Vanilla 10 Inch Cake
A simple vanilla 10 inch cake with three soft and fluffy layers that are frosted with American buttercream and is easily customizable!
Guess what?! I made a perfect three layer, vanilla 10 inch cake to add to my list of base recipes! So far we have a 4 Inch Cake, 6 Inch Cake and 8 Inch Cake and now a 10 inch cake.
If you didn’t already know, I’m on a mission to make multiple sizes because one size does not fit all. Doubling and halving recipes doesn’t always work so I’m here to take the guess work out for you!
How to make 10 Inch Vanilla Cake
For my vanilla 10 inch cake I used pretty much the same ingredients as my Vanilla 6 Inch Cake. I look for 3 main things when I develop my cake recipes- the perfect texture, great flavor, and a simple recipe.
Each ingredient is an important component to achieving all three, so sticking to these ingredients will give you the perfect 10 inch cake.
Ingredients:
- Flour: I like using all-purpose flour in my cakes because most people already have it at home. If you don’t use a digital scale to measure your flour I highly recommend purchasing one. Over measuring is one of the most common baking mistakes.
- Fat: I use both oil and butter in this 10 inch cake. I love the flavor the butter gives and the spongy texture oil creates.
- Whole Egg: I use whole eggs because I love the richer flavor it gives. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature to make sure the batter doesn’t curdle. If you forget to take your eggs out of the fridge ahead of time, you can put them under hot water.
- Sugar: You can’t have cake without sugar. It provides moisture, flavor and structure so don’t skimping! I used just granulated sugar in this recipe but it’s made to be adaptable so you can make a brown sugar cake by just swapping the granulated sugar for brown sugar.
- Liquid: I like the texture and flavor from using milk and sour cream so I used both in this 10 inch cake. If you don’t have sour cream you can substitute it for equal amounts of Greek yogurt.
Vanilla Buttercream
I made vanilla American Buttercream to go with the cake but you can make whatever frosting your heart desires.
You’ll need two batches of frosting, meaning a frosting that uses at least 2 cups of butter. So like two batches of my Swiss Meringue Buttercream or French Buttercream recipes.
If you want the decorate the cake more than I did, I recommend doing either 1.5x or 2x the amount of frosting.
If you don’t already have a copy of my book Frosted, I recommend checking that out. You will find 60 different variations taken from 13 base recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Vanilla 10 inch cake will make approximately 40 cupcakes. However, it was developed for cakes, so the cupcakes might sink/sag a little instead of having a nice beautiful dome.
If you want to make vanilla cupcakes I recommend making my vanilla cupcake recipe.
You certainly can!
To make it chocolate, remove 1 cup (120g) of flour and add 1 1/2 cups (120g) cocoa power.
To make it wedding cake, in addition to the vanilla extract, add 2 tsp of almond extract
To make a spice cake, add at least 2 Tbsp of spices – I would do 1 Tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ginger and 1 tsp allspice or cloves; I would also swap the sugar for brown sugar.
I have not tested adding fruit flavors to this cake but you can certainly use a fruit flavored frosting or fruit flavored extracts without any problems.
I use baking spray with flour to grease my pans and my cakes rarely stick to the pan. You can also line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper. I don’t use butter or flour but know plenty of people who use those methods with success too.
How to store a 10 Inch Cake
Unfrosted cake layers
You can make the cake layers ahead of time. For best results, allow the cake layers to cool almost to room temperature. When they’re still just slightly warm, wrap them in plastic wrap and leave them on the counter overnight.
If you’re making them more than one day in advance, you’ll want to freeze them. Place the plastic wrapped layers in a freezer bag, removing the excess air, and freeze on a flat surface.
You can remove the cakes from the freezer and frost right away or you can remove them a few hours earlier and bring them back to room temperature. If you’re frosting them frozen, make sure to let the cake rest so it thaws before serving.
How to store the finished cake
If the cake is fully frosted and unsliced, you can leave it on the counter overnight (unless it feels soft and unstable, then refrigerate it).
If the cake is partially sliced, cover any cut sections with plastic wrap or a cake dome. Place all the slices in an airtight container. It can stay at room temperature for a day or refrigerated for up to a week.
How to freeze the cake
If the cake is sliced, place the slices in an airtight container. You can also individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap if you want to remove one at a time. Place the container in a freezer bag and squeeze out all the excess air. You can store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
You can also freeze the cake whole. To do this, refrigerate the cake until the frosting is firm, a couple of hours. Then wrap the whole cake in plastic wrap, twice and freeze for up to two months.
Let the cake thaw in the fridge over night. Then remove the plastic wrap and let it thaw on the counter until serving.
Keep in mind, the cake is never as good as fresh.
Thanks so much for reading today’s post! If you have any questions just comment down below, I’m happy to answer! If you make this 10 inch cake I would love to see the results. Make sure to tag me @baranbakery on instagram and order my cookbook, Frosted.
As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!
Love, B
Hi i just wanted to ask if I can dived the recipe by 3 and then multiple it by 2 to get the ingredient measurements for just two layers instead of three?( I don’t want tall cake layers)
That should work just fine!
Absolutely one of the best cake recipes I think I’ve ever used so elegant fluffy and moist. I almost always make 10 inch cakes and I have made this recipe several times and it never disappoints. It is now my go to recipe. I thank you so very much.
Thank you so much for the review Tamara, I’m so glad you like this cake!! 🙂
What should I substitute in this recipe for the eggs? I want to make an eggless vanilla cake and 10 inches round? Could you suggest?
Would it be possible to make this recipe into a sheet cake?
I have not tried it but I don’t see why not!
HI, if i want to do a 12 inch cake what can i change? Need help!
Your sweets are always so amazing!
Hi! I would probably double my 8 inch cake recipe or do 1.5x the 10 inch cake
I want to make this recipe but need to cut it horizontally for the bottom of an a batch of entremets. Would it work to put batter in 2 10 inch pans and then cut them so I have 4? Thank you!!
Thanks for a wonderful recipe! I just had a question about using this recipe for a 9 inch 3 tiered cake… you had mentioned doubling the 6 inch cake recipe for a 9 inch cake, however those measurements are almost exactly the same as the 10 inch cake… should we be using a 9×3 pan vs a 9×2? Absolutely love your recipes , just don’t want to mess this up 🙂
Hi Nikki, a 9×3 would be safer but if you only have a 9×2, you could just make four layers out of it instead of 3.
Hi, I have a No.4 mould that needs 10 inch quantity. Can I use this recipe in one tin without splitting in to 3? Thanks
Hi Linda, I have not tested that but I probably wouldn’t do it all in one mold, I would at least split it in two.
Looking forward to using this this recipe?
How can I adapt this recipe into a 10-inch lemon cake??
I would rub the zest of two large lemons with the sugar because starting the recipe.
You could also take out 1/4 cup of the milk and sub it for lemon juice
Hello, is the recipe for just 1 tin or needs to be divided into 3 tins since you called it three layers
Hi. The recipe says 3 tins/pans.
“and grease and line three 10 inch cake pans.”
There are so much great info that it’s easy to miss it. 🙂
I have only 1 10″cake pan, can I bake 1layer at a time, even if I have made the batter for 3layers together?
it should be fine but I haven’t tested it specifically
Love the recipe ! I was able to make the batter in my 4.5 qt mixer bowl (barely) and baked 2 11” cakes. To make it marble would I just use 4 cups flour, separate into 2 Bowls and add 2/3 c cocoa to one and 1/2 c flour to the other ?
Hi Mianna, so glad you liked the recipe!
yes that’s what I would do!
Hello, is the recipe for just 1 tin or needs to be divided into 3 tins since you called it three layers
Can I replace the milk with buttermilk?
Should work fine!
Hi I only have a fan forced oven what temperature should I use please. Also if using 3 9 x 2 inch pans to avoid spill over how high should I fill each pan.
Hi Shirley, most convection (fan ovens) adjust their temp down by 25F so if yours does too, then I would set it at 350F (you can get an oven thermometer to test it). If it doesn’t adjust down and keeps the temp you set it to, then bake it at 325F. I usually do about halfway or just over halfway full. You will probably get at least four layers if baking in 9 inch pans though. Hope that helps!