My best Vanilla Cake - stays moist 4 days!
Ingredients
- 2 cplain / all purpose flour)
(cake flour ok too, note 1
- 2 ½ tspbaking powder
- ¼ tspcooking salt)
(kosher salt
- 4 largeeggs
at room temp), (50 - 55g / 2 oz each
- 1 ½ ccaster / superfine sugar)
(granulated/regular ok too, note 2
- 115 g1/2 cup unsalted butter)
, cut into 1.5cm / 1/2” cubes (or so
- 1 cmilk)
, full fat (note 5
- 3 tspvanilla extract)
, the best you can afford (note 6
- 3 tspvegetable or canola oil)
(note 7
- 225 g2 sticks unsalted butter
, softened
- 500 g1 lb soft icing sugar / powdered sugar
, sifted
- 3 tspvanilla extract
- 2 tbspmilk
, to adjust thickeness
Directions
Preparation:
- 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 20 minutes before starting the batter (Note 8). Place shelf in the middle of the oven.
- 2
Grease 2 x 20cm / 8” cake pans with butter, then line with parchment / baking paper. (Note 9 more pan sizes) Best to use cake pan without loose base, if you can.
Combine dry ingredients:
- 1
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Beat eggs until aerated:
- 1
30 sec beat: Beat eggs for 30 seconds on speed 6 of a Stand Mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or hand beater.
- 2
Slowly add sugar: With the beater still going, pour the sugar in over 45 seconds.
- 3
Triple volume: Then beat for 7 minutes on speed 8, or until tripled in volume and white.
Finish cake batter:
- 1
Heat Milk-Butter (Note 5): While egg is beating, place butter and milk in a heatproof jug and microwave 2 minutes on high to melt butter (or use stove).
- 2
Gently add flour: When the egg is whipped, scatter 1/3 flour across surface, then beat on Speed 1 for 5 seconds. Add half remaining flour, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 sec. Add remaining flour, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 - 10 sec until the flour is just mixed in. Once you can’t see flour, stop straight away.
- 3
Combine milk, vanilla & oil - Pour hot milk, vanilla and oil into the now empty flour bowl.
- 4
Lighten with some Egg Batter: Add about 1 1/2 cups (2 ladles or so) of the Egg Batter into the Milk-Butter (don't need to be 100% accurate with amount). Use a whisk to mix until smooth - you can be vigorous here. Will look foamy.
- 5
Slowly add milk: Turn beater back on Speed 1 then pour the Milk mixture into the Egg Batter over 15 seconds, then turn beater off.
- 6
Scrape and final mix: Scrape down sides and base of bowl. Beat on Speed 1 for 10 seconds - batter should now be smooth and pourable.
Bake:
- 1
Pour batter into pans.
- 2
Knock out bubbles: Bang each cake pan on the counter 3 times to knock out big bubbles (Note 10 for why)
- 3
Bake 30 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean.
Cool & frost:
- 1
Turn out & cool: Remove from oven. Cool in cake pans for 15 minutes, then gently turn out onto cooling racks. If using as layer cakes, cool upside down - slight dome will flatten perfectly. Level cake = neat layers.
- 2
Frost: Once cake layers are fully cool, top with frosting of choice, or cream and fresh berries or jam. See list of ideas in post!
Vanilla buttercream:
- 1
Beat butter with paddle attachment in stand mixer for 3 minutes on high until it changes from yellow to almost white, and it becomes fluffy and creamy.
- 2
Add icing sugar / powdered sugar gradually in 3 lots, beating slowly (to avoid a powder storm) then once mostly incorporated, beat on high for a full 3 minutes until fluffy.
- 3
Add vanilla and milk, then beat for a further 30 seconds. Use milk only if needed to make it lovely and soft but still holds it's form (eg for piping). Use immediately. (If you make ahead, refrigerate then beat to re-fluff).
My best Vanilla Cake - stays moist 4 days!
Similar Recipes
Ratings & Reviews
Be the First to Rate
Your rating helps others discover amazing recipes. Share your experience and let others know what you think!
About this Recipe
Imagine a vanilla cake that's not just delicious on day one, but stays incredibly soft and moist for up to four days. This is that recipe—your ultimate classic vanilla butter cake, perfect for any celebration, delivering professional bakery quality right in your home kitchen.
The magic behind this cake's unparalleled texture comes from applying specific Japanese techniques, resulting in a plush, tender crumb you might not expect from a traditional butter cake. This approach elevates a simple vanilla cake into something truly special, setting it apart from dryer versions and ensuring it remains fresh and delightful for days, a quality often unheard of in home baking.
Prepare yourself for a truly remarkable experience: a cake that boasts a plush, melt-in-your-mouth softness with every forkful, coupled with a consistent, rich moisture throughout. It's a classic vanilla butter cake at heart, but its texture is distinctly superior, offering a comforting sweetness that isn't cloying. This versatile cake is perfectly suited for building elegant layer cakes, festive birthday cakes, or serving as the base for a traditional Victoria Sponge or a summery strawberry shortcake. Each serving comes in at 339 calories, making it a satisfying indulgence.
For the best results, you'll find that plain / all-purpose flour yields a better texture than cake flour in this recipe. While caster or superfine sugar is listed, feel free to use regular granulated sugar if that's what you have on hand, as it works just fine. When it comes to oil, either vegetable or canola oil will provide the necessary moisture without impacting the delicate vanilla flavor.
This cake is truly an all-rounder, ready to be transformed into stunning layer cakes for special occasions, or simply enjoyed as a delightful everyday treat. It comes with a classic vanilla buttercream, though you can also explore options for a less-sweet fluffy frosting. It's the perfect canvas for your favorite berries or a simple dusting of powdered sugar.