Skip to main content

Easy Vanilla Cake

Published: Updated:
Our favourite

3 Reviews

Total Time
3h 5m
Prep Time
1h 30m
Bake Time
1h 35m
Serves 16
Serves 16
easy
Easy

About the bake

Who doesn't love a vanilla cake? We sure do and we guarantee that after trying our easy Vanilla cake recipe no other cake will compare. 

3 dreamy layers of vanilla sponge cake, flavoured with Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract, infused with a dreamy vanilla syrup and coated in the fluffiest vanilla bean buttercream. We dare you to resist sneaking a bit before sharing with your family and friends. 

Once iced, the cake is a blank canvas for you to let your creativity free; sprinkles, melted chocolate or leave it plain and simple. This cake is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

11 ingredients9 steps
  • Vegetarian

Method

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 5). Put some water in a cake tin or roasting tin and set in the bottom of the oven. Prepare three 7" sandwich tins by lining with baking parchment.

  2. Step 2

    Cream together the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric hand whisk, until pale and fluffy.

  3. Step 3

    Add the eggs in 3 parts, beating well after each addition so that the egg is well incorporated. Add the vanilla. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold in lightly with a metal spoon, until the mixture is even. Add the milk and mix.

  4. Step 4

    Spoon the mix into tins and bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

  5. Step 5

    Whilst the cake is cooling make the vanilla syrup by heating together the sugar and vanilla in a pan until all of the sugar has dissolved. 

  6. Step 6

    Carefully poke holes in the top of your sponges and pour over some of the syrup allowing the sponge to soak it up.

  7. Step 7

    To make the buttercream; beat together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla bean paste until soft and fluffy. You can add a drop of milk to loosen the buttercream if needed.

  8. Step 8

    Layer the sponge with buttercream, then coat the whole cake in buttercream. Pop in the fridge to chill before adding an additional layer of buttercream. To get a smooth finish, run a pallet knife under boiling water before smoothing round the cake. 

  9. Step 9

    Once your cake is smooth, decorate with your desired toppings such as melted chocolate and spinkles or leave plain & serve.

Ingredients

  • For the Sponges

    • 400gUnsalted butter (softened) 
    • 400gBillington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar 
    • 6Free range large eggs 
    • 400gAllinson's Self Raising Flour 
    • 2 tspNielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract 
    • 3 tbspWhole milk 
  • For the Vanilla Syrup

    • 100gBillington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar 
    • 1.5 tspNielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste 
  • For the Buttercream

    • 300gUnsalted butter (softened) 
    • 600gSilver Spoon Icing Sugar 
    • 1.5 tbspNielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste 

Utensils

  • 3x 7in sandwich tin
  • Mixing bowl
  • Paintbrush

Nutritional information per 148g serving

  • Energy 725cal
  • Fat 38g
  • of which Saturates 23g
  • Carbohydrates 88g
  • of which Sugars 70g
  • Protein 5.6g
  • Salt 0.33g

3 Baker Ratings

Oh my god, This is so good. I can't believe it has took me so long to actually try this.

Love this?
0 bakers loved this!

Made this for Mother’s Day. It was such a lovely sponge. Light and vanilla-ery this is my new go-to sponge I think.

Love this?
0 bakers loved this!

Let us know how you rate our bake?

Baking Recipes and Baking Ideas

Great recipes and more at BakingMad.com

Exclusive gifts and kits to take your baking to the next level Competitions and baker of the month prizes More than 1,000 recipes to try.