Moist Church Vanilla Cake (Printable)
Tender vanilla sponge with sweet glaze, feeds twelve perfectly
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake Components
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup buttermilk
→ Vanilla Glaze
10 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
11 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
# Step-by-step:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish thoroughly.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly blended.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Spread batter evenly into prepared baking pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
08 - Let cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and drizzle-consistency. Add additional milk if needed to achieve desired flow.
10 - Drizzle glaze evenly over the completely cooled cake. Allow glaze to set for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Feeds a crowd without any fancy decorating skills or special equipment
- The buttermilk keeps it incredibly moist for days, though it rarely lasts that long
- That straightforward vanilla flavor hits the spot when you need something comforting and familiar
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are not optional here, cold butter will not cream properly and the texture will suffer
- Overmixing once the flour hits the liquid makes a tough cake, fold gently and stop immediately
- The glaze must go on a completely cool cake or it will slide right off and pool around the edges
03 -
- Use your kitchen scale if you have one, flour measured by weight is infinitely more accurate than cup measurements
- Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots, it will brown more evenly