Description
Sweet Simple Vanilla Cake delivers pure comfort with its classic charm. Moist layers of golden perfection invite you to savor each delightful bite of homemade happiness.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Dry Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 0.75 cup (198 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1.75 cups (346 grams) granulated sugar
- 0.25 cup (59 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (227 grams) sour cream
- 0.5 cup (118 milliliters) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups (565 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 0.125 teaspoon salt
- 6–10 cups (681–1135 grams) powdered sugar
- 3–6 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare oven by heating to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Generously coat two or three 8-inch (20-centimeter) springform pans with unsalted butter and line bottoms with circular parchment paper.
- Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a separate medium bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, cream unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil until light and airy, approximately 2 minutes.
- Incorporate whole eggs, sour cream, whole milk, and pure vanilla extract into the butter mixture, blending until smooth.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing carefully to prevent overmixing and maintain a tender texture.
- Distribute cake batter evenly across prepared pans, ensuring consistent depth.
- Bake two pans for 40-50 minutes or three pans for 32-37 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a clean toothpick into cake center – it should emerge without wet batter.
- Allow cakes to rest inside pans for 25 minutes, then carefully transfer to wire cooling rack to reach room temperature.
- Prepare frosting by whipping unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and salt until fluffy and voluminous.
- Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, adjusting consistency with milk or heavy cream until desired smoothness is achieved.
- Level cake layers if needed, then carefully stack and frost, spreading filling between each layer and covering entire exterior with remaining frosting.
Notes
- Perfectly prep your pans by buttering and lining with parchment to ensure easy cake removal and no sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients separately first to distribute leavening agents evenly, preventing lumpy or uneven cake texture.
- Beat butter and sugar thoroughly until fluffy to create a light, tender crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Gradually incorporate flour mixture to avoid overmixing, which can make the cake tough and dense.
- Check cake doneness using the toothpick test – it should come out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting and sliding of buttercream layers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Sugar: 52 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg