There is nothing quite like a cake made from scratch. A homemade butter cake is rich, delicious and sinful. Everyone should learn to make this cake for special occasions. A butter cake is often said to be the perfect cake in terms of flavor and texture.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to make a cake recipe from scratch but didn’t know where to start? This recipe will teach you the basics. You will also learn you can easily modify this cake recipe suit your wishes. If you like a lot of sugar, add a few tablespoons more. Or try a different type of sugar and add spices to see what happens. Put some food coloring in your icing or cake batter to match a party theme.

Once you learn how to make this homemade butter cake, you can also use any type of flavoring in place of the vanilla. Perhaps you love all things lemon? If so, use lemon extract and zest a fresh lemon for the icing for a pleasant alternative. Or perhaps replace some of the flour for cocoa and see how it transforms. This is such an easy cake recipe to learn, modify and remember how to make. So what is the down side?

The calories. Butter cakes are full of calories, saturated fats, cholesterol and other things not so healthy to eat on a daily basis. So save this recipe for a special occasion and share with others so you don’t overindulge as this entire cake is nearly 5000 calories of goodness.

One thing that is essential when baking cakes: buy a properly sized cake pan. You will need a 9″x2″ (23x5cm) round cake pan. If it is not 2″ tall, you will need to use two pans and adjust the baking time. I will give a basic baking temperature and time for two pans in the recipe notes. However, I highly recommend pans that are 2″ (5cm) tall because you will have a better tasting, fluffier and lighter cake.

Have you noticed that cake mixes baked in two 9″ pans today are very flat in comparison to a few years ago? That’s because they started putting less batter in the pans. Around the same time, cheap cake pans also became shorter. I often wonder if that wasn’t a result of the smaller boxed mixes. That’s what you’ll end up with if you don’t have a traditional cake pan. And if you try to bake this recipe in one 9×1.5 (9x4cm) pan, you will have a mess to clean up in the oven.

Also, one surprising thing to learn about making a homemade butter cake is the fact you can substitute margarine if you cannot locate butter or simply want to make a dairy free version. The cake will still taste very good. For the real deal, I recommend splurging and using a high quality unsalted butter if you can find it. Save your calories for a piece of this divine cake at least once in your lifetime.

Watch this brief video to help you learn how to bake this delicious cake. If you stay until the end, you’ll get to see Jackson!

Homemade Cake from Scratch

This butter cake is easy to make and delicious. You can use any flavor or just stick with the classic vanilla. It's rich, delicate and absolutely perfect. You only need a small piece as it's very decadent.

Print Recipe

Prep Time15 minutes minutes

Cook Time45 minutes minutes

Total Time1 hour hour

Servings8

Calories 624.6

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 ½ cups (225g) flour
• 1 cup (226g) softened butter
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• 4 large (200g) eggs
• 1 ½ tsp (6g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
• ¼ tsp (1.25g) salt

Frosting

• 2 cups (250g) powdered sugar
• ½ cup (113g) softened butter
• 2 tbs (30mL) milk
• ¼ tsp (1.25mL) vanilla

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat oven to 325F (160C.)
• Prep one 9" (23cm) round cake pan that is 2" (5cm) tall by spraying with cooking spray or using butter and flour. For added insurance, line the bottom with wax or parchment paper.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Sit aside.
• Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended.  Mix in vanilla.  Add in flour mixture and beat for 1 minute on low speed or just until you no longer see any flour.  Pour batter into pan and level.
• Bake 40-45 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Center should read between 200F (93C) and 210F (99C.)
• Cool in pan 10 minutes, remove and finish cooling on a wire rack completely before icing. This may take 1 hour or longer.

For the Frosting

• Cream together butter and sugar, adding one spoonful at a time until all sugar is added. Beat in vanilla. Add milk, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach a spreadable consistency.
• Frost cake once completely cooled.

Notes

*You will need a 9″ (23) round cake pan that is 2″ (5cm) tall.   If the cake pan is less than 2″ (5cm) tall, please use two pans and divide batter equally.  If you are using two pans, bake 25 – 35 or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

You can substitute flour for self-rising flour.  If you do so, omit salt and baking powder from recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Cake from Scratch

Serving Size

 

1 slice

Amount per Serving

Calories

624.6

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

35.5

g

55

%

Saturated Fat

 

21.8

g

136

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

0.4

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Sodium

 

195.2

mg

8

%

Carbohydrates

 

70.5

g

24

%

Protein

 

5.3

g

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

* Calories provided as a courtesy and not guaranteed.