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Vanilla Cake – Back To Basics!
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This timeless back-to-basics vanilla cake features two perfectly balanced, ultra-fluffy sponge layers sandwiched together with vibrant strawberry jam and smooth vanilla buttercream. Requiring just 10 minutes of active prep time and 30 minutes of baking, this foolproof 14-slice classic is the ultimate foundational recipe for bakers of any skill level.
Notes from The Patisserie
Back in 2018, I thought I would start a new series on my blog – ‘back to basics’. As much as I hope that all my recipes are simple and doable by anyone of any baking ability, I know that some are not. Or, some people do just want to learn the basics – and I want to help with that.
I thought that I would go for an absolute classic for my fourth instalment, a vanilla cake. This beauty is a two layer vanilla sponge cake, with vanilla buttercream frosting, and one of my favourite jam flavours… strawberry!
Okay, so back to basics has potentially gone a little bit too basic now, with a vanilla cake… but I’ve had endless requests. I do have a Victoria sponge recipe on my blog already, but this a two layer beauty and potentially explained in a much better way.
The sponge science
This is basically the most simple yet most scientific of cakes. It only really takes four ingredients to make something DELICIOUS, but you have to get it right. It doesn’t really matter whether you use a two egg recipe, three egg, four egg etc… as long as the ratios are equal.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter but you can use baking spread too
- Sugar – the best sugar for a back to basics vanilla sponge
- Flour – self raising flour will give the lift in the sponge we are looking for
- Eggs – I use medium eggs
- Vanilla – I use vanilla extract to cut through the sweetness of the sugar
There are obviously other factors that are involved with getting the perfect cake – but really the ratio, how you mix it, and the oven being the correct temperature is so important. I use a fan oven, so I bake my cake at 160ºc. As my oven is new, it helps so much, but with other ovens I have used an oven thermometer to make sure my oven is correct before baking – as ovens can be drastically out.
Basic method and ingredient swaps
If you know your oven is at the right temperature – just make sure you mix it correctly. I switch between the all in one method, and the beating sugar and butter first method – but in general, I find the beating the sugar and butter together method is better for the most.
Usually I use my Kitchenaid mixer with the scraper paddle attachment for a majority of my baking – and all my cake mixes and buttercreams. I don’t use a whisk, as that creates too much air, and can be quite faffy – but if you have just a handheld mixer, then the whisk attachments for those are fine.
You can easily make a cake mix and such with just your hand, a bowl and a spatula, but for buttercream it does take a bit more welly to get it just perfect! You could go the whole hog and make your own homemade jam if you want, but I just thought I would stick with this recipe being about the actual cake.
If the butter is too cold for the cake, it can make the cake mixture a little lumpy. I usually use room temperature unsalted butter (the kind you get in foil), or baking spread for cake sponges. Either work absolutely fantastically! However, for the buttercream, you must NOT use baking spread. Only use unsalted butter for the buttercream – otherwise it can split or taste horrible.
FAQs
How can I ensure my oven temperature is completely accurate?
Since built-in dials can be wildly inaccurate, hanging an inexpensive standalone oven thermometer on your centre rack is the best way to verify the true temperature before your tins go in.
Why should I weigh the batter when dividing it into the tins?
Using a digital kitchen scale to divide the batter evenly (roughly 500g per tin) ensures both layers bake at the exact same rate, preventing one cake from over-baking while the other under-bakes.
Can I substitute self-raising flour with plain flour?
Yes, but you will need to add two level teaspoons of baking powder to your 250g of plain flour and sift them together thoroughly to replicate the uniform rise of self-raising flour.
My buttercream feels too stiff to spread cleanly; how do I fix it?
Simply beat in a single teaspoon of warm water or milk at a time to instantly loosen the mixture and achieve a silky, spreadable consistency.
Vanilla Cake – Back To Basics!
A delicious two layer vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream and strawberry jam!
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Servings: 14 Slices
Ingredients
Cake!
- 250 g unsalted butter
- 250 g caster sugar
- 250 g self raising flour
- 5 medium eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Buttercream!
- 200 g unsalted butter (room temp)
- 400 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Extras!
- 200 g strawberry jam
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180ºc/160ºc fan and line two 8"/20cm tins with parchment paper, and leave to the side.
- Beat together your butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy!
- Add in your self raising flour, eggs and vanilla and beat again for a a couple of minutes until smooth.
- Try not to over beat – mix until it comes together and is smooth
- Split the cake mix between the two tins. I weigh it to make sure its even – each mix should weigh 500g each (roughly)
- Once in the tins, bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until baked through. I check my cake is baked by using a skewer, and listening carefully to see if it bubbles!
- Once baked, leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- To make the buttercream, make sure your butter is at room temperature.
- Beat the butter on its own for 3-4 minutes, I use the paddle attachment.
- Once the butter is nice and supple, add the icing sugar in 1/2 at a time, and beat fully before adding any more in.
- Add in the vanilla, and beat again for 3-4 minutes until it's all come together.
- Carefully pipe or spread half of your buttercream onto the first cake, and then top with some jam.
- Add the second sponge on, and then spread the rest of the buttercream on top.
- Decorate with your favourite sprinkles, and enjoy!
Notes
- This cake will last for 3 days at room temperature, in a cake box.
Storage and freezing
This classic vanilla cake stores beautifully and will remain completely soft and delicious for up to 3 days when kept inside a standard cake box or airtight container at room temperature. Avoid refrigerating this cake, as the cold air will pull moisture directly out of the sponge layers and turn them dry and crumbly.
If you want to get a head start on an upcoming celebration, you can wrap the un-iced, fully cooled sponge layers tightly in a double layer of plastic cling film and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Other ‘back to basics’ recipes
My first part of the back to basics series was my triple chocolate brownies, followed by my no-bake vanilla cheesecake, and then thirdly the chocolate cake. I figured doing a vanilla recipe would fit with the system and alternating between the two flavours.
This is the recipe my Nan gave me which I’ve been using for the last 35 years, and my most requested cake 😍 tried so many sponge recipes and I always come back to this one. Lovely with whipped cream too
Hi How do you make your whipped cream and how much do you use?
Baking this with my daughter so she can earn her baking girl guides badge. Adding green food colouring to the buttercream to represent the musical “Wicked” which we are going to watch in October.
Thankyou
How fun!
Hi Jane, if I want to half the recipe what should I do about the eggs? Thanks
I make it with either 3 eggs (3/5 of the ingredients) or 2 (2/5 of the ingredients) eggs. It’s hard to figure out 2.5 eggs.
Hi Jane
I made your carrot cake and it was the first time I’d ever successfully made a cake so I got cocky and thought id nailed baking.. I’ve tried this recipe twice and both times the cakes come out so wet and undercooked . I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong . I wonder if 5 eggs is too much ? My eggs aren’t as medium as they should be ??
This is purely that it has not been baked long enough. Weigh the eggs in shells, to match the butter/sugar/flour and then bake for longer x
Hi Jane
I would like to make this for my nieces wedding cake, can you please advise the weights and baking times for 7 and 8” square cakes?
Thank you
Jo x
I’ve made this a few times but not for a while. Would this sponge work with a chocolate buttercream filling and topping, or do you think it may be too sweet? I didn’t want an all chocolate cake, so thought this could be the best option.
I think that would be lovely!
If I half the recipe to use only one tin would I need 2 eggs or 3 eggs?
It depends on the depth of your tin. Try 2/5 of the recipe with 2 eggs first and see how you get on.
Hi can I half the ingredients and just bake in one tin, as I want to only make one cake =) thanks and any idea on the baking time for that if so please .
Could I change the amount to 175g and use 3 eggs? Ae I don’t want such a large cake and will be using one pan =) thanks
It is basic maths – use one egg for every 50g of flour/butter/sugar. So three eggs would be 150g of each.
Absolutely scrumptious! I halved the buttercream to just fill the inside of the cake and dusted the top with icing sugar. This cake is absolutely delicious, thank you for the amazing recipe Jane!
Hello Jane ! If i wanted to make this dairy free, along with the back to basics chocolate cake would I just swap the butter in the recipe for diary free ? Thankyou
Hi, I have just mad you back to basics vanilla cake, it was so easy and delicious thank you as always.