This One Bowl Vanilla Cake recipe is better than a boxed mix with that same moist, springy quality that we all love. It is so easy to make but with all the freshness and flavor of a from-scratch cake.

This super easy vanilla cake was made for both simple snacking and joyous celebrations. The cake is pretty thick but moist and full of real vanilla and butter flavors. Bake, frost, and serve it up all in the same pan or try it as a layer cake!

Oh the taste of nostalgia! Does Betty Crocker have a strong hold on your core memories? Well it's time to let go and make the same great cake from scratch.

It is nearly impossible to replicate the same texture of a boxed cake mix using the creaming method (one of the more common ways to make a cake from scratch). With this one-bowl mixing method, however, we can get pretty close.

Jump to:

• Moist Vanilla Cake That is Better Than Boxed Mix
• Why It Works
• Ingredients in a One Bowl Vanilla Cake
• How to Make a One Bowl Vanilla Cake
• Serving and Storage
• Substitutions
• Variations
• One Bowl Vanilla Cake Recipe FAQs
• Recipe

Moist Vanilla Cake That is Better Than Boxed Mix

If you favor the uniformity and springy texture of a boxed cake mix, then why would you make your own? For its freshness, flavor, and preservative-free, just to name a few!

Boxed cake mix typically contains preservatives and emulsifiers. It also has that boxed flavor (you know what I mean). Sure you can doctor-up a mix all you want by swapping in real butter and milk when it calls for oil and water, but at this point, you are probably better off just making this from-scratch recipe. 

With its spongy, bouncy texture, the crumb is most reminiscent to cake that is made from a boxed mix. Why is this a good thing? Well that depends on your preference. If you grew up on Betty Crocker and have a palette for nostalgia, then you’ll likely prefer this simple cake over a complex genoise sponge. 

What is the One-Bowl Method?

The One-Bowl Mixing Method - a.k.a. Quick, Dump, or Blending Method, is as simple as it sounds while still producing a fluffy, moist cake crumb. It is just one step above literally chucking everything into a bowl then straight into the oven. 

With no special equipment required, the one-bowl method comes together with (you guessed it) one bowl and a wooden spoon/spatula. The batter is hand-stirred until combined.

Unlike the creaming method where air is mixed into sugar and softened butter to create thousands of tiny bubbles or the foaming method where eggs are whipped until pillowy, one-bowl mixed cakes are exclusively chemically leavened (with baking powder, baking soda, or both). 

Why It Works

The fluffiness of this moist vanilla cake is powered by a chemical leavening agent - in this case, baking powder. While butter has a far superior flavor, cutting it with part oil add loads of moisture. 

The combination of eggs (protein) and the simple process of stirring everything together builds just enough gluten to hold everything together. 

This might be the one time I tell you that a few lumps in the batter is okay. It's better not to over-mix. Too much agitation promotes gluten-development that results in a dense cake.

Ingredients in a One Bowl Vanilla Cake

Skip the boxed mix - you probably already have all the ingredients you need to make an easy one bowl vanilla cake at home!

• All-purpose flour - weighed in grams of spoon and sweep method
• Granulated sugar - for this recipe, we are counting sugar as a dry ingredient
• Baking powder
• Fine sea salt - like Diamond Kosher
• Whole milk
• Large eggs
• Unsalted butter - it will be melted, so no need to soften
• Canola oil - or any other neutral flavor like avocado or vegetable oil
• Vanilla extract - I always recommend pure vanilla but artificial actually tastes more like box mix, if that's what you are going for
• Whipped Buttercream Frosting

How to Make a One Bowl Vanilla Cake

Before you get too excited and throw everything into the bowl at once, remember that there is still an order in which the ingredients are mixed together. 

To start, the dry ingredients (including sugar) are briefly whisked together to evenly distribute the baking powder.

Then, mix up the liquids. In this recipe, that means milk, eggs, melted butter, oil, and vanilla extract. Okay technically you need something to mix them in and that might be a second bowl, but you get the idea.

From there, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to form a smooth-ish batter. A few lumps may remain, and that's okay. It's better to leave them than to over-mix the batter.

Serving and Storage

This moist vanilla cake is best served at room temperature. Because of the oil in the recipe, it will still be soft if stored in the refrigerator.

Wrap with foil or plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Store in the refrigerator to prolong the shelf life up to 5 days.

You can freeze the unfrosted cake by wrapping it well in plastic or foil. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen cake in the refrigerator overnight.

Likewise, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. Thaw frozen cake sliced in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Substitutions

I have not tried, but this cake recipe should be a good candidate for a one-to-one gluten-free flour alternative.

If you are non-dairy, try plant-based milk and butter. You may also skip the butter and use equal parts oil.

Variations

This cake is paired with vanilla whipped butter frosting, but you can top with anything - like blueberry buttercream, or orange buttercream.

Chocolate Vanilla Cake - swap the vanilla buttercream for chocolate fudge frosting!

Funfetti Vanilla Sheet Cake - add 1 cup sprinkles to the batter before baking.

Vanilla Layer Cake - bake the cakes in 8 or 9-inch cake pans (do not fill more than ¾ of the way full).

One Bowl Vanilla Cake Recipe FAQs

Recipe