Description
Classic vanilla cake brings pure comfort with its moist crumb and delicate sweetness. Bakers can craft this timeless dessert easily, creating a delightful treat that welcomes celebration and warmth at any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients:
Main Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Main Wet and Binding Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) buttermilk or whole milk, room temperature
- ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Buttercream Ingredients:
Main Base Ingredients:
- 6 large egg whites
- 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (454 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Assembly Ingredients:
Decorative Ingredients:
- Confetti sprinkles
- Nonpareils
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by heating to 350°F (175°C). Coat two 8-inch cake pans with butter and dust with flour, then line with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl, whisking thoroughly to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Cream butter and sugar using a stand mixer until the mixture becomes light and airy, approximately 3 minutes.
- Incorporate eggs individually into the butter mixture, ensuring complete integration after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
- Gradually alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter, beginning and concluding with flour. Blend each addition until just incorporated.
- Distribute batter equally between prepared cake pans and transfer to preheated oven.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should emerge with minimal crumbs.
- Allow cakes to rest in pans for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- For buttercream, combine egg whites and sugar in a stand mixer bowl, creating a base mixture.
- Position bowl over simmering water, whisking continuously until mixture becomes smooth and reaches 160°F.
- Return bowl to mixer and whip at high speed until meringue forms stiff peaks and cools completely.
- Switch to paddle attachment, gradually incorporating butter cubes until frosting becomes silky and uniform.
- Blend in vanilla extract, ensuring smooth consistency.
- Position first cake layer on serving plate and spread generous layer of buttercream.
- Carefully place second cake layer on top and apply thin crumb coat of frosting.
- Refrigerate cake for 20 minutes to set initial frosting layer.
- Generously frost entire cake, using bench scraper to create smooth surface.
- Optional: Use decorating comb to texture cake sides.
- Combine confetti sprinkles and nonpareils in small bowl.
- Gently press sprinkle mixture along cake bottom edge and randomly scatter across top and sides for playful decoration.
- Pipe decorative rosettes using 1M tip with remaining frosting for final embellishment.
Notes
- Precision matters when measuring ingredients, as baking is a science that requires exact proportions for perfect texture and rise.
- Room temperature ingredients like eggs, butter, and buttermilk blend more smoothly and create a more uniform cake batter.
- Whisk dry ingredients thoroughly to prevent lumps and ensure even distribution of leavening agents.
- Using a stand mixer helps achieve the right consistency when creaming butter and sugar, creating a light and fluffy cake base.
- Always test cake doneness with a toothpick – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not completely clean or wet.
- Chilling the cake between crumb coat and final frosting helps create a smoother, more professional-looking finish.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 525
- Sugar: 44 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg