Author: This Vegan Vanilla Cake is soft, fluffy, and packed with rich vanilla flavor. Made with simple pantry ingredients, it bakes into a beautiful two-layer cake that's perfect for birthdays, celebrations, and special occasions. The texture is light yet tender, the frosting is creamy and classic, and no one will guess it's dairy-free and egg-free!
FEATURED COMMENT:
I have tried many vanilla cake recipes but this is by far the best one. I keep coming back to it. My non-vegan family absolutely love this cake. Thanks for sharing! - Mo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you're making a vegan birthday cake for the first time, you've come to the right place. This recipe is soft, fluffy, moist, packed with rich vanilla flavor, and honestly tastes exactly like the classic vanilla birthday cakes many of us grew up with. No fancy ingredients, no expensive egg replacers, and no complicated techniques: just a simple, reliable cake that turns out beautifully every time.
It's the vegan vanilla cake I recommend most often because it just works. Whether you're baking for a birthday, a celebration, making a wedding cake (this recipe has been used many times!) or simply because you're craving fluffy vanilla cake, this recipe has you covered.
Why This Vegan Vanilla Cake Never Lets Me Down
- Fluffy, soft, and tender: I've tested and retested this recipe until the texture was just right.
- Simple pantry ingredients: You probably have almost everything you need already.
- Completely foolproof: This is a great recipe for beginners, but experienced vegan bakers will love it too for its reliable results.
- Everyone can enjoy it: This cake tastes just like a classic vanilla cake, so there's no need to bake separate desserts.
Ingredients for Vegan Vanilla Cake
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Gives the cake its soft, tender crumb. Use a 1:1 gluten-free blend with xanthan gum for a gluten-free option.
- White sugar: Sweetens the cake and creates a moist crumb.
- Baking soda: Helps the cake rise. Look at the date on the box to make sure it hasn't expired, or you won't get the lift you want!
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the vanilla flavor.
Wet Ingredients
- Plant-based milk: Soy milk is my favorite for baking because it is the most reliable, but oat, almond, and cashew milk work too.
- Neutral oil: Canola or vegetable oil keeps the cake super moist.
- Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar: You won't taste it! It reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise.
- Vanilla extract: The star flavor of the cake, so use a good-quality vanilla if you can.
Vanilla Frosting
- Firm vegan butter: Stick-style vegan butter works best for a frosting that pipes and swirls beautifully.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Vanilla extract: Adds classic vanilla flavor.
- Plant-based milk: Just enough to make the frosting fluffy and spreadable.
Optional decorations: Vegan sprinkles, chopped nuts, shaved chocolate, vegan candies, or birthday candles. Have fun with it!
How to Make Vegan Vanilla Cake
- 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 extract.
- Combine: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Bake: Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: Beat the vegan butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, then continue mixing until smooth. Add plant-based milk, one tablespoon at a time. Spread frosting between the cake layers and over the top and sides.
Tips and Variations
- Don't over-mix the batter: Stir only until the flour disappears (it's a good thing if there are some small lumps). Over-mixing over-develops the gluten and makes the cake less tender.
- Use a good-quality vanilla if you can: it really gets a chance to shine here.
- Don't peek: Keep the oven closed while the cake is baking and only check on it after 22 minutes. Opening the oven early can cause the cake to deflate.
- Use stick-style vegan butter: Soft butter in tubs will give you a frosting that's melty and doesn't hold its shape well. If all you have on hand is butter in a tub, you can swap ½ cup of it for ½ cup of vegetable shortening for a thicker texture.
- Let the cake cool completely: Even if the cake is just a touch warm, it will cause the frosting to melt.
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store your vegan vanilla cake covered for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let the cake come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cake layers, the fully assembled cake, or individual slices for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
- Easy Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
- The Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Easy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
- Vegan Red Velvet Cake
- Chocolate Mug Cake (Quick & Easy + Vegan)
- Vanilla Mug Cake
- Vegan Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Vegan Confetti Cake
If you try this vegan vanilla cake recipe, let us know by leaving a comment and rating it. I'd love to hear what you think! Share your creation in the It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken Community (this is where we're all hanging out now!) or tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Vanilla Cake (Fluffy, Moist, & Foolproof!)
This Vegan Vanilla Cake is soft, fluffy, and packed with rich vanilla flavor. Made with simple pantry ingredients, it bakes into a beautiful two-layer cake that's perfect for birthdays, celebrations, and special occasions. The texture is light yet tender, the frosting is creamy and classic, and no one will guess it's dairy-free and egg-free!Looking for cupcakes instead? Try my Easy Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes recipe here.
Servings: slices (two 9-inch layers)
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 ⅓ cup plant-based milk, (soy or oat work well)
- 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
Vanilla 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
- Vegan food coloring, optional
- Optional decorations: vegan sprinkles, chopped nuts, shaved chocolate, vegan candies, birthday candles
Instructions
- Prep the pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease two 9 inch round cake pans (or 8 inch for thicker layers) and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- 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 together the plant milk, oil, lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar), and vanilla extract.
- Combine: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Some small lumps are fine. Avoid overmixing as this can make the cake dense.
- Bake: Divide evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cakes cool completely in the pans before frosting to keep them moist and easy to handle.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the vegan butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth. Add plant-based milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.
- Frost and decorate: Spread frosting between the layers and over the top and sides. Decorate as desired.
Notes
Firm Vegan Butter: Use a stick style vegan butter made for baking. Softer tub style spreads can make the frosting loose or melty. If the vegan butter you're using is softer, 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 contains xanthan gum (such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1). If your blend does not contain xanthan gum, add ¼ teaspoon. The cake will be slightly more delicate but still soft and 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.
Storage:
- Room Temperature: Store covered for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: Store up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
- Freeze: Freeze unfrosted layers, assembled cake, or individual slices for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.
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
Sally says
Hi Can I make this a three layer six inch cake? Is it structurally strong enough? Is the icing stable enough? Can I pipe flowers with it? Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Sally! Yes, this cake should work beautifully as three 6-inch layers! 😊 Divide the batter evenly between the three pans and keep the oven at 350°F (180°C). Since I haven’t tested this exact pan size, I’d start checking the cakes a little earlier and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake is sturdy enough for stacking once completely cooled. For piping flowers, make sure to use a firm, stick-style vegan butter, or use the ½ vegan butter + ½ vegetable shortening option in the notes for an even firmer, more stable frosting. Hope you love it! 🌸
Bandana Lamsal says
I always add 1 tablespoon of ACV for every cup of milk. In your recipe it says 1/4 cup of ACV for just 1 1/3 cup of milk. I was just wondering if the cake tastes sour.
Thank you
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Bandana! It doesn't taste sour at all. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda during baking, so you get the fluffiness without any noticeable flavor.
SD says
I love this cake!
Simple and delicious!!!!!
Amazing recipe
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thank you so much! I'm thrilled you loved it. ❤️
Christine says
If I need a non-chocolate cake, this is the one I go to (obviously I go to your chocolate cake recipe when I need a chocolate one). I have made this recipe multiple times, including most recently as a layered wedding cake.
I was wondering if you have any tips on how I might get the finished cake a lighter/whiter colour? I’m definitely not overcooking it, and have used all ingredients as specified in the recipe (canola oil and soy milk). It’s always a beautiful golden colour but sometimes I just need something lighter.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Christine! So happy you love this cake, and wow, a wedding cake is such a compliment! 💛
For a lighter/whiter color, here are a few tweaks that make a big difference:
• Use oat milk instead of soy, it bakes up noticeably paler.
• Use a very light-colored oil like grapeseed (canola can sometimes tint the batter).
• Try clear vanilla extract if you need a brighter white for decorating.
• Skip or reduce the lemon juice color-wise, it’s needed for rise, but apple cider vinegar tends to stay a bit paler.
The cake will always be a little warm-toned because of the vanilla, but these swaps get it as light as possible. Hope that helps! ✨
Stephanie says
Hi Sam! I’ve made your recipe for the last two years for my kids’ birthday parties and everyone LOVES it! I noticed a difference in my icing this time though. Didn’t there used to be vegetable shortening in there? My icing was very spongy looking this time just using the cup of butter but I can’t remember the amount of shortening that was used previously! Also, have you ever tried Namaste gluten free flour? I used it but my cake doesn’t taste right with it, this is my first time using gluten free.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Stephanie! Yay that makes me so happy!! Yes, good catch, I did update the frosting to be all vegan butter since most people prefer it that way, but you can absolutely use half vegan butter and half vegetable shortening if you liked the previous texture better (I mention this in the notes section under Firm Butter incase you ever forget) :). For gluten free flour, I wouldn't recommend Namaste in cakes, Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 usually give much better results. I also have a note in the recipe about using gluten-free flour that could help. (It will always turn out different than all-purpose). Hope that helps and so happy it has been a birthday favorite! 😊
Dani says
I really love your other recipes and the comments on this cake make me want to try it too! I've tried your confetti cake recipe but it wasn't exactly what I was looking for... do you think this recipe could work if I add sprinkles to the batter before baking?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Dani, so happy you love my recipes. I originally tried adding sprinkles to the batter in this recipe, but it didn't work well which is why I made the confetti version. If you want to add sprinkle I suggest decorating the finished and frosted cake with them instead. Enjoy!
Mo Nimo says
I have tried many vanilla cake recipes but this is by far the best one. I keep coming back to it. My non-vegan family absolutely love this cake. Thanks for sharing!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
This makes us so happy to hear! Thanks for your review!
Inge says
Hi Sam, I absolutely love your recipes! Looking forward to using this recipe in your tiramisu as well. Unfortunately, my boyfriend is allergic to baking soda. What could I use as a substitute? And can I use the same substitute for your other cake recipes that contain baking soda? Thank you for your help! Sending you love from the Netherlands.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Inge, thank you so much for the kind words! 💕 For cakes, baking soda is what helps them rise when it reacts with an acid (like vinegar or lemon juice). If your boyfriend can’t have baking soda, the best substitute is usually baking powder. As a general rule, you can use about 3 times the amount of baking powder in place of baking soda (so for 1 teaspoon baking soda, use 3 teaspoons baking powder). Keep in mind this can change the flavor and texture slightly—baking powder is a bit less powerful. I haven't tested this so I can't be sure how this will turn out, so maybe try a small batch before committing to a full cake? I hope that helps!
Susan says
I make this cake every year for my husband’s birthday, and today I’m making it for my daughter’s first birthday! So excited for another reason to make this delicious cake!😊 It is so moist and perfect. We love it!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oh that's so nice! Happy birthday to your daughter and enjoy the cake Susan!! 🙂
Cravoury says
It's really nice and fantastic blog.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thank you so much!!! 🙂
Linda Ratcliff says
Hi Sam, do I need to adjust the baking time if I use 8 inch instead of 9 inch pans? Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Linda, you may just need a minute or two more of baking time, but it should work out great. Just use the toothpick test! Enjoy!
Sarah S says
This is easily my favorite cake! I personally add vegan caramel (made with coconut milk) between the layers and then drizzle on the outside with pecans. It's a 10/10!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Ohhh the vegan caramel sounds AMAZING! So thrilled you love this recipe, thank you for your review Sarah 🙂
Ariana says
This is my family’s favorite! I’ve used it for countless birthdays and celebrations. I’ve added fresh fruit between layers, as the cake for a trifle, and in Sam’s tiramisu recipe. Both the cake and cupcake versions are perfection for any special (or ordinary) day
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oh yay! That makes me so happy! I am so thrilled this recipe has been a go to for you for so long! Thanks Ariana! 💕
Nicole Fatali says
Ive made this cake recipe for a few years now! Every birthday that comes i make this ! Its so good! I add plant based food coloring to the frosting to change it up
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
I'm so happy this is a go-to recipe for you!!! Thanks for the review Nicole 🙂
Pippa says
This is my go to cake recipe. I've used it to make all kinds of cakes, including a ginger caramel cake and a black forest cake. It's always a crowd pleaser and folks are genuinely surprised that it's vegan. All that, with simple ingredients, and instructions that are easy to follow.
Thank you for this recipe!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yummy yummy! Thanks for your review!
Becky says
This is the best recipe for a vanilla cake period. I made these cupcakes for work and no one could believe how delicious they were. I had to share the link with so many people because everyone was shocked they were vegan.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wow, that's high praise!
Derya says
The cake was absolute perfection. Incredibly moist and fluffy.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful!
Rosie says
I just made this cake for the first time my son's 40th birthday. Everyone raved about how delicious & moist it was and the frosting wonderful. I found vegan sprinkles on Amazon and it looked as pretty as your photos. Thanks Sam, for another perfectly delicious and incredibly simple vegan and nut free recipe.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That's wonderful! What a thoughtful and delicious gift!
Diane says
Super moist and yummy.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Izzy says
Love this recipe. It's my go-to for whenever I need a base for a cake, as you can add all sorts of twists to vanilla; it tastes good in everything. For instance I made this into a strawberry vanilla cake for a birthday and it was great. It's also just a great cake on it's own and super easy.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That's wonderful Izzy! So happy you love it! 🙂
Kiran says
I was pretty disappointed, perhaps because I had just made a vegan chocolate cupcake that was delicious and moist. These ones didn’t have a good flavour or texture.. they tasted oily to me. The one sub I made was water in place of the non dairy milk bc I didn’t have any (I did the same for the other cupcake recipe I mentioned). Positive was that they were quick to make. But after eating a few I tossed the rest :(.