Vanilla Cake – Back To Basics!
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A delicious two layer vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream and strawberry jam!
Back to basics
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!
Vanilla cake
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. I hope.
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!
Its all in the science
But anyway… 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.
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 160 degrees! 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!
I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve heard (this could be incorrect), that the ovens on The Great British Bake off are tested each day before the contestants start by baking a Victoria sponge – as it’s the most classic and scientifically easy bake! If the bake doesn’t bake correctly, but you know its weighed and mixed correctly, then usually it means it’s the oven.
Method/mix
If you know your oven is at the right temperature – just make sure you mix it correctly. I personally 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.
Butter
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 Stork for cake sponges. Either work absolutely fantastically! However, for the buttercream, you must NOT use Stork. Only use unsalted butter for the buttercream – otherwise it can split or taste horrible!
Handy equipment!
I personally 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!
I hope you all love this recipe, and no I am not claiming I created it, because it’s been around for centuries and centuries – it’s just science! But honestly, enjoy! x
Vanilla Cake - Back To Basics!
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 180C/160C 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.
- You don't have to use the vanilla, but obviously that is the theme of the cake!
- You could always use vanilla beans/paste/extract over essence as its much more natural!
- The jam is optional - or you can swap to whatever flavour you prefer!
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J x
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Can this recipe be made in 10 or 7 inch cake pan as I do not have an 8 inch cake pan, I want to make a cake for Mother’s Day.
I would say the best out of those is the 7″, as the 10″ is much much bigger in volume!
Hi Jane!
How do I ensure the cake rises eventually and flat on top? Thank you!
You can lower the temp and bake for longer, but it can also sometimes just be the oven you are using!
Hi Jane . This cake looks delicious ! I’m thinking of making it for my grandma’s birthday but would like to make a 6 inch 4 layer version . I know what all the measurements for this are but am not sure how many eggs to add ? <3 xx
Hello! Weigh the eggs in the shells and match to the other ingredients x
Hi Jane,
Love your recipes! I just want to confirm that for a 3 layer version, all the ingredients weigh 400g. ie. 400g of butter / sugar / flour and also 400g eggs?
I’ve just weighed a variety of different medium eggs and 8 together come to about 550g. Should I use 8 medium eggs still or reduce it to 6 or 7?
Thanks!
Yes basically! Medium eggs can vary a lot so stick with the 400g weight, so sounds about 6 for you!
This is my absolute go to recipe but I do find the sponge to be a bit dry especially the day or two after. Just wondering if there is anything I can do to make it more moist? I’m planning to make it for a birthday but need to make 2 days before eating & want it to be yummy still!! Xx
You can try a simple sugar syrup soak which is like 150ml water and 150g caster sugar dissolved together in a pan and then drizzled on the sponges (like you would a lemon drizzle)? X
After 5 failed attempts and various different recipes for a birthday cake I came across this recipe. It is amazing! I doubled the recipe and made a beautiful two tier cake for my sons 1st Birthday. Everyone loved it! Thanks Jane your recipes are alway brilliant! X
Can this be used for a tiered cake?
Yes!
Hi Jane,
I have made a Vanilla sponge cake but it is dense. I use a gas oven. What could I have done wrong?
It can be any number of things – under baked, too high a heat, over mixed etc!
Hello, if I was to make this into a bigger 2 layer cake using 400g for butter flour sugar. How many eggs would i need and how much vanilla?
Or if I was to make it into 3 layer cake how many eggs /vanilla would I need?
Thanks 🙂
You would want to weigh the eggs in their shells to get to as close to 400g – it could be about 7-8 medium eggs! But I usually do a 400g mix for three layers anyway and baking time is about 30 minutes x
What weight would a medium egg be? We only had large but want to make sure we’re getting the measurements right.
They can vary – between 53-63g in the uk, whereas large is 63-73 (so it can be VERY different.) You’d need to measure them in shells and try and match the weight as close to the recipe as you can! X
The cake turned out pretty badly. It was too thick and heavy. I weighed everything correctly. It was raw in one part and collapsed and fell apart after it cooled. Do not recommend.
It sounds under baked for sure – it would have just needed longer and it would have had the correct bake.
Nooo have to disagree! This is the vanilla cake recipe I swear by!
Hello! Do you think I’ll be ok to add sprinkles to the sponge to make this a funfetti cake? Thanks x
You can, but have a look at my funfetti cake recipe for the correct type of sprinkles to use as most UK ones are awful!
How would I change this recipe to make a 9” cake? I need 2 thick layers. Also long to bake for? Thanks
Typically you would increase the recipe by at least 1/3 for a 9″ version! I don’t know the timings however as I never bake 9″ sponges. x
Hi Jane! Do you do a recipe for a diabetic friendly cake? X
Hi Jane I’ve just got a question regarding cake ratios
So I’ve been using the 120g ratio for some of my cakes and I’ve been using 2 medium eggs and although my batter looks light and fluffy my sponges come out dry and it’s not even over baked!
Do you think I’d need to use 2 large eggs?
Thank you
It depends on the weight of the egg. You need to weigh the eggs in their shells, and match the flour/butter/sugar (but dry cakes do usually mean over baked) x
Hi Jane, can this be baked in one 8inch tin and be cut into two? If so would this affect the cooking time? Do you have any cake recipes where you use one tin and split into two? What would you recommend.
Thank you Lizzie
It can be, but yes the baking time will increase! I am not sure on the timings however x