Basic Vanilla Cake

If you master just one from-scratch cake recipe, make it this one.

By Linda West EckhardtPublished: Feb 16, 2017

4.4

Charles Schiller

Yields:

8 serving(s)

Prep Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

55 mins

Cal/Serv:

332

This moist single-layer vanilla cake has a delicate texture and delectable crumb, but it's the old-fashioned browned-butter glaze that gives it a nutty flavor. All you need is a few ingredients and tools (mainly an 8-inch cake pan). Use this batter for Cupcakes Americana, Old-Fashioned Jam Cake, and Crunchy Coffee Cake as well.

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Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for cake pan
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour, plus more for cake pan
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly coat an 8-inch cake pan with butter and dust with flour. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
2. Step 2Beat butter into the flour mixture, one heaping 1/4 teaspoonful at a time, using an electric mixer on low speed, until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Beat in sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture resembles fine damp sand. Beat in eggs one at a time. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat vanilla and milk just until blended. (Do not over beat.)
3. Step 3Transfer to the prepared pan and bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer to the rack to cool completely.
4. Step 4 Ice with Browned-Butter Glaze.