A Little Bit About this Quick and Easy Vanilla Cake Recipe
We adore this quick and easy vanilla cake recipe. Much like our chocolate cake, this is a vanilla cake recipe without butter. Instead, we take advantage of using buttermilk and oil to create a light and moist cake. As a result, this amazing cake comes together quickly and is ready for the oven in no time! This cake is soft and delicate with a tender crumb. It was described to us as a delicious sugar cookie in cake form and we can’t agree more! This cake is so light and airy with just a hint of richness, you’ll think you are eating an expensive dessert.
Why do we use buttermilk in this recipe? Here in Appalachia, buttermilk is a well loved staple. From a cool refreshing glass to incredibly flakey biscuits, country women knew of its magical powers. If you don’t have buttermilk, there is a substitute you can sometimes use in a pinch. But you will not get the same flavor profile of that lovely tangy taste or the same lofty height. I highly recommend buttermilk for the best results. The substitute will give you a great cake, but it’s not the same as one made with buttermilk. Any baker that tells you a substitute is just as good as the original isn’t being honest or just hasn’t had the real McCoy. Everyone that grew up within the hollers, hills and valleys of the mountains will tell you buttermilk makes the recipe special. Let us prove it to you with this simple vanilla cake recipe!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Now that we have learned a bit about the background, let’s go over how to make this easy vanilla cake recipe. It’s a simple process and the batter can be made by hand. In fact, we highly suggest it as it gives you a really delicate cake when mixing by hand as opposed to using an electric mixer. This is because you are much less likely to overmix the batter which can lead to dense and tough cakes.
Step 1: Prepare your Pan and Preheat the Oven
Before you even begin with this recipe, make sure to prepare your baking pan and have that oven preheated as this cake comes together quickly! Lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray or lightly grease a 9×13 pan (23x33cm) cake pan. You can also flour it or line with parchment paper to ensure a quick release. Do not use non-stick sprays on non-stick pans as it can permanently damage the finish.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
First, you’ll want to add the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. If you have a sifter, now is the time to use it. Sifting will ensure there are no lumps in your cake batter.
If you don’t have a sifter, whisk it together until there are no lumps in the dry ingredients. You don’t want a little pocket of flour in your cake because you didn’t break them up.
Step 3: Gather and Mix the Wet Ingredients
Now, set that aside and gather all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. If you don’t have any pure vanilla, imitation works well, too. Just double the amount so you get a really nicely flavored cake.
Mix these ingredients well, but don’t create a lot of air. Beat it on a low speed or whisk by hand gently.
Step 4: Combine the Wet with Dry Ingredients
Pour the dry ingredients in all in at once. No need to add the ingredient in stages for this cake recipe!
Whisk the two together just until there are no more lumps. This takes about 30 – 90 seconds. The batter will be quite runny, which is normal.
Step 5: Pour in the Batter and Bake the Cake
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and let it self level. Rap the pan lightly on the counter to bust any bubbles. Immediately place the pan in your preheated oven. Since we are using baking soda, letting it set for a prolonged period can cause the cake to not rise properly as it is immediately reacting with the buttermilk to create air.
Bake until it is a golden brown and the cake just starts to separate from the sides of the pan. The cake will be a golden brown and will spring back if you lightly touch the center. A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean and the center temperature should read between 190° – 210°F (88° – 99°) when it’s finished baking.
Step 6: Make the Icing
For this cake, we will make a simple glaze, much like you see on a doughnut. Start out with some powdered sugar. Sifting or whisking it is a wise idea as it tends to clump.
Next, add in some vanilla. Then you are going to add in either buttermilk, milk or water until you get a thin glaze. This is all dependent on the weather, your quality of powdered sugar, and how thin you want it. Start out with a tablespoon (15mL) and stir. Continue to add a teaspoon (5mL) of liquid, stirring in between additions, until you get the texture you desire.
We recommend a very thin glaze like this. It will give just a light coating and dries quickly.
Spread it over your cake after it has cooled for about 15 minutes. If you put it on too early, it will just slide right off and seep along the edges of the cake pan which could lead to a soggy mess. Allow the cake to finish cooling before serving.
Substitutions
Here are some common substitutions or additions for this cake recipe.
- If you do not have vanilla extract, use twice the amount of imitation.
- Instead of vanilla, try other extracts in equal amounts.
- Make it a cinnamon cake! Add 1 1/2 tsp (3g) of cinnamon powder.
- If you do not have baking soda, use 2 tsp (8g) baking powder.
- If you do not have buttermilk, you can use regular milk for this recipe, but you will have to use baking powder and not baking soda. To use regular milk, measure 1 cup (240mL) and then remove 2 Tbs (10mL) and reserve for the glaze.
- Skip the glaze and frost your cake with a cream cheese or buttercream frosting!
Storage
For best results, this cake will taste best within the first 3 days of baking. Store covered at moderate temperatures. Cake stored in the refrigerator will dry out quickly and become stale within a day or two.
This cake can be stored in an airtight container up to 5 days on the counter. It can also be frozen up to three months if stored properly. For best results, freeze the cake unfrosted, wrapped well with plastic wrap and then covered in a layer of aluminum foil or in a freezer safe container. Thaw in the container to avoid condensation. Frost the cake once it has come back to room temperature.
Quick and Easy Vanilla Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 ½ cups (375g) flour
- 2 cups (400g) sugar
- 1 ½ cups (360mL) buttermilk
- ¾ cup (180mL) oil
- 2 large (100g) eggs
- 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
- 1 tsp (6g) baking soda
- ½ tsp (2.5g) salt
For the Glaze
- 1 ½ cups (187.5g) powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp (1.25mL) vanilla
- 1-3 tbs (15-45mL) buttermilk, milk or water
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 325F (160C.)
- Lightly grease a 9×13 (23x33cm) cake pan. If you want to remove the cake from the pan, line the bottom with parchment.
- Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, vanilla and eggs. Pour liquid into flour mixture and beat until just combined and no lumps are present. It will be a thin batter. Pour immediately into prepared pan and place in preheated oven.
- Bake 40-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Center should read between 190 – 210F (88 – 99C.)
- Cool cake in pan on wire rack 15 minutes before glazing.
For the Glaze
- In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and vanilla. Add milk or water, one teaspoon at a time, and stir between additions until desired consistency is achieved.
- Spread glaze evenly on top of cake. Allow cake to finish cooling before serving.
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