Description
Delightful Vanilla Cake sparks pure joy with its classic, silky-smooth crumb that melts in your mouth. Sweet memories of home baking come alive, inviting you to savor each heavenly slice of this timeless dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups (595 milliliters) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) whole milk (room temperature)
Leavening and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Optional and Frosting Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) sour cream (optional)
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (454 grams) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) heavy cream or milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Warm the oven to a precise 350 degrees fahrenheit, ensuring an ideal baking environment for a delicate vanilla cake.
- Prepare cake pans by generously coating the interior surfaces with butter and dusting with flour, or alternatively, line the bottom with parchment paper for effortless cake removal.
- Select high-quality ingredients at room temperature to guarantee smooth incorporation and optimal texture.
- Cream softened butter and sugar together in a spacious mixing bowl, whipping until the mixture transforms into a light, fluffy consistency with a pale yellow hue.
- Gently introduce eggs one at a time, thoroughly blending after each addition to maintain a silky, homogeneous batter.
- Sift together dry ingredients like flour, baking powder, and salt to eliminate potential lumps and ensure even distribution.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed to prevent overworking the batter and maintain a tender crumb.
- Incorporate pure vanilla extract, stirring until just combined to preserve the delicate flavor profile.
- Evenly distribute the batter between prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula to create uniform layers.
- Position pans in the preheated oven, placing them centrally for consistent heat circulation.
- Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, monitoring for a golden surface and checking doneness with a inserted toothpick that emerges clean.
- Remove cakes from oven and allow them to cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack for complete cooling.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth batter mixing and even cake texture.
- Check cake doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean with no wet batter.
- For extra moisture, brush cake layers with simple syrup before frosting to enhance flavor and prevent dryness.
- Consider swapping all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version, adding 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum for better structure.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 40 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg