?
Sam Turnbull says
It would be the same but the cakes would need longer to cook.
Tahira says
How long would that be? Also would they work in an 2x 8 inch round pan?
Tahira Akhtar says
could I replace half of the flour with cake flour?
Emily says
This is my all time FAVORITE vegan cake!! It’s so moist and not too sweet. I’m so glad I found this recipe, it’s a hit even with non vegans. Definitely recommend!!
I also love your site, very yummy recipes!