Vanilla Cake (Vegan) (6-inch)

Easy vegan small batch vanilla cake. It is light, moist, sweet and full of vanilla flavor. Egg-free, dairy-free and perfect for any gathering.

Are you looking for a go-to vanilla cake recipe that is easy and delicious? One that is dairy-free and egg-free? Well, this is it. This recipe could not be easier to make. It has a lovely soft crumb, just enough vanilla flavor, and can easily be doubled or tripled for more layers or a larger cake. Pair it with your favorite frosting for your next special occasion.

What you will need:

All you will need for this recipe is a handful of everyday baking ingredients. Any item you might need can be found at your local grocery store.

Cake

• all purpose flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• cane sugar
• plant based butter with salt – melted
• oil – I used olive oil
• vanilla extract
• plant based milk
• plant based vanilla yogurt
• apple cider vinegar

Vanilla Buttercream

• powdered sugar
• plant based butter with salt
• vanilla extract
• plant based heavy cream

How to:

To begin, prepare a 6-inch cake pan by lightly greasing it and lining the bottom with parchment paper. In a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; whisk them together and set aside. In a medium bowl, add the melted butter, oil, milk, yogurt, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar; whisk to fully combine all the ingredients. To the wet ingredients, add the sugar and whisk for one minute to fully incorporate. Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold in until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared 6-inch pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F. Once the oven is ready, bake the cake for 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden in color and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Once the cake is out of the oven, let it rest in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, and then turn it out onto a cooling rack. Once it has completely cooled, it can be frosted.

While the cake is cooling, the buttercream can be prepared.  In a stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer), add the room-temperature butter and whip with a balloon whisk on high for 3 minutes. Scrape the sides down and add the sifted powder sugar. Continue mixing on high (start slow so sugar doesn’t go everywhere) until it comes together; this should take another 2 to 3 minutes. Next, add the vanilla and the heavy cream; whip on high for 3 to 5 minutes.

Helpful tools/tips:

When you read over the recipe, you will notice I don’t have you preheating the oven as your first step. I found that the batter responds positively to resting in the cake pan for a few minutes prior to going into the oven. Prepare the batter, pour it into the cake pan, set it aside, and then set the oven temperature. I discovered this one day when I had made the batter for a cake but had forgotten to preheat the oven. I thought it was going to go flat, but to my surprise, it came out perfect. What is better than a baking mistake going right? This recipe can be doubled to make an 8-inch cake or a 2-layer 6-inch cake. It can be tripled for a 3-layer, 6-inch cake or a 2-layer, 8-inch cake.

Alright, let’s get started. Please make, bake and enjoy!

Vanilla Cake (Vegan) (6-inch)

Easy vegan small batch vanilla cake. It is light, moist, sweet and full of vanilla flavor. Egg free, dairy free and perfect for any gathering.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp/ 135 grams all purpose flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 9 tbsp/112 grams cane sugar
• 2 tbsp plant based butter with salt – melted
• 2 tbsp oil – I used olive oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 6 tbsp/90 grams plant based milk – I used oat milk (room temperature)
• 4 tbsp/60 grams plant based vanilla yogurt (room temperature)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Vanilla Buttercream

• 1½ cups/180 grams powdered sugar – best if sifted
• 6 tbsp/84 grams plant based butter – needs to be room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp plant based heavy cream – needs to be cold

Instructions

 

• Prepare a 6-inch round cake pan – I suggest greasing and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl add the flour, baking powder and baking soda; whisk to combine then set aside.
• In a medium bowl, add the oil, melted butter, room temperature milk, room temperature yogurt, vanilla and apple cider vinegar; whisk to combine. To the wet ingredients, add the sugar and whisk for one minute to fully incorporate.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold until just combined (flour cannot be seen anymore). Pour the batter into the prepared pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350℉, once the oven is ready bake the cake for 40 minutes ( or until the cake is a golden color and a toothpick comes out clean). Once out of the oven, let the cake sit in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes and then turn it out onto a cooling rack. Once it has completely cooled it can be frosted.
• To make the buttercream – in a stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer) add the room temperature butter and whip with a balloon whisk on high for 3 minutes. Scrape the sides down and add the sifted powder sugar, continue mixing on high (start slow so sugar doesn't go everywhere) until it comes together – this should take another 2 to 3 minutes. Next add the vanilla and the heavy cream; whip on high for 3 to 5 minutes.
• This cake stays moist up to 5 days if kept in an airtight container. Can store on the counter or in the fridge.

Keyword dairy free, egg free, vanilla, vegan