This sourdough vanilla cake with freshly milled flour is soft, tender, and sweet with rich, old-fashioned flavor. It’s naturally leavened and versatile—perfect for birthdays, teatime bakes, or slow weekend mornings.
I’ve been making this recipe for over 20 years. It reminds me of my grandmother’s farmhouse kitchen—sifting flour by hand, baking from scratch, and making everyday cakes feel even more special.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you enjoy baking from scratch, try this cozy homemade vanilla extract or pair your cake with my vanilla cream cheese frosting for an extra sweet finish. Prefer chocolate? This easy chocolate buttercream frosting is rich, creamy, and just right for cupcakes or birthdays.
This recipe was fantastic! We used soft white grains. We made an 8 inch round and 12 cupcakes. We over filled the cupcake tins and it bakes up with a flat top which crispied like a cookie. So cupcake and cookie in one. Tasted like a vanillas graham cracker and sugar cookie combined. We topped with vanilla ice cream and strawberries. Delicious!
~Andrea S.
Ingredients
Tip: If you don’t have freshly milled flour, you can use organic all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour for a similar texture. Some seasons call for simpler paths—whether your hands are full or your heart just needs ease. What matters most is baking with presence, not perfection.
Recipe Tips
Whip the egg whites separately – This step gives the cake its fluffy texture and a tender crumb. Gently folding them in keeps the batter light and airy.
Hold certain ingredients when fermenting – If you’re choosing to ferment the batter, mix only the flour, milk, sugar, oil, and sourdough starter. Wait to add the baking powder, salt, vanilla, and whipped egg whites until just before baking.
Look for golden edges – Your cue that it’s ready is when the edges turn golden brown and the center springs back gently. Trust your senses—it’s part of the rhythm of rustic baking.
Store it with care – Keep slices in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for later. It’s even better the next day with a swirl of your favorite frosting.
What Makes This Sourdough Vanilla Cake with Fresh Milled Flour Different?
This cake uses a sourdough starter to enhance flavor rather than relying solely on baking powder for leavening. The fermentation process allows the grains in the freshly milled flour to fully hydrate, resulting in a more tender, delicate crumb.
The natural depth of the sourdough blends beautifully with the rich vanilla, while the fresh flour brings a subtle nuttiness that you won’t get from store-bought flour.
Unlike traditional vanilla cakes, which can sometimes taste overly sweet or one-dimensional, this cake has a more balanced flavor—warm, slightly tangy, and naturally rich. The result is a soft, moist cake with layers of flavor that make each bite better than the last.
Why Use Freshly Milled Flour?
For generations, home bakers have used freshly milled flour for its superior flavor and texture. Because it retains the natural oils and nutrients from whole grains, it produces a lighter, more delicate crumb than pre-packaged flours.
Freshly milled flour also absorbs liquid differently, which is why proper sifting and measuring are key when baking cakes. I’ve been baking with fresh flour for over 25 years, and I’ve learned a few tricks to make it work seamlessly in cakes like this one.
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How To Make Step By Step
- Mill and sift the flour: Use a grain mill and a fine sieve #60 or #50 to create a soft, cake-ready flour.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt (if not fermenting).
- Cream butter and sugar: Beat in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add oil, milk, and starter.
- *If fermenting the Batter, Cover and rest the batter: Omit salt, baking powder, vanilla, and eggs. Ferment for 6–8 hours or overnight.
- Add held ingredients now if you *fermented the batter. Before baking, mix in salt, baking powder, vanilla, and gently fold in whipped egg whites.
- Prepare and bake: Divide into lined pans and bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes. Cool on a rack.
- Frost and serve: Once cooled, frost as desired and enjoy each tender slice.
Tip: This cake can be made the same day without fermenting or you can ferment overnight. A slow ferment adds depth of flavor, improves digestibility, and creates an extra tender crumb—perfect for whole grain baking.
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Another favorite from my kitchen to yours, where the seasons guide the table and every meal is an act of love — may this recipe become a favorite in your kitchen too.
With gratitude & love,
Emily
Sourdough Vanilla Cake with Fresh Milled Flour Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups 450g freshly milled soft white wheat flour
- 1 tbsp 14g baking powder (hold if fermenting)
- 1 tsp 6g salt (hold if fermenting)
- 2 cups 400g granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp 85g unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup 150g vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp 13g vanilla extract (hold if fermenting)
- ½ cup 100g sourdough starter
- 6 large 200g egg whites
- 1 cup 240ml whole milk
Instructions
- Mill and sift the flour: Mill soft white wheat berries on the finest setting. Sift with a #60 sieve to remove bran. Weigh 450g of sifted flour.
- Prepare dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt (if not fermenting). Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add oil, vanilla (if not fermenting), milk, and sourdough starter. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides.
- Combine the batter: Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined—don’t overmix.
- Optional ferment: Omit baking powder, salt, and vanilla if fermenting. Cover the batter and rest at room temp 2-4 houurs or refrigeratovernight. Before baking, stir in omitted ingredients.
- Whip the egg whites: In a clean bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold gently into the batter to keep it airy.
- Prepare pans and bake: Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9” pans. Divide batter, smooth tops, and bake 25–30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans, then transfer to a rack.
- Assemble the cake: Place one layer on a stand, frost, then top with the second layer. Apply a crumb coat, chill 15–30 minutes, then finish frosting.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
If you gave it a try and loved it, I’d be so grateful if you came back to leave a 5 “⭐️” rating. Use the buttons below to share, comment, or connect—I truly enjoy seeing and celebrating your beautiful bakes.
Emily Rider
Cottage lifestyle blogger and home miller with 25+ years of sourdough and fresh-milled flour experience.
Sharing cozy homemade recipes that help you bake with confidence, celebrate each season, and savor the beauty of everyday cottage living.
Can this cake be made without sourdough starter?
Hi Geri! That’s such a great question — yes, you can make this cake without the sourdough starter. The starter adds a little depth and tenderness, but it’s not required.
To adjust the recipe, simply skip the ½ cup (100g) sourdough starter and add an extra ¼ cup (about 50g) freshly milled flour and about 3 tablespoons (roughly 50ml) milk in its place. Everything else stays the same.
It’ll still bake up soft, buttery, and full of that lovely vanilla flavor — just a touch lighter than the sourdough version. I’m actually posting a full “Fresh Milled Vanilla Cake (No Starter)” recipe soon, so you’ll have that version handy too.
Thank you for trying my recipes!
Happy Cake Making!!
PS: Please come back and let me know how it turns out.
Can this be made without sifting or would it turn out too tough? I don’t have a sieve and I like the benefit of having the whole grain.
Hi there Maddie! You can make it without sifting, but I want to be honest with you so you know what to expect. When you use fresh-milled flour and leave all the bran in, the bran cuts through the gluten as it bakes. That means the cake will turn out very dense, very hearty, and a bit gritty. Some people enjoy that rustic whole-grain texture — but it won’t be tender, it wont rise near as much or be soft, or fluffy.
The good news is that even sifted fresh-milled flour still keeps a lot of the oils and nutrition you lose in store-bought flour, so you’re not missing out on too much. And you can save the sifted-out bran and use it in muffins, pancakes, waffles, or even sprinkle it into oatmeal.
If you want the cake to come out delicate and soft, I’d sift like my grandmother taught me to do and I do for my tender cakes. But if you love a full whole-grain bake, try it once unsifted and see how it feels to you — then try the sifted version and compare. You may find your favorite in the middle.
Hope that helps, and I’m cheering you on in your fresh-milled flour journey! 🌾
Can I make this cake without the sourdough starter?
Hi Ashlee! That’s such a great question — yes, you can make this cake without the sourdough starter. The starter adds a little depth and tenderness, but it’s not required.
To adjust the recipe, simply skip the ½ cup (100g) sourdough starter and add an extra ¼ cup (about 50g) freshly milled flour and about 3 tablespoons (roughly 50ml) milk in its place. Everything else stays the same.
It’ll still bake up soft, buttery, and full of that lovely vanilla flavor — just a touch lighter than the sourdough version. I’m actually posting a full “Fresh Milled Vanilla Cake (No Starter)” recipe soon, so you’ll have that version handy too.
Thank you for trying my recipes!
Happy Cake Making!!
PS: Please come back and let me know how it turns out.
WOW. I’m my multiple decades of recipe using I don’t think I’ve ever left a rating, but if I’ve already texted all my mill-owning-starter-keeping friends the link and demanded that they they this…I guess I better leave a review. I used this recipe (with one flour change) layered with fresh whip cream and strawberries and frosted with a strawberry buttercream (Sally’s baking addiction). It was the best cake my mom had ever tasted and everyone else loved it. I don’t have soft wheat berries at the moment, so I used about a half hard white and the rest AP hard red. But everything else was the same. Fermented 5 hours in a very warm kitchen. I’ve already decided this is going to be my birthday cake every year now. So happy to find a recipe that is nutritious (hello, fresh milled!), easily digestible (sourdough, baby!) and the flavor and texture are out of this world. Will buy soft white berries just to make this again! Thank you thank you!
Joanna, your words truly made my YEAR—thank you for sharing! I deeply appreciate your time. Your review means more to me than you know. I can’t express how much this review helps my readers and my blog! So thank you, thank you!! Truly your review is a gift!!!
This heirloom cake has been years in the making, so hearing it’s become a favorite for you and your mom means the world to me.❤️ It is my go to for birthday cakes as well.😊
Your strawberries-and-cream twist sounds heavenly! You’ve reminded me that I need to share my strawberry buttercream soon—it’s another heirloom favorite and one of my absolute favorite go-to icings.
Thank you for your sweet compliments, for sharing my recipes with your friends and family, and for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review. It truly helps others find these recipes, and I’m so grateful for your time and review.
P.S. Please let me know how you like the soft wheat compared to the hard wheat.
This recipe was fantastic! We used soft white grains. We made an 8 inch round and 12 cupcakes. We over filled the cupcake tins and it bakes up with a flat top which crispied like a cookie. So cupcake and cookie in one. Tasted like a vanillas graham cracker and sugar cookie combined. We topped with vanilla ice cream and strawberries. Delicious!
Andrea, your comment absolutely made my day! I’m so thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed the recipe — soft white grains are such a lovely choice for cake and pastries. And that cupcake-cookie combo? Genius! I can just imagine that crispy top with vanilla ice cream and strawberries… swoon-worthy.
This is one of our favorite cakes, too. I’ve been making it for over 25 years — it started as my go-to birthday cake, when I began baking with freshly milled flour. I’m so happy to hear that it turned out beautifully for you, too.
Thank you again for sharing your experience — it means so much!😊
I l don’t see where to add the milk? The batter was dry without it so i just added it after combining wet+dry ingredients. Wonder if that’s correct though. Haven’t baked it yet!
Hi Yarden, thank you so much for your thoughtful note. The milk does get added in Step 3—it’s mixed in right after creaming the butter and sugar, along with the oil, vanilla (if not fermenting), and sourdough starter. It’s written into both the blog post and the recipe card, but I completely understand how it might have been easy to miss.
I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. I hope the bake turns out just right. Let me know how it goes—I’d love to hear!
Yarden, how did the cake turn out? Checking to see if you needed any help. Hope it turned out great and you were happy with the results. Let me know if you need any help. Thank you for trying our tried and true recipes. 😊