I shared my full Vanilla, Passion Fruit and Raspberry cake recipes (featured on Duff Till Dawn) with you not too long ago. But I wanted to give the vanilla cake I had worked so long on formulating it’s own post. It’s kinda special like that. Like your favorite child. Oh, wait. We don’t have those as parents. They are ALL special and equally loved. Accepted. Tolerated… 😉
Finding that every time I wanted to make my vanilla cake I didn’t have the cake flour on hand that it called for, I wanted a GREAT scratch recipe that produced the same results as cake flour recipes - just with all purpose flour. Using all-purpose flour for the full recipe (rather than half and half) never gave me the results desired. So I tweaked, changed this and that, tried a few things and came up with possibly the best EVER vanilla cake. No cake flour needed (our friends over seas will appreciate this!). Without further adieu, some temping pics and the recipe, in friendly print format below.
Kara’s Perfect Vanilla Cake
All the dry ingredients head to the mixer bowl at once; let the paddle attachment do the mixing and distributing work for you.
Butter is the next ingredient to join the show. It should be room temperature. What’s room temp? About 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. You should be able with little pressure to make an indentation in it with your finger, but it shouldn’t mush all over your counter top and hand. Ew. This is perfect. And of course, always use unsalted butter.
Your dry ingredients and butter mixture should crumble when squeezed gently, hold it’s shape.
Set it aside and move on to combining the wet ingredients.
All of your wet ingredients should be the same room temperature. If you forget to take your eggs out of the ice box soon enough, just set them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to take off the chill. The milk’s too cold? Microwave it for about 20 seconds. Good to go!
Once the cakes are baked and gorgeous, let ’em rest for 10 minutes in the pan then turn them out onto a cooling rack. If you use the amazing recipe for pan “goop” you’ll get beautiful releases like this every time. Yeah. Goop. Odd word for something so magical. (Find that recipe just bellow, too!
Aaaahhhhhh!!!! Once cool you can torte the cake. Look at that BEE-U-TEE-FUL cake! Glorious texture, soft, tender, just the right moisture (never dry, unless you overbake it. But don’t do that. Be nice to the cake) and very, very little crumbling when cut. What more can you ask for???
Kara’s Perfect Vanilla Cake
***To watch my LIVE bake-a-long that I hosted on Facebook, scroll to the bottom of this page and you can watch the videos of me baking this in real time, and answering live questions from those who were baking along with me via Facebook LIVE***
Yield: 2 – 8” round cakes (use 3 inch deep pans, or line them higher than the edge with parchment)
Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour 16 oz. (3.25 cups)
Baking powder 2.5 tsp.
Granulated sugar 22 oz. (3 cups)
Salt .75 tsp.
Unsalted butter, room temp 8 oz. (1 cup; 2 sticks)
Vanilla Bean Paste* 1.5 TBSP
Egg Whites, large, room temp 7 each (about 1 cup)
Milk, whole, room temp 12 oz. (1.5 cups)
Vegetable oil 1 oz. (1/8 cup)
*AND BEFORE YOU BEGIN, PLEASE READ THE FAQs ABOUT THIS RECIPE AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE. CHANCES ARE, IF YOU’RE WONDERING, IT’S ALREADY ANSWERED DOWN THERE.
What to do:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease sides and bottom of 2 – 8” round pans. You can line with parchment on bottom and sides if you wish for easy removal.
- Add all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) to a stand mixer bowl and mix with a paddle to combine well. This replaces sifting.
- In a separate bowl, combine all wet ingredients (vanilla bean paste, egg whites, milk, and vegetable oil) and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Turn mixer to low and add chunks of butter slowly to the dry mix. Continue to beat on slow until there are no chunks of butter remaining and the mixture becomes crumbly.
- On low speed, add 1/3 of the liquid ingredients to the dry/butter ingredients and then turn to medium. Mix until a light paste forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add half of the remaining wet ingredients and beat on medium high speed for 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the remaining wet ingredients and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes.
- Divide evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean and sides have begun to pull away from the side of the pan. (This will depend on the size of your pan, how full you make it, and on proper oven temp.)
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Place on a rack to finish cooling.
*Vanilla extract can be substituted for vanilla bean paste.
**To make this perfectly textured and delicious cake chocolate, simply replace 3 oz. (weighed) of AP flour with 3 oz. (weighed) Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa (a dutched cocoa powder, not natural or light unsweetend) and add it to the dry ingredient mix.
The cake I originally used this with. This Vanilla, Passion Fruit, and Raspberry cake recipe was the favorite of my three on the show. (Side note… Doesn’t this cake look like it’s sticking it’s tongue out at you? Like it’s taunting you because it’s just on teh screen and not in your mouth? Hmmmm…. I’m feeling I should fix that and just make the thing again. Eat it IN FRONT of this pic to teach it a lesson. Sassy cake.)
I also used this vanilla cake recipe in my takeover of a friend’s Facebook Page 😉 Here’s the full Banana Pudding Cake recipe I made when I manned Man Bakes Cake for a day!
And before I forget… Goop! It’s a beautiful pan release that you can make yourself from ingredients we have on hand normally in any baking kitchen. Just brush it on evenly when prepping your baking pans and you will be the happiest caker in the land when your cakes practically ask to come out of the pans intact!
Goop
1 cup Flour
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Shortening (Crisco or Trex)
Mix ’em all together in your mixer till they are light and fluffy. Store in an airtight container in your cupboard. There are no perishable ingredients in this and you do not need to refrigerate it. In fact, refrigerating will make it firm and unspreadable. Using a pastry brush, coat you pans and enjoy the results 
If you bake more, or not as much, you can easily adjust the recipe size, just be sure to use equal amounts of ingredients by volume (cups, mls/litres), not by weight.
FAQs about this cake and recipe:
Q: Is this cake able to be covered in fondant, will it hold up?
A: Yes. All of my cakes are fondanted. It’s very sturdy.
Q: Can this cake be carved/sculpted?
A: Yep! It’s FABULOUS for that!
Q: Can this recipe be used for cupcakes?
A: I wouldn’t. It bakes up flat and most cakers want a nice dome on cuppies.
Q: Can I use whole eggs/sugar substitute/pasteurized whites?
A: Well, you can do anything you want to alter the recipe, BUT it will no longer turn out like this. That’s just the nature of the chemistry and physics of baking. It’s all science, peeps.
Q: How many batches do I need for “X” sized pan?
A: I don’t know You need to know the diameter of you pan, how high the sides are, how high you need it to bake and thus how full you need to make it, and how many cups of batter those things require. Find a good cake calculator (like the one on AvalonCakesSchool.com‘s website).
Q: How long do I bake X sized pan for?
A: Again, I can’t answer that. The baking times listed on any recipe are really just starting points. Too many variables happen in every kitchen that can alter your results. You need to know how hot your oven truly bakes (you need to have it calibrated) as well as the items listed in the Q & A above. My go to signs are nothing to do with a timer, though… When the cake becomes aromatic outside the oven without opening the door, and when the sides are just beginning to pull away from the pan, I know it’s almost there if not already completely done.
Live Bake-a-long Video part 1
Live Bake-a-long Video part 2
Live Bake-a-long Video part 3
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes! I can’t wait until your flavor pastes are ready, I’ve been wanting to order from Pastry Portal for a while-super excited to try the Tonka Bean. I’m fascinated with the actual science behind ingredients/how they interact, etc. there’s so much to developing a tasty, consistent recipe-your hard work is not undervalued.
I had a trial to Sharon’s SugarEd Productions and the last day your new class was posted. Your Sugar Stand was so clever and your wafer paper ‘sash’ was amazing! I appreciate the detail you go into when explaining your techniques but the way you also explain your thought process behind your work is truly wonderful! For example, the shading & texture you add to the base of your Sugar Stand, it made me think about my work in a whole new way. You are truly an artist and such a kind soul to openly share your knowledge! I’m gushing a bit, but I felt like I got an art lesson as well rather then the typical tutorial. I look forward to your other videos & posts. Thanks again for the extra time you obviously put into all your work!
Big Cake Geek 😉
Thank for such sweet words!!! Your kind of excitement is EXACTLY why I love doing what I do
Hi Kara! I plan on trying this recipe next week - it looks awesome. Would I need to adjust anything for different pan sizes for future reference? Thank you so much!
Only the amount of batter you make and the baking time. And if you’re baking small tiers (6″), turn your temp down 25 degrees F.
Thank you Kara! I tried your recipe today and absolutely love it! The only problem I had was totally my fault - i overfilled my pans (2″ pans), and I overbaked it just a tad, but luckily my family loves crunchy cake! Lol. I will try it again later this evening for an order. Thanks again! You Rock!
Hi Kara! Thank you for sharing I will be trying out for the first time this week. Just a question, if I wanted the cake to have lemon flavor can I substitute the vanilla bean paste for lemon extract ?
Honestly, I would use some vanilla extract (maybe half the quantity) and add lemon extract in addition. Vanilla is just a great backbone to any other flavor. Everything I bake, no matter it’s final flavor, gets vanilla.
Hi Kara! I have been searching for so long for a vanilla cake like this one. I’ve made it a few times now and absolutely love the flavour and texture. I’m having trouble with a few things though and I would so appreciate your insight!
The problem I’m having is that my cake shrinks inwards dramatically (pulls in from the pan sides). I tried baking it for less time, but then it was underdone and fell in the centre. When I make this recipe, I divide it into 3 8″ pans as my pans are only 2″ high and the batch is too big to divide into two. I’m not sure if that is relevant but maybe this is an issue?Any ideas what I’m doing wrong?
Ps. Goop is a life changer for me… So In love with how easily I can prepare my pans now!
Hi Samantha! I am SO SORRY I’m just now seeing this
I apologize, I try to get to every question quickly. Separating it between three pans shouldn’t be much of an issue, but I’ve never baked that little in a pan before, so I can’t be 100% sure. If your pans aren’t tall enough, use parchment collars. It will allow you to bake more in each pan without worry. You might be over baking with the smaller pans causing the pulling away. Also, turn down your temp by 25 degrees and bake a bit longer. Resist the urge to open the door to check before your timer goes off. Wow! That was a lot of info. LOL! Let me boil it down:
1) use parchment collars around your pans so you only need two 8″ pans.
2) don’t open your oven to check before your timer goes off, and still don’t open it repetitively. You can shake the oven door (while closed) gently to see if the center of your cakes are moving at all. If they are DO NOT OPEN! LOL
3) If you can’t use parchment collars and split between 3 pans, turn your temp down 25 degrees and bake longer.
I think that’s it.
I have been searching for a good vanilla cake recipe for it seems like forever, so I am very excited to try it. I am curious… when did the old method of cream sugar and shortening, then add dry alternating with wet method get replaced with the new method you are using. I see the new method more and more often in recipes. Also, have you tried this batter in cupcakes? Would it work there? Thanks!
The high ratio mixing method I use has been long used in the professional side of the industry, it’s just now making it’s way out with the proliferation of food science nerds like me
And with the interest in better cooking and baking helped along by TV like Food Network. But as for cuppies, no. This recipe isn’t as friendly to them. But I use three different vanilla cakes for different things in my kitchen. I’m not a fan of driving myself batty over the perfect everything recipe. I also don’t commit to one brand of fondant over another. Each has it’s own strengths and weaknesses, and we just need to know when to favor one over another for a project 
Ooh, interesting.
I’ve never thought to make a sponge with a crumb start.
Looking forward to trying it this weekend.
Bakey love
Kate
Hi Kara
Thanks for the recipe - you are very generous to share it and I am looking forward to trying it! Are there any adjustments that would need to be made to bake this in a larger size pan? I’ve had some issues with another two stage recipe with a dense gummy layer at the bottom of the pan (this has happened even with a recipe I have made zillion times and yes I’ve checked the expiration dates, room temp ingredients, etc.) either when I go to a big pan size (I had to reduce the leavening and liquid slightly) or making multiple batches. I’ve never had this issue with the creaming method. Thanks!
I’ve baked up to 12″ rounds without problems
Hi kara…
just a question.. can this recipe be halved easily without any complications hehe.. and do i need to adjust anything else ?? Thank you in advance.. greetings from dubai.. UAE
Halving will be no problem at all
Hi, I currently have this cake in the oven, but unfortunately it is rather runnier in consistency than I’d anticipated and it started to all leak out of my loose-bottemed tins once it got warm. I managed to salvage enough to just about fill two six inch tins but I don’t know how the jumping around and pouring from hot tins into cold ones will have affected it. I’m gutted as I was looking forward to it - will need to try again once I’ve bought new tins!
Loose bottomed tins? Do you mean spring form pans? Cake batter in general shouldn’t go in spring form, there is no seal at the bottom. As for moving from one pan to another, I’m not sure how it will turn out as I’ve never run through that scenario before.
No, not spring-form, just tins that have the base that sits on a lip inside the tin. I’m in the UK so we have different products here. They work fine for most other cake batters I have used, as they are stiff enough to not leak until the base has cooked enough to seal it thoroughly.
As suspected, transferring the batter part way through was an unmitigated disaster, so I have bought all-in-one tins to try again
Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Kara! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. The pictures of the texture/crumb look awesome. I’m gonna test it today but am wondering if you know how this recipe does in a half sheet pan? I like to bake my cakes in sheet pans and cut out the size I need while also using “scraps” for smaller desserts (really just so I can eat it :X). Curious though if it needs the sides of the pans to cling to (sort of like how I would never bake a chiffon in a sheet pan, haha!) Plus I have very short 6″ pans and need a taller cake but don’t want to overfill so I’d rather bake in a half sheet if possible. Thanks in advance!
It will bake happily in any pan. If I need to use one of my shorter pans (2 inch as opposed to 3 inch) I just line the sides higher with parchment. Same lovely results
Kara, How do you get your butter cream layers SO FRICKIN PERFECTLY even? I’m totally doing something wrong, mine never look even like THAT. Perfection!
Lots, and lots, and lots of practice
And a nice straight metal spatula. It comes with time.
Hi Kara, thanks for this great recipe. After searching for the “Holy Grail” of vanilla cake recipes I finally found it thanks to you. My daughter says it is a keeper. Very moist and very tasty. Do you use the same recipe when you carve a cake or do you adapt it?
I have three different recipes I prefer when using vanilla: one for tiered (this one), one for cuppies, and one for sculpted. I’m fussy. But I don'[t believe there is ever the “perfect” a;; around cake recipe or product for that matter. Everything has it’s strengths and weaknesses. I think it’s best to have many go-to’s that you are absolutely sure of than one single item that does good for all. I want GREAT for all! And that calls for multiple options most of the time.
EDIT!!!! I’ve finally sculpted with this cake and it’s WONDERFUL!!! This will be my sculpting AND tiered cake recipe now
I’ve used this and Oh My God it’s amazing! Quick question though…you say you use a separate recipe for cuppies. Any reason why?
This recipe bakes up flat and most cuppie makers look for well domed final shapes. I don’t believe there is or needs to be a one-size-fits-all recipe. I’m good with not using this one for cuppies.
I have the cake in the oven and it smells divine and is rising well! I LOVE how much batter the recipe makes. I have been searching for the perfect vanilla cake recipe for over a year and I have high hopes right now!! I’ll be sure to follow up when it’s done. Thanks for sharing Kara!
And the verdict is in - AMAZING!! The hunt is finally over for a vanilla cake recipe, I am SOOOO happy right now!!!
Hello. Any chance of measurements in metric please from the UK
There are lots of online measurement converters, and as I’ve included weight measures, you’ll get accurate conversions from oz to grams.
Hi Kara, just found this recipe after searching for the perfect vanilla cake. Just want to make sure that we use only 7 eggs white noy the yolks?
Thank you.
You are correct
Hi Kara, what an amazing looking cake, am going to give this a go next week, just wondered how would i increase this receipe for a 12″ square or round cake please. Many thanks and keep on sharing just love seeing your cake designs and also your receipes…Mwah xxx
This quantity should do just fine for a single 12″ of either shape
Kara,
Love your cakes. I wanted to ask you regarding your “Perfect Vanilla Cake” recipe if the amount of time that you have to beat the flour (during the butter and flour combination and when you add he wet ingredients) if that would make for a tough cake because of the gluten being built up? I guess what I am trying to say so poorly is that I have heard that the longer you beat the flour, the more gluten is produced and that would make for a tough chewy cake.
Also, when making your recipe into a chocolate cake, would it be okay to combine coffee with any of the liquid ingredients it calls for, or would that make it bitter ?
Thanks for your patience.
Nope! Not at all. The fat in the butter coats the flour particles and prevents the proteins from developing overly strong gluten bonds. That’s actually the point of the high-ratio mixing method: it allows for more mixing to ensure better incorporation of ingredients without toughening the crumb structure. Try it. Seriously. You’ll never mix the same way again 😉 As for coffee, YES!!! Do that! It doesn’t make it bitter at all, it actually really enhances the chocolate flavor. Just don’t add extra liquid to the formula. If you steep the milk over night with coffee grounds and strain, you’ll get the proper liquid and fat content from it as well as a full coffee flavor.
Hi Kara:
Thank you so much to share your recipe. Do you thing that I can convert it into a strawberry cake, just adding a 1/2 cup of strawberry puree. Any sugestions?
Oh, no… The puree has far too much moisture to just add it to it. I would suggest using freeze dried strawberries and pulsing them in your blender to get a powder and add it to your flour mix. Then use fresh berries in your filling perhaps. You’ll still have real strawberry in the cake, just not adding too much moisture. (and no, swapping out milk for some of the liquid would change your fat content and change the outcome. You could experiment using a higher fat content supplement in that scenario, but the other way I mentioned would be a definite go, the other would take some tweaking.)
Thank you for your response regarding the strawberry cake suggestion. You’re rock!!
But one more question, then I can not use any fresh fruit in this recipe, like banana or any berries?
This concern with adding fresh components to any baked recipe that doesn’t originally call for it, is the added moisture content. If you add high water content fruit (especially berries) you change it’s formulation and how the ingredients interact. It’s all chemistry, and even though water shouldn’t seem like an issue, it’s a matter of how it hydrates the other ingredients and allows, or prevents, them from doing their jobs. removing other liquids to accommodate (like the milk) changes the fat percentages in the overall formula as well which will change the final results. My suggestion would be to get you hand son some highly concentrated flavor pastes (not extracts) and use those. Very small, thick, highly concentrated amounts will go REEEEEAAALLLLLYYYY far in these recipes and won’t alter the chemistry. And they are made from the natural fruit, not artificial ingredients, so you get really flavor
I’m excited just from reading. Can’t wait to try it!!!! Thank you, Kara.
Hi Kara, it sounds great… I have a question, why do you use only the whites? Is it only to obtain a white cake or there is another reason?… Im a disaster with vainilla cakes i havent found the perfect recipe, my cakes always starts to raise well and then falls down completely in the center, any suggestion?! Pleeease…. Or if not fall in the center, the consistency in the middle is chewy like undercooked, whyyyyyy?! …. I expect my search have finished hehe ….. Sorry if i had mistakes my english is not perfect.
Saludos desde México…. Happy independence day!
The whites only is for the whiter color of the vanilla cake as well as the final texture.
Thank you for your response regarding the strawberry cake suggestion. You’re rock!!
But one more question, then I can not use any fresh fruit in this recipe, like banana or any berries?
Hi Kara, it sounds great… I have a question, why do you use only the whites? Is it only to obtain a white cake or there is another reason?… Im a disaster with vainilla cakes i havent found the perfect recipe, my cakes always starts to raise well and then falls down completely in the center, any suggestion?! Pleeease…. Or if not fall in the center, the consistency in the middle is chewy like undercooked, whyyyyyy?! …. I expect my search have finished hehe ….. Sorry if i had mistakes my english is not perfect.
Saludos desde México
Hola! The whites are for the texture and final crumb structure. It’s an added bonus that they leave the cake a bit whiter, but that isn’t the goal for me. Besides, using the natural bourbon vanilla bean paste leaves a golden hue to the cake. I don’t like using artificial “clear” vanilla in my recipes, so I don’t mind the color.
Hello there Kara
The last vanilla cake I made was a hot mess so I thought id give yours a try
Its currently cooling on the bench but I just wanted to ask a question please…
What is the expected height of each cake when its finished baking?
I had to make a rainbow cake (7 different colours) so I divided the mix into several potions and coloured them. I used gel so the consistency didnt change however I didnt get as much rise as I had hoped. Could it be because the batter wasnt baked immediately after the main mixing (dividing and then adding the colours took forever!).
All in all, it smells amazing, the colours look amazing and i loved that there was hardly any shrinkage!
Thanks
You are right! Smarty pants 😉 Trust your intuition. The batter needs to be baked right away. I know what a pain that is for rainbow cakes, but it’s the nature of the beautiful beast!
Hello Kara
Thankyou for sharing such a wonderful recipe. I am a big fan of yours…
Have a small doubt.
In the recipe you have mentioned APF - 3.25 cups 16 oz, and granulated sugar - 3 cups 22 oz. Shoudnt APF be more than 16 oz or sugar less than 22 oz? I am doing something wrong in calculation. Please help.
Thank you so much.
Nope
They have different weights per ounce. But you’re clever to look at the recipe like that!
Thank you for all the time you put in to your tutorials, and periscopes for all of us! It is very appreciated! I love this cake recipe-it is so delicious! I had a go-to vanilla recipe, but this one trumps it by far! I wondered if you could help me troubleshoot something though? I’ve made the recipe twice now, and the inside is so fluffy, vanilla-y (that’s a word, I know it!!), but my outside edges and top are literally crusty!? The second time I baked it, I reduced the temperature to 335, because some people in the newbs group mentioned it…and it sill did it. I trimmed the top and edges and it tasted perfect, I just don’t want to have to trim them at all! There’s no dome either which is nice. I’m just not sure why mine is so hard like toast on the outside. Should I try baking strips on the cake pan? Thank you!
That happens sometimes. Even turning down the temp on your over may not help if you’re oven temp isn’t accurate to begin with. Many home ovens aren’t calibrated well, especially after years of use. Starting with baking strips would be a great idea, but also lining the pan with parchment. Keeping the batter from touching the sides is a good idea. Also, the brand of pan, and their material they make them with, matters. I have some pans that are the same size and depth but made with slightly different materials and they bake very, very different. And you are welcome
Hi Kara!
I like to refrigerate my fondant cakes. Does this cake do well being refrigerated? Can it be made in advance and frozen? Love your Periscope tutorials! Thanks!
Yes, and yes
I refrigerate my fondant cakes as well. And yes! You can freeze it. Just wrap in lots of plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn and freezer smell/taste. And don’t freeze for more than 30 days.
Was so excited to read about this recipe as I too have spent years trying to find a white cake that I was happy with. Unfortunately, this one isn’t the winner for me. I know we all have different tastes, but this turned out dense and gummy and was way too sweet. I followed the directions exactly, room temp ingredients, weighed all ingredients, etc. The hunt continues.
If it turned out dense and gummy it has to do with mixing and baking differences. Try again… Truly, this cake is amazing (and not just because it’s mine) and I have many professional baker friends who have converted to this recipe for their clients.
Hi ! So excited to try this out but I need to replace the milk to make it dairy free . What would be the best substitute ?? Almond? Soy ? Milk ???
Thank you !
I haven’t done any substituting in this recipe, but it is formulated for whole milk due to fat content and liquid content. I can’t recommend using alternatives for dairy as it won’t turn out the same.
I know it’s late but I always bake with Lactaid milk
Can I use whole eggs? instead of just the whites?
The issue with using whole eggs is the way they affect the crumb structure. It will be tougher, less tender. Could you? Yes. Would get the desired result? No. Use the whites… There are tons of yummy things to use the yolks for 😉
Hi Kara,
Thank you for sharing this recipe as I have been looking for the perfect vanilla recipe. I will definitely try it… a few questions though…
1) what is the weight of the egg whites (in Grams or ounces)?
2) Can this cake be used for tiered cakes (2 - 4 tiers)?
3) Is this cake leaning more on the sweet side as you have 3 cups (22 oz)? Will it affect the texture of the cake if I reduce the sugar by 1 cup?
Thank you so much!
Ok. In order:
1) approximately 8 ounces fresh whites
2) it was designed for tiered cakes, but works beautifully with sculpted as well
3) 22 ounces may seem like a lot, but the overall size/volume of the recipe is larger than most, so it’s not too sweet at all, it strikes a beautiful balance of flavor and sweetness
And you are most welcome!
I was wondering if you could make these as cupcakes?? What would the difference be in baking time or would there be any differences?? Thanks in advance, I can’t wait to try your recipe!!
Hi! I haven’t made this recipe into cuppies yet. I’ve had a number of people do so and they said it turned out nicely
I would assume a lower temp (325) and shorter baking time. Keep an eye on them, They tell you when they are done 
Hi Kara!!
I am SO excited to try this cake recipe! I just found your blog and am LOVING learning & reading about your recipes & techniques. I was wondering if you had any advice on what type of vanilla buttercream to pair with this cake? I’ve been on the hunt for a buttercream stiff enough to fill a tiered cake to be covered with fondant. I recently had an issue where the buttercream between my layers of cake was “showing” through the fondant. Thank you so much! Can’t wait to try this beautiful cake!
Hi Emma, and welcome
My SMBC recipe is perfect for your cakes. http://www.karascouturecakes.com/siteb/vanilla-passion-fruit-raspberry-cake Just follow my method. I’ve used it in cakes up to 18″ rounds with four layers of cake and 3 layers of butter cream, with five more tiers supported and stacked atop. It’s tried and true. Just be sure you are chilling after each additional layer 
Thank you so very much!! I’m assuming we can simply omit the passion fruit paste and it will be okay as a vanilla SMBC? Also, about how long would you say to refrigerate each layer… just once it is set up? And you would use this recipe to crumb coat the cake before the addition of fondant as well?
Thank you again for your help!
Yes, the butter cream stands alone beautifully as vanilla. Refrigerate each layer until it’s set up, and I do use it for crumb coating!
Hey Kara! OMG this recipe is the BOMB! Thank you for sharing. I see in the above comments you mentioned you had a cupcake recipe, did you mind sharing?
Can you mention the icing used in this cake & its recipe
Hi! It’s Swiss Meringue Buttercream and you can find my blog post with the recipe and method here: http://www.karascouturecakes.com/siteb/vanilla-passion-fruit-raspberry-cake
Enjoy!
Do you know how many cups of batter this makes? I would like to try the recipe (it sounds fabulous), but cut it down for two 6″ X 3″ pans. (Living alone - I’d never finish the cake otherwise).
If you have this information and can provide it, I would very much appreciate it.
Hi! It makes 9 cups of batter
Hi Kara! I love this cake recipe and have converted to it for my vanilla-based cakes! It’s reliable and delicious (i’ve subbed in a cold-pressed Mexican vanilla extract). I have two questions. First, I have halved it with no issues, but I have had problems with doubling it. I would like to get a bit of a taller 12″ layer, or be able to do peel off a 4″ or 5″ pan from the batter I put into a 12″. I’ve found a straight up double or even increasing the base recipe by a half, has caused leavening issues. I know that baking science nerds more skilled than myself can make adjustments to the leavening for larger batches. But I’m at a loss as to what to do (and would rather not waste the ingredients if you have already made adjustments for a larger batch).
Second, you mentioned that you don’t use this for cupcakes? Have you shared a link to a wonderful vanilla cupcake recipe? I have used this one, and would like a bit more “ooomp!” in my vanilla cup pies.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Hi Lorie! I haven’t had a problem doubling, but I do make sure to use wet wraps around the larger cakes when baking as well as a center core/pin. I use my flower pin and insert it through a round sheet of parchment on the bottom of the pan before adding batter.
The issues with leavening are that when using a single batch that calls for volumetric measure in an integral ingredient (like leaveners) it fine for a single batch as there won’t be much variance in a single, straight scooped measuring spoon. But when you get to larger batches, it’s more important to have the correct chemical make up. Believe it or not, not all measuring spoons hold the same amount, which doesn’t matter in small quantities but become problematic in larger quantities. I would suggest a gram based scale, one that is specifically for grams, not ounces or pounds. It will be highly sensitive but will help you to weight your standard ingredients as you make a successful recipe and then multiply by weight to double your batchs. It’s a very useful tool to have
And no. I haven’t shared my cuppie recipe. I’ll have to dig it out. It belongs to another cakers but provides a beautiful domed cuppie, and the texture is lighter and more open the way we want our cuppies.
Hi Kara, I didn’t see my post so I’m going to repost. Apologies if I’m double posting:(.
Is it okay to use egg white from a carton? Also, which fondant brand(s) do you use? How do you get your cake edges so sharp?
Thanks for the recipe:)
Hi Kara, I cannot wait to test this cake, thank you so much for sharing!! I make my SMBC with carton egg whites, I am wondering if I could use the carton egg whites for this cake also??
Can you? Yes. Would I? No. LOL Stick with the fresh whites. The results are far better!
Hi Kara thanks so much for the vanilla recipe I can’t wait to try it . I can’t get the instructions for baking the cake on my phone for some weird reason . What temp do you bake the vanilla cake at and for how long
Thanks a million
Loux
Hi! You can find all of the instructions here as well: http://www.karascouturecakes.com/siteb/vanilla-passion-fruit-raspberry-cake/
Hi, thanks for sharing your recipe, where i live i ca nnot get vanilla paste, can i substitute with vanilla extract? If so how much?
Yes! You can use the extract, the same amount as the paste
Hi Kara
I wish to do this cake but only have a regular small elect tuque hand mixer no big machine. Will it work also. Thks for your reply
You certainly can, it will just take a bit longer. Look for the consistency, not the times I list.
Sorry I can’t seem to post the bottom of the page so hoping it might work in the reply button.
Hi Kara
I have made this a few times now and I was just wondering if reducing the sugar would affect the recipe, also do you look for a specific consistency when mixed or do you always use the same timings on the recipe.
Also is granulated sugar the same as caster sugar in the UK.
Thanks for all your help
Hi Stacey! Granulated sugar in the US is equivalent for baking to the caster sugar in the UK. Caster is slightly finer, but mostly the same. And yes, reducing the sugar will affect the recipe. It’s pure science and the formula works in the ratios as written. Of course you are welcome to test it out and see if you like the results, but it won’t be the same cake any longer 😉 I use the same timings each time. (Also, I have to approve comments. So It wasn’t you, I got all of your messages. I only posted this one though.
)
Hi kara!! So excited for this gonna try this weekend !
A few questions if not too much!
I have to make it dairy free … can I sub the butter and milk for margarine and almond milk or soy? ?
Also if I was to make it in a 12″ pan would you lower the temperature / increase time?
And lastly how does this recipe do when doubling or tripling? Does it work?
Thank you in advance !
Hi Kara,
I’ve made this cake twice now and both times the tester comes out clean but the cake isn’t done.
The second cake did better cooking for 55 minutes.
Regardless of the doneness, the cake melted in my mouth, it was divine, however I can’t serve a cake with raw spots.
I’d like to try again, does baking it for an hour seem unreasonable? I’ve followed the instructions precisely but could I be missing something? I’m on the Canadian West Coast. Perhaps weather factors in?
Thank you so much!
What you’re seeing aren’t raw spots, per se. They are slightly underdone and it comes from the ingredients being too cool. All ingredients need to be solidly room temperature (70-78 degrees F). There’s some interesting science behind it all, but the short of it is ingredient temp. Longer baking won’t change things. Chemistry can be curious 😉
Hello Kathleen. I have had two unsuccessful attempts at this recipe and I see what appeared to be raw spots as well. I was curious if you had the same issues as me. After my first 4 minutes of mixing, the mixture was awesome, but adding the last portion, the batter looked like it curdled somewhat. I could add the liquid slow enough without it curdling. I baked and it rose nicely but then near the end, it domed and caved in on the sides. Did you have curdling at all? Thanks.
The raw looking spots come from ingredients that are not all the same temp and too cool. All of the ingredients need to be room temp (70-75 degrees F). It may seem like they are warm compared to “out of the fridge” cold, but even cool can be problematic. Also, check your oven’s temperature by calibrating it. You need an oven safe thermometer to do that. Some home ovens can be up to 25 degrees off.
Hi Kara, feel silly asking this but. Is there 7 egg whites ? Can you use pasturized egg whites?
Yes, seven egg whites. And you can use pasteurized carton whites, but they don’t yield the same result as fresh. If you make it both ways, you’d be able to tell. But most people wouldn’t. I just like cracking fresh eggs and having an excuse to not throw out the yolks and make custard instead… 😉
Hello Kara, I just want to know if is ok to use whole eggs if so, how many whole eggs then? Also do you think is ok to add some oreo cookies to this batter?
Thanks
Whole eggs will toughen the cake and change the final texture. I wouldn’t recommend it. Find a nice custard or lemon bar recipe to use those lovely yolks 😉 And if you want to do Oreo, don’t add it to the cake, they’ll loose their flavor. Use my SMBC recipe and add a full package of Oreos to it in the mixer. It was my BEST selling SMBC. Even for weddings.
Hello Kara
I need to make a 12″ square cake and I believe your recipe will give me one layer. Do I need to insert a flower nail when I am baking this size of cake? I will be baking it in a 2″ deep pan.
Thank you!
Hi Peppy! Yes
I insert them through a piece of parchment cut to fit the bottom of the pan.
Hi Kara,
I tried this recipe and it turned out beautiful. The first attempt was not so good…sides shrunk inwards so I tried again lowering the temp (as suggested by you in one of the comments) and it turned out perfect. Thank you so much for sharing your perfect recipe!
Also, I wanted to follow you on periscope so can I have your id/username for the same.
Thanks again!
Hi Seema! Periscope… I won’t be over there anymore because I can broadcast LIVE to everyone on Facebook now!I’m so excited! If you don’t follow me there, you can go Like my page and get automatic updates about when I broadcast live: http://www.facebook.com/karascouturecakes
Hope to see you there!
Hello. I just love the method for making this cake. All was going well until the last addition of liquids where my batter split/curdled/broke, whatever you call it. It is in the oven as well. I was curious if this will affect the outcome. I see that I am the only person who had this problem. I will probably try again tomorrow, but was curious what I may have done wrong. Thanks for your help!!!
You are doing it right so long as all the ingredients are warm (room temp) and at the same temperature. It’s normal for the batter to appear broken. And no, you’re not the only one. Every one SHOULD see that. They likely just haven’t said anything thinking it was baker error 😉
Hi Kara. I am having a few problems with the recipe. I can’t seem to figure out what I am doing wrong. I have the dry ingredients and butter all mixed. I can squish it together like your picture. I add 1/3 of the wet ingredients (approximately 620ml total liquid, so 1/3 would be around 200ml) and mix until the paste forms. I then add half of the remainder (approx 200ml) and mix for 4 minutes. This part is amazing. This batter is devine and could be eaten on it own. LOL. But adding the last portion of liquid (200ml) just curdles my batter, even if I add it super slow so that each addition has a chance to combine. But I bake and it all collapses once out of the oven from the sides.
Do you have any advice? Thanks
Hi Rebecca! I just found a few messages from you and I’m so sorry I didn’t catch them earlier! My software put them all in spam
Ok. No. You are doing it right, so long as your ingredients are all room temp and equal temperature. It’s normal to look broken in the final mix. And I agree. I could just eat the batter. No baking necessary! LOL (I’m responding to each of your comments individually…)
Kara, can I use butter in place of the shortening in the buttercream recipe?
Certainly can! The shortening helps with it’s temperature stability, but all butter will work just fine.
Hi Kara, Thank you too for your kindness in sharing your recipe and your talent. I followed you on Facebook and made the cake which came out perfectly. My sister and her kids loved loved loved it.
I have recently taken your Craftsy class and would recommend to everyone. It helped me tremendously with my second paid wedding cake (4 tiers) delivered to a venue on Easter Sunday. I was curious as to whether the recipe would double for 2 - 12″ X 4″ cakes and you have responded affirmatively, so this is now my go to vanilla cake recipe! Thank you once again.
Fabulous Valerie!!! Have you added your wedding cake to the projects section of my Craftsy Class? I would love for everyone to see your success
Thank you for the message, I love knowing I’ve helped!
Sorry meant 2 - 12″X2″ cakes.
Have a question on converting this recipe to gram weight-I need to know which is correct to use. I made this recipe and love the flavor but did notice the “cornbread” issue that some spoke of. I am converting the recipe to grams as this is how I roll and have to questions. Flour-the recipe calls for 16 oz or 3.25 cups of flour. I use Gold Medal and 16 oz = 453 grams BUT 3.25 cups = 390 grams.
Sugar-recipe calls for 22 oz or 3 cups. Using Dominoes I get 22 oz = 622 grams and for 3 cups = 576 grams. Which is correct?
Convert the weight measures to weight measures. Ounces to grams. They are most accurate as volumes vary. I only provide volumes here because many of my readers don’t use a scale. I always use the weight measures.
In your pan release recipe can i substitute shortening with something else?guide me
Nope. At least I haven’t done it and the only similar substitute is lard, but yuck.
Hi kara,I want to bake 10 inch cakes using this recipe..can you tell me for how long should I bake for 10 inch cakes?
This will sound cheeky, but until it’s done. All baking times are suggestions to start with. The true internal temp of your oven, size of your pan, and how much you fill it will determine how long you need to bake for. My queues that tell me my cakes are close, if not ready, to come out: they become aromatic from within the oven without opening the door, and the sides pull away ever so slightly from the pan. Like, a hair, but they have released themselves.
Hi Kara, I tried your recipe out for the first time last week for a last minute order and it was just perfection 😄 I do have one question tho. Does this cake hold up well under fondant? I have a 2 tier vanilla cake to do and this is the cheaper recipe as well as tastes way better too and would prefer to use it but concerned it would collapse with the fondant on top
Yep. It’s a very sturdy cake.
I need to make a sheet cake. Is this recipe enough? Or double it…? Thank you so much!
YOu need to know the size of your pan, determine if you are torting, and know how full you need your pan in terms of cups of batter. This recipe makes a bit more than 9 cups.