This sourdough vanilla cake with fresh milled flour is soft, tender, and gently 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, ever since I converted my favorite cake to freshly milled flour. It reminds me of my grandmother’s homestead kitchen—sifting flour by hand, baking from scratch, and making everyday cakes feel 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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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
How To Make
- 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 make this recipe and love it, I’d be so grateful if you came back to leave a 5 ⭐️ rating. Don’t forget to TAG me @themoderndaycottage. I love seeing and sharing all of your creations!!
Emily Rider
Cottage lifestyle blogger, sourdough maker, and freshly milled flour baker with over 25 years of experience—sharing trusted recipes, seasonal kitchen rhythms, and the everyday beauty of intentional homemaking.
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. 😊