Eggless Vanilla Cake

This simple vanilla cake recipe doesn’t call for any eggs. It makes a tender, moist cake with a creamy vanilla flavor. The recipe is so easy, it’s perfect for weeknight baking.

I wanted to make a vanilla wacky cake for a long time. You might know a “wacky cake” as a “depression cake” or “crazy cake.” It’s a recipe with many names! The original cake dates back to 1918. It’s beloved for its deep chocolate flavor, tender crumb, and lack of eggs, butter or milk. 

The magic of that cake comes from the combination of cocoa powder, vinegar, and baking soda. The cocoa powder and vinegar provide acidity, which works with the baking soda, a base, to create the perfect rise and a tender crumb.

So when I set out to make an eggless vanilla cake, I simply removed the cocoa powder from the original recipe and added more flour. The vanilla version worked but the cake wasn’t very tasty. Without the robust flavor from the cocoa powder, it tasted flat. 

I kept tinkering with the recipe until I created a cake I loved. The answer was adding dairy. I replaced the water with yogurt and a little milk. Plus I swapped the oil for butter. While this takes the cake away from super economical and dairy-free roots, it makes a flavorful eggless cake with a really nice crumb.

Recipe Notes

If you’re worried that a cake made without eggs will be heavy or dry, think again. The texture of this cake is wonderful. It’s tender with a creamy vanilla flavor. It’s not too sweet, which makes it a perfect base for your favorite frosting. My taste testers said it reminded them of the Trader Joe’s Chantilly Cake. I think it’s pretty close to that! 

An eggless cake without an egg-replacer? Yes!

While some eggless recipes call for an egg-replacer like flaxseed or applesauce, this one doesn’t. It relies on the combination of yogurt, which is a little acidic, and baking soda to make the cake rise. 

Ingredients

• Flour: All purpose flour is what you want. Without the egg, cake flour makes the cake a little too dense. 
• Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness. 
• Baking Soda: Be sure to use baking soda, not baking powder.
• Greek Yogurt: You want plain Greek yogurt–No flavorings or sweeteners. 
• Butter: Melted butter adds a really nice flavor.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor. Lemon extract is also great in this cake.
• Salt: Enhances all the other flavors. Use table (fine) salt. 

How to Make an Eggless Vanilla Cake

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Use a large bowl.
2. Add the milk, yogurt, butter, and vanilla. Mix until the batter is smooth.

3. Spread into a greased 9×13 pan. (You can also make this cake into cupcakes or cake rounds. See the note below on how to do that.)
4. Bake until golden brown. A 9×13-inch cake takes about 30 minutes to bake.

Making Cupcakes or a Layer Cake

This recipe makes 24 cupcakes or one 8-inch round layer cake.

• For 24 cupcakes: Spoon batter into a paper-lined cupcake pan. Fill each cup about ¾ full. Bake for about 20 minutes.
• For a layer cake: Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Place a piece of parchment into the bottom of the pan. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Frosting and Storing

I like to frost this cake with vanilla frosting. I included my favorite recipe along with the cake! Whipped cream or chocolate frosting also are lovely finishes. 

Store leftover cake on the counter for up to four days. 

Print

Eggless Vanilla Cake

This simple eggless vanilla cake makes a tender and flavorful cake. No egg replacer needed! Just mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and bake.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (12 ½ ounces; 354 grams)
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (11 ½ ounces; 326 grams)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups milk (10 ounces; 285 grams)
• ¾ cup nonfat, plain Greek yogurt (6 ounces; 170 grams)
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted (I prefer salted) (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Frosting

• 2 sticks butter, softened (I prefer salted) (8 ounces; 226 grams)
• 4 cups powdered sugar (16 ounces; 455 grams)
• ¼ cup milk (2 ounces; 46 grams)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

To Make the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and set side.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir until the batter is smooth.

3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

4. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. A cake tester inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Note: this cake is a very deep golden brown when done.
5. Let the cake cool before frosting. Store covered on the counter for up to four days.

To Make the Frosting

1. Mix the softened butter in a medium bowl until light and creamy. Stop the mixer and add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Blend on medium speed until thick and creamy.

Recipe Notes

Greek Yogurt: Use nonfat plain Greek yogurt.

For 24 cupcakes: Spoon batter into a paper-lined cupcake pan. Fill each cup about ¾ full. Bake for about 20 minutes.

For a layer cake: Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Place a piece of parchment into the bottom of the pan. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for about 30 minutes.