How to Make Vanilla Cake: 6 Recipes for Both Beginners & Advanced Bakers (2021)

How to Make Vanilla Cake: 6 Recipes for Both Beginners & Advanced Bakers (2021)

Vanilla is probably the only flavour which is loved by a majority of people. So you can be sure that you won't go wrong with a vanilla cake. It can be challenging to bake the perfect cake if you're just starting with baking, so in this post, we bring you two simple vanilla cake recipes with more recipes for experienced bakers.

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4 Most Liked Types of Cakes

Chiffon Cake

The Chiffon cake, the perfect mix of the oil cake, the sponge cake, and the angel cake, was first made by an American seller for General Mills. It later spread to other parts of the world, and now, it is one of the most well-liked cakes in the whole world. It is almost identical to the oil cake, with the texture like a sponge cake. The cake is made using vegetable oil, baking powder, and separated eggs, with the whites whipped to soften entirely before adding to the batter. This makes it tender, with an enriched flavour of the constituents. These cakes are either baked in tube pans or have layers and coatings.

Butter Cake

All cakes with a recipe that has cream butter and sugar is a butter cake. For this type of cake, one has to pour in eggs, after the creaming part, to aerate the mixture a little. You also add flour and a liquid like milk for better texture and structure, and some baking powder to make sure that it is properly baked.

Various cake batters for the butter cake are white, marble, chocolate, and even yellow, etc. Whereas, for the white cake or yellow cake, the colours that are added to it depend on if the cakes have extra egg yolks (yellowcake), whole eggs, or just egg white (white cake).

Sponge Cake

Sponge cake began its journey in Spain, and the first English recipe was written by Gervase Markham, in her book, The English Huswife, Containing the Inward and Outward Virtues Which Ought to Be in a Complete Woman. This type of cake is extremely light and is made using flour, eggs, and sugar. This cake is raised using beaten eggs and is the first non-yeasted cake ever.

At first, it was really thin and crispy, but, when the baking powder started to be manufactured, the addition of butter was made possible, improving its taste. Its volume is added by the whipped eggs and is well-soaked into flavoured syrups, with layers of whipped cream and berries. Sometimes, like in Buche de Noel, it is baked thin.

Pound Cake

A pound cake is much like the butter cake and is given the name because it contains a pound of all of its constituents; one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, one pound of butter, and one pound of eggs. In most cakes of this type, the eggs are separated, with whites whipped and poured into the batter to make the cake rise properly when it is backed. Other recipes use baking powders for this purpose.

The pound cakes are mostly flavoured extremely lightly, with no toppings. However, the chefs, sometimes, top it with some icing or a simple glaze. Moreover, this type of cake is baked in a Bundt pan or a loaf. Coffee pound cakes, sour cream cakes, and fruit crumb cakes are examples of pound cakes.

Basic Vanilla Cake Recipes for Beginners

Basic Vanilla Cake

This basic vanilla cake is single-layered with a fine texture and luscious crumb. It, moreover, has browned-butter glaze added to it for a bit of a nutty taste. This cake's batter can also be used for Coffee Cake and even some jam cakes.

You will need

  • One and a half cup sifted cake flour
  • One-fourth of a tablespoon salt
  • One cup sugar
  • One and a half tablespoon baking powder
  • Half cup unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • Half tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Half cup whole milk

To make this cake

  • Heat your oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Coat an 8-inch cake pan with the butter and the flour.
  • Pour the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl before beating in the butter slowly. Do this till the mixture is like coarse sand, and then, beat in sugar, again, slowly.
  • Once the mixture is like fine damp sand, beat in the eggs, one at a time, Now, put in the milk and vanilla and blend suitably, don't overbeat.
  • Next, put it in the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Now, cool it completely in a wire rack before serving.

Vanilla Bean Pound Cake

Vanilla is mostly covered up with other flavours, without any spotlight. So, make this delicate pound cake to enjoy the tasty pleasure of vanilla bean seeds. You may top it with sabayon or serve with coffee sauce.

You will need

  • One and a half cup all-purpose flour
  • Some more flour for coating
  • One whole and one-fourth teaspoon baking powder
  • Half teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces unsalted butter
  • One cup granulated sugar
  • Two vanilla beans or extracts
  • Four eggs

To make this cake

  • First, heat your oven to 350 degrees F and coat a loaf pan with flour and butter.
  • Set aside the excess flour and mix this into baking powder and salt, before whisking till the removal of all the lumps.
  • Now, mix measured butter in a bowl and beat on medium speed for one minute and pour in sugar and vanilla before beating for two more minutes.
  • Next, add one egg at a time and beat properly. Decrease the speed, add the other mixture, and mix it suitably.
  • Pour thin batter into the pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Lastly, let it cool down for 10 minutes before serving it.

Best Vanilla Cake Recipes to Impress Your Loved Ones

Vanilla Sponge Cake

This is a simple but tender and moist sponge cake that is made with only the most basic ingredients. This cake doesn't include any buttermilk or sour cream but as tender as can be. Let's get started.

You will need

  • Two sticks of softened unsalted butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 125 ml milk
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (wet)
  • One whole and three-quarters cup flour
  • One-quarter cup cornflour
  • Two tablespoon baking powder
  • One and a half cup sugar
  • Three quarter tablespoon salt (dry)

To make this cake

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees F and coat the pan with butter. Put the Wet ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk properly.
  • Now, put the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisp at slow speed, using a beater.
  • Put in three-quarter of the butte and beat at slow speed before increasing the speed to high, for a few seconds.
  • Add more butter and repeat till all the butter is like damp sand.
  • Next, add the wet mixture slowly and beat properly on medium speed. Pour it in the pan and bake for twenty-five minutes.
  • Cool it for about 15 minutes before taking it out and topping with whatever you like. Strawberries and whipping cream is suggested.

Berry Vanilla Layered Cake

This one is a light as well as a fruity Berry Vanilla Layered Cake, which is perfect for birthdays and anniversaries. Moreover, it is effortless to make and is very colourful with red and blue being the most visible.

You will need

  • One and a half cup sugar
  • Three-quarter cup salted butter
  • Four tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Three-quarter cup sour cream
  • Six egg whites
  • Two and a half cup all-purpose flour
  • Four tablespoon baking powder
  • Three-quarter cup milk (cake)
  • Half cup strawberry puree
  • Five tablespoon water
  • Four tablespoon sugar (strawberry puree)
  • One-quarter cup blueberry puree
  • Two and a half tablespoon water
  • One tablespoon sugar (berry puree)
  • Two and a half cup whipping cream
  • One and a quarter cup powdered sugar
  • Two tablespoon vanilla

To make this cake

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease an 8-inch pan. Now, beat the sugar and butter, together, for three minutes, and add sour cream and vanilla, before beating again.
  • Repeat with egg whites, and add only two at once. Mix flour and baking powder in a different bowl.
  • Now, add a dry ingredient, then milk, and then another dry ingredient and beat till its smooth. Repeat till all ingredients are done.
  • Bake the batter for 25 minutes before cooling for 5 minutes. Next, make the purees.
  • Make them separately by using a food processor before adding water and sugar and stirring. Set them aside once done.
  • For the cream, beat whipping cream till it thickens. Then add sugar and vanilla and whip.
  • Now, cut out the domes from the cake and poke holes in the cake. Put the first layer on a plate and pour half of the purees on it.
  • Now, put two cups of cream, and then the two fruits on it. Put on some more cream and make the flower on the top, using the remaining strawberries and blueberries. Lastly, refrigerate it.

Raspberry Vanilla Layer Cake

This is a flavourful moist cake with some raspberry jam and raspberry buttercream frosting to make it tangy and delicious.

You will need

  • Three cups flour
  • Half teaspoon salt
  • Three teaspoon baking powder
  • One cup unsalted butter
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • Five eggs
  • Two teaspoon vanilla
  • One cup milk (cake
  • 25 oz raspberries
  • 135 g sugar
  • Two tablespoon water
  • One tablespoon lemon juice (sauce)
  • One pound mascarpone cheese
  • Two and a half cup heavy cream
  • One-quarter of a cup powdered sugar
  • Two teaspoons of vanilla extract (mascarpone frosting)

To make this cake

  • First, heat the oven at 350 degrees F, grease two 9-inch, round cake pans with butter and some flour. Now, pour the baking powder, salt, and butter in a bowl and whip till its ready.
  • Next, add butter and sugar in another bowl and mix tills it has combined well. Add the vanilla extract and one egg at a time and keep beating it.
  • Add the flour mix and alternate with milk. Pour it into the pan and bake for half an hour. Let it cool for ten minutes and remove it when it is done.
  • Now, put the sugar, raspberries, lemon juice, and water in a saucepan and boil. Keep stirring it as well. Do this for 25 to 30 minutes or till it thickens.
  • Now, sieve it to clear out the seed and set it aside. Afterward, whip the cheese with sugar and vanilla till it smooth.
  • Whisk the cream in another bowl till stiffness. Fold it in the mascarpone mix and refrigerate properly.
  • Divide the cake pieces into two and put one on a plate. Spread one-third of the sauce and put one-fourth of the frosting on it. Repeat with the next two layers and, with the last layer.
  • Decorate with the remaining mascarpone mix, and make a flower, using a spoon, before refrigerating for four to six hours.

Vanilla Ombre Layer Cake

This colourful cake will definitely impress your loved ones. This has a blending of different shades and is one of the most beautiful cakes.

You will need

  • Three-quarter cup unsalted butter
  • Two whole and three-quarter cup flour
  • Two and a half teaspoon baking powder
  • Three-fourth teaspoon baking soda
  • Three-fourth quarter teaspoon kosher salt
  • One egg, three egg whites
  • 2 cup sugar
  • One tablespoon vanilla
  • One and half cup buttermilk
  • Food colourings of your choice (cake)
  • Five cups unsalted butter
  • Eight cups sugar
  • Five teaspoon vanilla
  • Half teaspoon kosher salt (buttercream)

To make this cake

  • First, heat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease four pans with butter and flour.
  • Mix the flour baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the egg white and one cup sugar for four minutes.
  • Beat in the butter and remaining sugar for two minutes. Add vanilla and add and beat for one minute and add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk.
  • Next, beat at high speed for 20 seconds. Afterward, add eggs to the mix and put it into the four bowls. Add colour to three, before pouring in a pan and baking for 20 minutes. Now, cool for ten minutes.
  • Beat butter for three minutes, and add the sugar in three additions, and beat well.
  • Pour in salt and vanilla and whip at medium speed. Put half of it away. Take half of the rest and add food colouring. Divide the rest between two bowls and pour in colourings and stir till completely blended.
  • Place the plain layer on a plate and spread one-fourth of the buttercream on it and top with the lightest cake layer.
  • Repeat with the remaining layer and pour s thin layer of buttercream on top. Refrigerate it till use.
  • Put the rest of the buttercream on a bad with a star tip. Starting at the bottom, put rosettes on it. Repeat with the rest of the layers and then on top, and there you have it.

2 Vanilla Toppings You Can Use for Your Cakes

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

For this delicious topping of cakes, get three of powdered sugar, 1.33 cup butter, one and a half teaspoon of vanilla, and two tablespoons of milk.

Mix the sugar and butter in a bowl and stir half of the milk and vanilla in it. Slowly, whip in drops of milk at a time till it softens a bit. That's it. It is ready to top a 13 x 9 inches cake.

Caramelized Apples

This is one of the most well-liked toppings for all cakes. To make them, all that you need is a bit of cinnamon, three tablespoons of brown sugar, three tablespoons of unsalted butter, and two apples.

First, peel off the apples and make four pieces of each quarter of the apple. Now, on medium heat, melt the buttes before adding brown sugar and the apples to it. Cook them properly till they are completely caramelized. Next, add the cinnamon and use them to top your cake.

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From our editorial team

Blend Many Other Flavours with Vanilla As Well!

After you've tried your hands on these many vanilla recipes mentioned in this post, you'll feel confident enough about baking the perfect cake. The next step after you've mastered vanilla cakes would be to try other flavours and blend in different flavours with vanilla as well, such as chocolate, strawberry, butterscotch, or maybe something of your choice!