Vanilla Cake without Milk
*This post may contain Amazon Associate Affiliate links. Read more »
Need a simple vanilla cake without milk? My Vanilla Cake Without Milk Recipe is perfect! It’s light, fluffy, and moist, offering a rich vanilla flavor that pairs beautifully with the vanilla buttercream frosting. For a chocolate version, you’ll love my moist Chocolate Cake without Milk Recipe!
This easy single layer vanilla cake uses olive oil for a tender crumb, making it a great go-to for those avoiding milk. Ideal for birthdays, celebrations, or a sweet everyday treat!
What Readers Are Saying
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Love it! It was moist, it was fluffy, it was delicious! Awesome cake for birthdays, celebrations anything!” – Ana
Why you’ll love this recipe
I love this recipe because it proves you don’t need milk (or anything fancy) to make a soft, moist vanilla cake everyone will enjoy. Sam x
No Milk Needed – No dairy, no stress. Just pantry staples.
Fluffy Yet Moist – Thanks to olive oil and a gentle mixing method.
Perfect for Any Occasion – Birthdays, school events, or afternoon tea.
Simple Vanilla Flavor – Clean, classic, and not overly sweet.
Top with Buttercream & Sprinkles – Or keep it plain for an everyday treat.
Watch how to make vanilla cake without milk
Ingredients you’ll need
This easy vanilla cake uses everyday pantry staples, here’s what you’ll need to make the cake and frosting:
- All-purpose flour – The base of the cake for structure and softness.
- Baking powder – Helps the cake rise for a light, fluffy crumb.
- Salt – Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
- Unsalted butter – Creamed with sugar for richness and a tender texture.
- Superfine sugar – Dissolves quickly for a smooth, even batter.
- Eggs – Bind the batter and add moisture and structure.
- Extra virgin olive oil – Keeps the cake incredibly moist without dairy.
- Water – Replaces milk while still providing enough liquid for a smooth batter.
- Vanilla extract – Adds a warm, classic vanilla flavor.
- Unsalted butter – Forms the creamy base of the buttercream.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Water – Loosens the frosting to a spreadable consistency.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the flavor of the frosting.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and rounds out the flavor.
Easy substitutions
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil for moisture and richness, but you can easily swap it with a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil for a milder taste.
- Butter: If you need this recipe to be fully dairy-free, use a quality plant-based butter alternative in both the cake and the frosting.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla gives the best flavor, but if you’re out, vanilla bean paste or even the seeds from a vanilla pod work wonderfully too.
- Superfine sugar: Granulated white sugar also works in a pinch, though superfine gives a finer, more delicate crumb.
Samantha’s recipe tips
- Use room temp ingredients. Cold eggs or butter can mess with texture.
- Beat butter and sugar well. This creates structure without milk.
- Don’t skip the olive oil! It keeps the cake moist without tasting “olive-y.”
- Need it dairy-free? Use dairy-free butter for the frosting and it’s 100% dairy-free.
How to store
Store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Let thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temp for a few hours until soft.
More recipes
- Vanilla Cake without Butter
- Vanilla Cake without Eggs
- Dairy Free Vanilla Cake
- Vanilla Mug Cake without Milk
- Vanilla Cake without Milk and Eggs
- Vanilla Cake without Vanilla Extract
- Vanilla Cake without Cake Flour
- One Layer Yellow Cake without Buttermilk
- Basic Single Layer Vanilla Cake
- One Layer Birthday Cake
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x
Vanilla Cake without Milk
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat Oven & Line Pan: Preheat oven to 356ºF (180ºC). Line a square 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, set aside. Note: Alternatively, if you have a non-stick pan, liberally grease it with melted butter and dust it with a light layer of flour. This will leave your finished cake with smooth sides.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium-size mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- Beat Butter & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl using electric hand beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle or whisk attachment, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes until pale and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, beating for 10 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the oil, water and vanilla. Beat for 30 seconds until well combined. Scrape down the sides again.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Add half of the dry flour mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides and add the remaining flour. Beat until incorporated, ensuring not to over-beat, just until the flour has combined then turn off the beater. If some excess flour is still visible around the sides of the bowl, gently fold it in with a spatula. Over-beating can make the cake tough and dense after baking.
- Pour and Smooth: Pour the batter into the lined pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean and it’s golden all over.
- Cool: Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Transfer to Cool: Carefully remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Beat Butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter for 2 minutes until creamy.
- Add Sugar Gradually: Gradually add powdered sugar, half a cup at a time, beating well (about 15 seconds) after each addition.
- Add Water and Vanilla: Add the water, vanilla extract and salt and then beat for 40 seconds until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Frost Cake: Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the vanilla buttercream frosting evenly over the cake.
- Serve: Cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Can I make vanilla cake without milk?
Yes! This vanilla cake is made completely without milk or any substitutes. It uses water and olive oil to keep it light, fluffy, and moist, no dairy needed.
Can I make this vanilla cake dairy-free?
Yes! This recipe is already milk-free. To make it fully dairy-free, simply use a plant-based butter in the cake and frosting.
Can I make this vanilla cake without eggs?
This version uses eggs, but if you’re looking for an egg-free option, try this Vanilla Cake without Eggs. You can also experiment with flax eggs or a store-bought egg replacer, though results may vary slightly in texture.
Love it!
It was moist, it was fluffy, it was delicious! Awesome cake for birthdays, celebrations anything!
Hi Ana, I’m so happy to hear you loved it! Thank you for your lovely comment. I agree, it’s such a versatile cake for any celebration. So glad it turned out moist and fluffy for you! Kindest, Sam
I loved it!!! It’s delicious. I’m lactose intolerant, and where I live it’s very difficult to get the special milk, but now I can bake and eat something delicious without milk. Thank you so much! Even my family, who can drink milk, loves it. ♥︎
Hi Tiara, I’m so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed it! It makes my day knowing it worked well for your dietary needs and even better that everyone loved it, milk or not! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this. Kindest, Sam 🙂