Low Sugar Dairy Free Vanilla Cake

Total time2 hr

Prep time25 min

Cook time35 min

This is a classic two-layer vanilla cake with a soft, tender crumb and a swoop of creamy frosting between and around the layers. The cake batter comes together with a curdled milk-and-vinegar mixture that helps keep the crumb moist, while room-temperature eggs and a good amount of vanilla extract give it that bakery-style flavor and lift. Each layer bakes up golden and set, with edges that pull gently from the pan, and the frosting whips into a light, spreadable finish that holds soft peaks for clean, swooping strokes on top. It's a make-ahead-friendly bake, since the layers cool fully before frosting, so you can plan it around any celebration without a last-minute scramble. This one is a genuinely great option if you're keeping an eye on added sugar, since the whole cake and frosting come together from scratch, giving you full control over what goes into it. Slice it thick — the crumb is sturdy enough to hold its shape but soft enough to melt on the fork.

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
King Arthur Baking Company Unbleached All-Purpose Flour Gold Medal Flour All-Purpose Unbleached - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill Organic All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Pillsbury Best Flour All Purpose - 5 Lb
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2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup dairy free butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
Chef's tip
Use the same volume. Baking behavior varies by blend: some brown faster or stay softer, while others brown less. Follow the package's baking guidance and start checking a few minutes early.
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dairy free milk, room temperature
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

For the frosting

1 cup dairy free butter, softened
3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
Chef's tip
Follow the package's conversion to powdered sugar. In frosting or glaze, add liquid gradually - replacements can absorb it differently.
2 tsp vanilla extract
3–4 tbsp dairy free milk
1 pinch salt

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the dairy free milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes until slightly curdled.

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