Vanilla Cake Lab · Decision tree
Find your vanilla cake
Three questions sort all 126 recipes into 8 groups. Each question is about one of the ingredients recipes disagree on most, and splits the recipes in front of it at their own median, so each answer keeps about half of them. Every group ends with its median recipe in grams and the real recipes nearest it.
The questions
Question 1
More liquid than most, or less?
Milk, buttermilk or sour cream; acidic dairy gives a more tender crumb.
All 126 recipes: median 82% of the flour weight, 245 g per 300 g of flour; middle half 70% to 98%.
Question 2
More leavening than most, or less?
Baking powder, with soda when the dairy is acidic.
All 126 recipes: median 3.9% of the flour weight, 12 g per 300 g of flour; middle half 3.2% to 4.5%.
Asked within each answer to question 1, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
Question 3
More egg than most, or less?
Whole eggs make a yellow cake; whites only make a white cake with a paler, finer crumb.
All 126 recipes: median 56% of the flour weight, 170 g per 300 g of flour; middle half 48% to 64%.
Asked within each answer to question 2, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
The key
Read left to right: pick an answer to question 1, then one of the answers beside it for question 2, and so on to a group. Each cell gives the answer, its bound in grams per 100 g of flour, and how many recipes give it.
| 1. Liquid | 2. Leavening | 3. Egg | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moreover 82%63 | Moreover 3.9%31 | Moreover 58%16 | A16 |
| Less58% or less15 | B15 | ||
| Less3.9% or less32 | Moreover 51%16 | C16 | |
| Less51% or less16 | D16 | ||
| Less82% or less63 | More3.9% or more33 | Moreover 58%15 | E15 |
| Less58% or less18 | F18 | ||
| Lessunder 3.9%30 | Moreover 56%15 | G15 | |
| Less56% or less15 | H15 |
The 8 groups
Each median recipe is the median of every ingredient over the group's recipes, scaled to 300 g of flour, beside the typical cake of all 126. Bold rows are the ingredients the questions asked about.
Group A · 16 recipes · 12% of all
More liquid, more leavening and more egg
Liquid over 82%, leavening over 3.9% and egg over 58% of the flour weight.
| At 300 g flour | Group A | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 300 g | 300 g |
| Sugar | 320 gabout 1 2/3 cups | 325 g |
| Fat | 230 gabout 1 cup | 200 g |
| Egg | 195 gabout 4 large eggs | 170 g |
| Liquid | 310 gabout 1 1/3 cups | 245 g |
| Leavening | 14 g | 12 g |
| Salt | 3 g | 3 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 24 minutes, the medians of the 16 recipes here that state a temperature and the 16 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group A
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Classic Birthday Cake Recipe · crazyforcrust.comliquid 98% · leavening 4.5% · egg 65%
- Basic Yellow Cake Recipe · crazyforcrust.comliquid 98% · leavening 4.5% · egg 65%
- Homemade White Cake · bakedbyanintrovert.comliquid 86% · leavening 4.8% · egg 70%
- Vanilla Sheet Cake Recipe · yummytummyaarthi.comliquid 90% · leavening 4.3% · egg 74%
- Ultimate Funfetti Birthday Cake Recipe · bakerbynature.comliquid 103% · leavening 4.5% · egg 61%
Group B · 15 recipes · 11% of all
More liquid, more leavening and less egg
Liquid over 82%, leavening over 3.9% and egg 58% or less of the flour weight.
| At 300 g flour | Group B | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 300 g | 300 g |
| Sugar | 345 gabout 1 3/4 cups | 325 g |
| Fat | 180 gabout 3/4 cup | 200 g |
| Egg | 150 gabout 3 large eggs | 170 g |
| Liquid | 295 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 245 g |
| Leavening | 14 g | 12 g |
| Salt | 3.5 g | 3 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 28 minutes, the medians of the 15 recipes here that state a temperature and the 15 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group B
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Rainbow Layer Birthday Cake · melindastrauss.comliquid 98% · leavening 4.9% · egg 44%
- Mom's Favorite White Cake · tasteofhome.comliquid 95% · leavening 5.4% · egg 52%
- Happy Birthday Cake · iambaker.netliquid 109% · leavening 5.7% · egg 53%
- White Cake · foodnetwork.comliquid 107% · leavening 4.8% · egg 46%
- Bonilla Vanilla Cake · foodnetwork.comliquid 116% · leavening 4.9% · egg 53%
Group C · 16 recipes · 12% of all
More liquid, less leavening and more egg
Liquid over 82%, leavening 3.9% or less and egg over 51% of the flour weight.
| At 300 g flour | Group C | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 300 g | 300 g |
| Sugar | 330 gabout 1 2/3 cups | 325 g |
| Fat | 200 gabout 1 cup | 200 g |
| Egg | 200 gabout 4 large eggs | 170 g |
| Liquid | 280 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 245 g |
| Leavening | 9 g | 12 g |
| Salt | 4 g | 3 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 26 minutes, the medians of the 15 recipes here that state a temperature and the 16 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group C
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Moist Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe · lifeloveandsugar.comliquid 94% · leavening 3.5% · egg 62%
- Jellycat Birthday Cake · teakandthyme.comliquid 84% · leavening 3.1% · egg 67%
- Classic Dessert Recipe: Yellow Layer Cake · 12tomatoes.comliquid 86% · leavening 2.6% · egg 73%
- 6 inch Vanilla Cake · lifeloveandsugar.comliquid 94% · leavening 3.6% · egg 61%
- Vanilla Sheet Cake · lifeloveandsugar.comliquid 83% · leavening 3.9% · egg 68%
Group D · 16 recipes · 12% of all
More liquid, less leavening and less egg
Liquid over 82%, leavening 3.9% or less and egg 51% or less of the flour weight.
| At 300 g flour | Group D | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 300 g | 300 g |
| Sugar | 290 gabout 1 1/2 cups | 325 g |
| Fat | 195 gabout 3/4 cup | 200 g |
| Egg | 130 gabout 2 1/2 large eggs | 170 g |
| Liquid | 320 gabout 1 1/3 cups | 245 g |
| Leavening | 10 g | 12 g |
| Salt | 4 g | 3 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 31 minutes, the medians of the 16 recipes here that state a temperature and the 16 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group D
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Yellow Cake · spendwithpennies.comliquid 117% · leavening 3.2% · egg 43%
- Perfect Vanilla Cake · bakingamoment.comliquid 89% · leavening 3.3% · egg 43%
- Confetti Cake | Confetti Birthday Cake Recipe · yummytummyaarthi.comliquid 101% · leavening 3.8% · egg 44%
- Best Vanilla Cake · sallysbakingaddiction.comliquid 85% · leavening 3.2% · egg 35%
- 6-Inch White Cake · savorthebest.comliquid 109% · leavening 2.4% · egg 48%
Group E · 15 recipes · 11% of all
Less liquid, more leavening and more egg
Liquid 82% or less, leavening 3.9% or more and egg over 58% of the flour weight.
| At 300 g flour | Group E | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 300 g | 300 g |
| Sugar | 305 gabout 1 1/2 cups | 325 g |
| Fat | 195 gabout 3/4 cup | 200 g |
| Egg | 195 gabout 4 large eggs | 170 g |
| Liquid | 215 gabout 1 cup | 245 g |
| Leavening | 13 g | 12 g |
| Salt | 2.5 g | 3 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 29 minutes, the medians of the 13 recipes here that state a temperature and the 13 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group E
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Basic Vanilla Cake Recipe · bakedbyanintrovert.comliquid 78% · leavening 4% · egg 64%
- Vanilla Cake Recipe · natashaskitchen.comliquid 78% · leavening 4.4% · egg 64%
- Moist Vanilla Cake · bakedbyanintrovert.comliquid 71% · leavening 4% · egg 59%
- Birthday Cake · bakedbyanintrovert.comliquid 78% · leavening 3.9% · egg 64%
- Basic Vanilla Cake · countryliving.comliquid 71% · leavening 4% · egg 59%
Group F · 18 recipes · 14% of all
Less liquid, more leavening and less egg
Liquid 82% or less, leavening 3.9% or more and egg 58% or less of the flour weight.
| At 300 g flour | Group F | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 300 g | 300 g |
| Sugar | 335 gabout 1 2/3 cups | 325 g |
| Fat | 180 gabout 3/4 cup | 200 g |
| Egg | 160 gabout 3 large eggs | 170 g |
| Liquid | 195 gabout 3/4 cup | 245 g |
| Leavening | 13 g | 12 g |
| Salt | 3 g | 3 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 15 recipes here that state a temperature and the 17 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group F
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Self-Rising Yellow Cake · kingarthurbaking.comliquid 62% · leavening 5% · egg 54%
- Small Vanilla Cake · butternutbakeryblog.comliquid 63% · leavening 3.9% · egg 51%
- Amaretto Almond White Cake · shugarysweets.comliquid 64% · leavening 4.8% · egg 58%
- White Cake Recipe · shugarysweets.comliquid 64% · leavening 4.8% · egg 58%
- White Cake Recipe · livewellbakeoften.comliquid 78% · leavening 4.4% · egg 53%
Group G · 15 recipes · 11% of all
Less liquid, less leavening and more egg
Liquid 82% or less, leavening under 3.9% and egg over 56% of the flour weight.
| At 300 g flour | Group G | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 300 g | 300 g |
| Sugar | 350 gabout 1 3/4 cups | 325 g |
| Fat | 205 gabout 1 cup | 200 g |
| Egg | 190 gabout 4 large eggs | 170 g |
| Liquid | 210 gabout 3/4 cup | 245 g |
| Leavening | 11 g | 12 g |
| Salt | 2.5 g | 3 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 28 minutes, the medians of the 13 recipes here that state a temperature and the 15 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group G
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Best-Ever Yellow Cake With Whipped Ganache Frosting · biggerbolderbaking.comliquid 72% · leavening 3.6% · egg 59%
- 6-Inch Vanilla Cake · livewellbakeoften.comliquid 70% · leavening 3.5% · egg 57%
- White Cake · leitesculinaria.comliquid 78% · leavening 3.4% · egg 64%
- Yellow Cake Recipe · livewellbakeoften.comliquid 71% · leavening 3.5% · egg 70%
- Vanilla Cake Recipe · livewellbakeoften.comliquid 71% · leavening 3.5% · egg 58%
Group H · 15 recipes · 11% of all
Less liquid, less leavening and less egg
Liquid 82% or less, leavening under 3.9% and egg 56% or less of the flour weight.
| At 300 g flour | Group H | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 300 g | 300 g |
| Sugar | 320 gabout 1 2/3 cups | 325 g |
| Fat | 180 gabout 3/4 cup | 200 g |
| Egg | 145 gabout 3 large eggs | 170 g |
| Liquid | 205 gabout 3/4 cup | 245 g |
| Leavening | 9 g | 12 g |
| Salt | 2.5 g | 3 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 33 minutes, the medians of the 11 recipes here that state a temperature and the 15 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group H
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Classic Vanilla Cake · feelgoodfoodie.netliquid 69% · leavening 2.8% · egg 46%
- Mary Todd Lincoln's White Cake · 12tomatoes.comliquid 65% · leavening 3.7% · egg 53%
- Perfect White Cake · 12tomatoes.comliquid 65% · leavening 3.7% · egg 53%
- Rainbow Birthday Cake · tasteofhome.comliquid 69% · leavening 3.4% · egg 40%
- Back-to-Basics Yellow Cake · kingarthurbaking.comliquid 63% · leavening 3.2% · egg 56%
How the questions are chosen
Each ingredient is ranked by how much recipes disagree on it: the width of the middle half of recipes (25th to 75th percentile) divided by the median, less 4% for each place it sits down this lab's list of ingredients, so the ones that define the dish win near ties. For vanilla cake the order is liquid (0.35), leavening (0.33), egg (0.29), fat (0.25) and sugar (0.22), and the first 3 are asked. Salt is never asked about: recipes differ on it mostly by brand and taste.
Every split is at the median of the recipes in front of it, rounded to the percentage shown. Recipes exactly at the median go to whichever side leaves the two halves more even. No answer may keep fewer than 5 recipes; a group that could not be split further says so.
The recipes listed under each group are the 5 nearest its median on every ingredient at once, each scaled by how much recipes vary on it. Every recipe page links to the original for the method.