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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.
Hi Jane,
Which piping nozzle did you use to create this effect?
Thank you.
Emma
Just a round tip!! x
Hey lovely,
What tins do you use please???
Thanks
Tan xx
Just any 8″ cake tin! I usually buy ones at least 2.5″ deep!
Awww thanks lovely. Sorry for the stupidity lol is it a sandwich tin?
Hope you’re doing ok xx
No a sandwich tin is usually shallower, you want one at least 2.5″ deep x
Thank you so much lovely. I’m so sorry if I sound thick lol. I have loose bottom thick ones here xx
Hii, if I made this into a 2 layer cake with 400g ingredients how long would it take to bake? Xx
Lower the temperature to 170C/150Fan, and bake for 45-55 minutes x
Hi jane, love your recipies.
Im making a 6 inch 3 layer cake needs to be about taller so about a 2inch layer. Would 350g all dry ingredience and 7 eggs work for this or would you suggest using the 400g mix and lowering the temp to bake for tad longer. I also read above another lady tried 3 x6inch tins and didnt get the rise she wanted so could i also add a bit of baking powder? Thanks so much x
Hi Jane,
I want to make this cake or a lemon version but sugar free/sugar sustitute, what would you recommend?
Thanks xxx
I’m afraid I don’t use sugar substitutes often so I’m not sure what is best – sorry!
Hi I am making a tiered cake and would like to make the bottom as a three layer 10 inch cake using this recipe. How much should I increase the ingredients by?
Thanks so much!
Hey! So it’s about 1.6x the recipe – so quite a bit more. I’m not 100% sure on the baking time, but it’s quite a bit longer! xx
Hey Jane, sorry to ask you again but what kitchen aid do you use? What size and what model one? X
I use a 4.8L artisan one! The most common size x
I just used this recipe for my daughters 30th birthday cake, I did 2 lots to make 4 tiers, this cake turned out amazing, will definitely use this recipe in the future. Thank you everyone loved it.
Hey Jane, I love all your recipes!! I was wondering what mixer you use to make all of your recipes as I’m looking to invest in a good one!
I use a kitchenaid! x
Hello! If I were to make this into a three layer drip cake what would the sponge and buttercream measurements be? Annoying question sorry! Xxx
I would use guidance from one of my drip cakes, such as my Mini Egg Drip Cake for quantities and timings etc! x
Hi Jane I’d like to use this recipe to make two different size cakes to stack on top of each other for a child’s birthday cake. I have a 9inch tin and an 8 inch tin and I would need two layers of each size so I can put jam in between. How would I alter the ingredients and baking time please and is this the best recipe to use? Many thanks
So I would keep the 8″ as it is in the recipe, and then for the 9″ I would increase it by about 1/3 and bake for longer to get the same sort of depth sponge! I’m not 100% on the time though as I don’t bake 9″ sponges that often at all.
Hello!
I’m looking to make this for my daughters birthday, could you tell me please if there’s any type of confectionary/sprinkles etc that I could add to the sponge before baking to make it a confetti style cake? I wish to keep the light colour of the sponge so want to avoid adding food colouring. Thank you for your help!
Hey! Have a look at my funfetti cake as I link to good sprinkles on there! xx