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
Vanessa says
Wow you did an amazing job with this recipe. I find them a little salty could I leave out some of the salt with out afecting texture?
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! Thank you so much! Absolutely. Salt to taste. 😀
Vanessa says
Also have you made them chocolate? I am making the Vanilla ones today for easter but will
Like to make chocolate also. Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
Sure, you can make The Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Cake into cupcakes. Enjoy!
Pragya Gupta says
Loved the cupcakes and super simple recipe as well....came out a little dense for my liking, will try adding a 1/4 tbsp baking powder next time. Quick question, i mixed the vinegar and the milk first, and it curdled, is that OK or not?
Thank you
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you liked them! They are very light fluffy cakes, so it is possible that you might have overmixed them which would make them denser. The milk curdling is fine, you're basically just making a buttermilk, but for best results, make sure to mix all the wet ingredients together in one bowl, no need to mix them separately. Enjoy!
Mikie says
OMG! Im an 11 vegan baker and these cupcakes work PERFECTLY! Thnx so much! Also I used the recipe to make a cake and it was great that works too right?
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo! So happy you enjoyed them, and yep! Cake works too 🙂
Georgina Sharp says
Oh these sound delicious & id really like to give them a try!
I'm in the UK & the cup measurements are seriously confusing to me! How do I convert to grams and millilitres?
Many thanks
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, no problem. Grams won't really work since cups are all volume (not weight), but here is a chart that should help you convert everything to millimeters. Hope that helps! 🙂
Georgina Sharp says
Thank you for the reply.
At the risk of sounding really stupid, do you guys literally use any cup that you have or is there a specific type?
It's something I have never quite understood haha
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, I think that it's probably where the measurements originated from, but no, they are specific measurements that look like this. I know some other UK fans have bought a set of US cups and spoons measurements to make cooking from blogs a little easier. I think you can order them online if that interests you.
Georgina Sharp says
They would make things a whole lot easier! I will definitely order some online
Thanks for your help!
Sam Turnbull says
Anytime 🙂
Sapna Shah says
This is actually the easiest and best cupcake recipe I've come across, and its vegan! Thank you so much!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha yes it is!! So happy you loved it 🙂
Lasma Lusina says
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! Made today 3 batches for daughter's birthday. For the first one I followed the recipe bit the end result wasn't perfect. I used sunflower oil and it didn't taste well and baking soda could be felt in the cupcakes. Then I switched the oil for coconut oil and added lemon juice instead of ACV and the final result was awesome. Had this wonderful vanilla coconut flavour and aroma! They were light and soft! Will try this as a cake on Saturday. Hope all goes well!
So I would say it does matter a lot what kinda ingredients you use, results will vary greatly from it. Especially in vegan baking.
Sam Turnbull says
So glad they worked out for you! 🙂
Sarah says
Did you measure the coconut oil before or after melting it?
Miako says
WOWzers, these are THE best!! YUM YUM.
If I double the recipe, how long do I bake for? Twice the amount of time? (new "baker")
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you love them! If you double the recipe and make twice the amount of cupcakes, you bake them for the same amount of time. Enjoy!
Nothing says
I loves them! Very sweet and perfectly salty, I will probably use less oil next time because they turned out a bit greasy
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoy them!
Sidney says
These did not work out for me but I did change the milk to water so maybe that's the issue. They turned out greasy and wouldn't rise and the inside stayed raw looking/feeling. I was careful only to mix until lumps were gone, and both dry/wet ingredients were thoroughly mixed prior to being added together.
They tasted very strongly of vinegar so perhaps raw apple cider vinegar is not a good thing to use? It said apple cider or white vinegar, so I assumed that meant apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and not actual apple cider.
Had to toss the entire bunch of greasy vinegar vanilla bites.
Could using water instead of milk have made that big of a difference or was it the raw apple cider vinegar? I assumed it wouldn't since most of what's in almond milk actually is just water.
Sam Turnbull says
Oh no! It sound like something went horribly awry here. The water may have been the issue, it also sounds like they were undercooked or possibly measured an ingredient wrong... difficult to tell if I am not in the kitchen with you! These cupcakes always work out perfectly every time I have made them (which is many times). So if you ever try them again, I hope they work out better for you next time!
Katie says
Hello. I'd like to try to make these for vegan friends of mine, but I have a nut allergy and I'd like to be anllergylmond baking to eat them too 😉 Will soya milk work instead of almond milk? Thanks!
Katie says
Sorry, autoincorrect did something weird to my comment! That was meant to say that I'd like to be able to try them too 😉
Sam Turnbull says
Absolutely! I bake with soy milk all the time 🙂
Katie says
Great, thank you 🙂
Isabella says
Is it possible to make this into a cake?
Sam Turnbull says
Yep! Just bake it for longer, 35 to 40 minutes I would say. 🙂
Danie says
Hi! I just tried this recipe and the flavor and texture is amazing. I did run into a small problem though... the cake was very crumbly. Once you removed the wrapper to eat it the cake fell apart making it difficult to eat. I live in a very humid environment and am wondering if reducing the amount of oil help with this? I'm not sure how to fix this, and really want to use this recipe to make my friends daughters birthday cupcakes. Any advise/ help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Danie,
So happy you loved the cake so much 🙂
I think your best option would be to buy parchment cupcake liners. These won't stick to the cake so when you remove the wrapper it should hold together just fine. Hope that helps!
Danie says
Shoot. That won't work for me as I don't live in the US and Amazon only ships specific items here. Any other thoughts?
Sam Turnbull says
My grocery store carries the parchment liners, but if yours doesn't a kitchen supply store might. You could also try cutting squares of parchment and just shoving them in the cupcake pan.
Danie says
**Update** I Just pulled these out of the refrigerator this morning, let them get to room temp, and then peeled off the wrapper... Perfections! No crumbles!
Sam Turnbull says
Oh yay!! Who knew? Great tip!
Sabra says
This recipe doubled beautifully ❤
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! Happy to hear 🙂
CR Staple says
Oh my goodness, these cakes are AWESOME!!
I made them for my friends sons birthday. They were on holiday here and I wanted to do a little something for him but was worried as he is a vegan. I trolled through the Internet looking for a good recipe that had great reviews and found this one. It lived up to and even exceeded the rave reviews. The non vegans enjoyed it as much as her son. Pure awesome-ness! What a hit!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!! So happy you found this recipe and it was a hit, not only with the vegan, but for everyone. Maybe you will be inspired try more vegan recipes now 🙂
Lauren says
I made these for a baby shower and they turned out perfectly! The icing split but that was my fault. There were lumps of vegetable shortening in the icing so I popped the bowl in the warm oven to try and melt it. Think that's why it split! But still tasted fine! Just wondering how long they last for iced in a airtight container? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed them Lauren, and too bad the icing split. Yeah, an oven for the icing it a no go. Next time if it's lumpy use a mixer to blend. If you don't have a mixer an immersion blender works well too. To keep the cupcakes, I would keep them covered at room temperature. They should last a few days, but will be the softest and fluffiest on day one. Alternatively, cupcakes and frosting can be frozen separately. Thaw and then frost. Hope that helps!
Lauren says
Oh I did use a beater to try and get the lumps out! Nothing worked. I was in a hurry so that's why I popped it in the cooling oven. Next time I'll beat the shortening and vegan spread first before adding the other ingredients! Had the last cupcake last night (4 days later) and it was still tasty! Thanks for replying xx
Sam Turnbull says
No problem! So happy you enjoyed them 🙂
Sabra says
These turned out amazing. Very yummy and super easy to make. I added fresh blueberries also. I didn't make the frosting for them as I didn't have any of the ingredients on hand.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you loved them Sabra. Mmmmmm blueberries 🙂
Emily says
Well I am sad to say that this recipe did not work out for me at all. First, I have to say that I am not vegan, so I guess I didn't really know what to expect. Second, I live at about 8000 feet elevation, so that may have had some effect on the outcome of the finished product.
I made this recipe twice, back to back. The first time I followed the directions exactly. They sunk in the middle and were considerably greasy, but they tasted pretty good The second time I added a little more flour, hoping to compensate for altitude, and made sure not to over mix. They still sunk, not as bad, but they didn't taste as good- they had a bitter, baking soda flavor, and they were still quite greasy.
As this was my first attempt at vegan baking I am going to chalk up my failed cupcakes to inexperience, but I don't think I'll attempt this recipe again.
Sam Turnbull says
Oh no! That's too bad. I know nothing about cooking at higher elevations so I'm not sure if that is the problem, but these cupcakes work for me every time. Not sure what to recommend! Sorry they didn't work out for you Emily!
Rachel says
When it says 1/2 cup plus what does that mean
Sam Turnbull says
You add 1/2 cup sugar and you add 1/3 cup of sugar. When writing the recipe I just found 3/4 cups of sugar was to little and 1 cup was too much, so that is the in-between measurement. Hope that helps!
Naomi says
Hi! These tasted delicious although they sank in the middle. I used earth balance vegan buttery sticks for the frosting and it was a little runny, so I'll try putting them in the fridge prior to frosting.
Both toddler and husband declared them yummy. I'll be making some for her birthday in a few weeks.
I was wondering if this would work for mini cupcakes, too. I plan on making 24 big ones and a batch of minis.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy they were declared yummy! The sinking in the middle is likely due to over-beating the batter. If you make them again make sure to mix them until just combined. They will definitely work for mini cupcakes, the cooking time will be much shorter so just keep a close eye on them. Enjoy!
PniB says
yes yes yes! I agree with every positive comment about these cupcakes. Heaven in the ease of making them, heaven in the eating of them. 🙂 Just happiness.
PniB says
I made a batch with fresh cut up strawberries in them, and honestly they were extremely delicious. I've made these twice in 2 days, and had no problems with sinking in the middle. These are the fluffiest vegan cupcakes I've ever made. Thanks.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!!! Thanks for the lovely comment, I'm so happy you loved them so much PniB! 🙂
Gabrielle says
I'm excited to try this recipe but I was wondering if you could use gluten free flour? My sister is vegan and she also has a gluten allergy and it would be awesome to make them and surprise her for her birthday. Will it work?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Gabrielle,
Gluten free baking is very different than regular baking. I know there are some gluten free all-purpose flour mixes, but I have never tried them in this recipe so I am not sure how well they work. If you give it a try, I would recommend doing a test batch first. Hope that helps!