This vanilla bean cake recipe makes a perfectly fluffy cake with a soft and tender crumb, and the layers are great for stacking or making into cupcakes.
I'll start off by saying, I am a chocolate lover through and though (the darker the better), and this is the BEST vanilla cake I've ever had! If you're looking for a tender and moist vanilla cake that is not too sweet, this recipe is for you. It's a crowd pleaser and will knock people's socks off when you tell them it's egg-free and dairy-free.
When I was starting to develop this recipe, I knew I wanted a fluffy crumb and not one that's dense and spongy. I've tried multiple substitutions like flax, applesauce and just plain baking powder, and none of them compare to the magic of aquafaba. Aquafaba is the leftover liquid from cooking garbanzo beans, and can also be used right out of the tin of pre-bought garbanzos. It's tasteless and will create a beautiful airy crumb in your baked goods; especially in cakes!
BAKING TIP: WHIPPED AQUAFABA WILL ENCORPORATE AIR INTO CAKES WHILE ALSO ACTING AS A BINDER
tips before starting/TROUBLESHOOTING:
Tip #1:
Using cake flour will yield a fluffier and tender crumb; I haven't tried this recipe with All-Purpose, and can't guarantee the same finished result.
TIP #2:
Using aquafaba instead of flax or applesauce will give the cake an airy texture, as we're trying to incorporate more air into the batter. If flax or applesauce is used, it will result in a dense texture and crumb, so I do not recommend substituting.
TIP #3:
If the aquafaba is struggling to whip into peaks, add a pinch of cream of tartar to elevate the acidity. This will help your aquafaba come to soft/stiff peaks.
TIP #4:
Another reason aquafaba isn't reaching soft or stiff peaks is because it could be to diluted. In order to gain a bit more protein and a thicker, egg white-like viscosity, you might have to reduce your aquafaba down to eliminate some water content. This can most definitely help your aquafaba when trying to make meringue as well.
TIP #5:
Weighing the batter into prepared cake pans will make even layers every time. *WEIGH MIXING BOWL WHEN IT'S EMPTY*, weigh bowl after batter is finished. Subtract the weight of the bowl from the total weight with the batter (2,000g total weight - 700g bowl = 1,300g of batter). Then, divide by the number of cake pans you wish to distribute the batter into (1,300g of batter ÷ 3 cake pans = 433g batter per pan). I use the same cake pans for each layer, so I zero out my scale with the cake pan on it, and fill each to the same weight.
THE BEST VANILLA BEAN CAKE | VEGAN
Prep time: Cook time: Yield:
20 Minutes 30 minutes 14-22 Servings
ingredients
(295 ml.)- 1 1/4 cup Oatmilk
1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Vanilla Bean (or 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract/Vanilla Paste)
(113 g.)- 1/2 cup Plant-Based Butter (softened to room temperature)
(118 ml.)- 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
(225 g.)- 1 1/4 cups Raw Cane Sugar
(80 ml.)- 1/3 cup Aquafaba*
(360 g.)- 3 cups Cake Flour**
(8 g.)- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
(3 g.)- 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
(2.6 g.)- 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C and line the bottoms of 3, 6 inch (or 2, 8 inch) cake pans with parchment paper.
In a small mixing bowl combine oatmilk, apple cider vinegar and the seeds from 1 vanilla bean. This will be our "buttermilk"- set aside to curdle.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, oil and sugar together with a paddle attachment on medium-high for 1 minute.
In another small mixing bowl, whip the aquafaba with a hand mixer for 2 minutes on medium-high speed. You should achieve medium/stiff peaks.
Scrape the sides of the stand mixer containing the butter mixture, and add the whipped aquafaba. Beat for 2 mins on medium-high speed.
While the stand mixer is going, combine your dry ingredients together (cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt) in a separate bowl.
Scrape the bowl of the stand mixer and alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients into the bowl; (1/3 dry, 1/2 wet, 1/3 dry, 1/2 wet, 1/3 dry) ensuring everything is just combined between each addition. DO NOT OVERMIX.
Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans (for cupcakes see notes***). Bake for - or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
Let the cake layers cool in pans for at least 10-20 minutes before carefully turning out.
Cool completely before icing, or wrap in cling wrap (I like to use a compostable cling wrap similar to this one) and seal in an airtight container/ reusable gallon zip lock bag. The layers will last in the freezer for a couple months, and thaw wonderfully at room temperature after only about an hour. They can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a couple days; however, I don't recommend this since it can dry out your cake layers.
NOTES
*Aquafaba is the liquid leftover from cooking garbanzo beans. For a full recipe, reference my "How to Make Aquafaba" post. The liquid in a can of garbanzo beans can also be used; I recommend using sodium-free.
**Using cake flour will result in a tender crumb. I haven't used All-Purpose for this recipe so I cannot guarantee the same results.
*** For cupcakes: this recipe yields 22 standard size cupcakes. Measure out 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared liner and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.