Every home cook needs a good vanilla cake in their repertoire. This one is ours. It has a classic vanilla flavor with hints of tangy buttermilk, bakes beautifully and stacks easily. It’s versatile too, perfect for birthdays, fancy dinner parties or a simple summer cookout.
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This vanilla cake is my absolute favorite for fancy layered cakes. It bakes up with little to no dome and has a soft yet sturdy crumb, both of which make it ideal for stacking.
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Because the flavor is simple, cake is also incredibly versatile, pairing well with pretty much any combination of icing or filling.
Use the reverse creaming method
I use a reverse creaming method for this cake, which means the butter is mixed into the dry mixture until it takes on a sandy texture, and then the liquid is added to make the batter. This is the opposite of the more conventional method of whipping butter and sugar together, then adding the dry mixture and liquid alternately.
Reverse creaming coats the flour with butter, which (along with the buttermilk) helps make a tender cake with a fine crumb, but that’s still dense enough to handle stacking. I also find that this results in a cake that stays moist and tender even when baked in advance and not served for a few days.
Favorite fillings for vanilla layer cakes
- lemon curd
- Strawberry Jam
- Meyer lemon marmalade
Favorite frosting for vanilla layer cakes
- Swiss meringue frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Extra rich chocolate icing
Vanilla Buttermilk Pie
If you want a cake with super high layers, bake the cakes in 3 8×3-inch baking pans. If you use the smaller pan, you may need to add an additional 5 to 8 minutes to the baking time.
ingredients
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3 cups (374G) all purpose flour
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2 cups (397G) granulated sugar
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2 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 cup (227G) unsalted buttersoftened
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5 big eggsroom temperature
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1 1/4 cups buttermilk
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
special equipment
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3
9×2-inch baking pans -
blender
method
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Preheat the oven and prepare the pans:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 3 9×2-inch baking pans with nonstick spray (or butter and flour) and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment.
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Mix together the butter and dry ingredients (reverse cream):
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt with the paddle attachment on low speed (you can also use a hand mixer).
Add the softened butter and mix on medium speed until butter is incorporated and mixture becomes sandy in texture, about 30 to 45 seconds.
How To Convert A Stand Mixer Instructions To A Hand Mixer (And Vice Versa)CONTINUE READING:
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Mix in liquid ingredients:
Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract in a large measuring cup. With mixer on low speed, add liquid mixture in two separate additions to butter and flour mixture. Beat well after each addition, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Keep mixing until you get a smooth batter.
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Bake a cake:
Divide the batter evenly among the cake tins and smooth the tops evenly. Tap the pans against the counters once or twice to force out any large air bubbles.
Bake on a single rack in center of oven for 20 to 35 minutes – start checking after 20 minutes and continue baking until cakes release from sides, top springs back to touch, and one inserted in the center Toothpick comes out clean.
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Cool the cakes:
Place the cakes in the molds on wire racks and let cool for 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out of the molds and let cool completely.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 421 | calories |
| 18g | Fat |
| 59g | carbohydrates |
| 7g | protein |
