bonappetit4.8
Easiest Vanilla Cake
A smidge of almond extract delivers a boost of flavor to our best vanilla cake recipe, and the cream cheese buttercream frosting takes it over the top.
👥 9 Servings👤 Kelly Janke📖 bonappetit
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●pan
- ●oven
- ●bowl
- ●whisk
- ●spatula
📝 Preparation Steps
1
CAKE
2
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Grease bottom of a 9"-diameter cake pan with oil and line with a parchment paper round. Grease parchment paper and lightly dust with flour, tapping out excess.
3
Whisk 1¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 1¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1½ tsp. baking powder, and ½ tsp. baking soda in a medium bowl to combine.
¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting1(200 g) granulated sugar1 cup¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature(220 g) powdered sugar, sifted, divided2 cups¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt1½ tsp. baking powder1
4
Whisk 2 large eggs, ¾ cup sour cream, ⅔ cup vegetable oil, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp. almond extract in a large bowl until combined and smooth. Add dry ingredients all at once and gently fold in with a rubber spatula just until incorporated and batter is smooth (do not overmix).
(200 g) granulated sugar1 cuplarge eggs2(220 g) powdered sugar, sifted, divided2 cups. fresh lemon juice1 tsp. vanilla extract1 Tbsp
5
Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake cake until golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30–⏱️ 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan ⏱️ 30 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and unmold; carefully remove parchment paper. Let cool completely.
6
FROSTING AND ASSEMBLY
7
While the cake is cooling, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 2 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, and ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, until fluffy, about ⏱️ 2 minutes. Stop mixer and add 1 cup (110 g) powdered sugar, sifted, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, and 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until incorporated, about ⏱️ 1 minute. Beat in remaining 1 cup (110 g) powdered sugar, sifted, until incorporated and frosting is lump-free, about ⏱️ 1 minute.
(200 g) granulated sugar1 cup. cream cheese, room temperature2 oz(220 g) powdered sugar, sifted, divided2 cups. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt1 tsp. fresh lemon juice1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract1 tsp
8
Place cake, right side up, on a cake stand or large plate. Mound frosting on top and spread over surface, leaving a ½" border around the edges. Using an offset spatula or a large spoon, make decorative swirls, swoops, and divots in frosting if desired. Top with sprinkles (if using). Editor’s note: Head this way for more of our best cake recipes →
(200 g) granulated sugar1 cup(220 g) powdered sugar, sifted, divided2 cupsSprinkles (for decorating; optional)
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