Description
A simple mix and bake cake you can bake in a 13×9 pan, as cupcakes, or really any pan you have. The tender vanilla crumb and cream cheese icing are good almost anywhere.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
- 12 Tablespoons butter (170 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 3/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons whole milk (200 mL)
- 2 cups plus 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (300 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g)
- 2 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature (28 g)
- 1 Tablespoon milk or cream (15 mL)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 F).
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 13×9″ pan.
- Melt the butter, then set aside to cool while you whip the eggs.
- Whip the eggs with the sugar in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until the eggs have lightened and thickened. They will look bubbly, and the batter should fall off the end of the beater in thin ribbons.
- With the motor still running, beating the eggs, pour the butter down the side of the bowl. Whip for a few seconds to incorporate the butter.
- Add in the vanilla and whip a few seconds longer.
- Stream in the milk and whip until you have a smooth mixture.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- Sift the flour into the egg mixture a little bit at a time, beating for a couple seconds. Alternatively, you can fold in the flour a bit at a time by hand.
- When the flour has disappeared into the batter, use a spatula to scrape around the edges. Make a couple turns by hand to make sure all the flour is combined and you have a smooth, even batter.
- Smooth the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake for 30 minutes, until the center springs back on touching it, and you see golden brown flecks on top the cake.
- Set aside the cake to cool on a wire rack completely, about 30 minutes.
- If you’re skipping the frosting, sift powdered sugar over the top just before serving.
- Meanwhile, beat all the frosting ingredients together until the mixture is light, smooth, and creamy.
- When the cake is cool, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top. Add some sprinkles to finish it off.
- This cake is best cold, and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Easy Vanilla Cupcakes: fill 18 muffin tins with muffin liners. Fill the papers about 1/2″ from the top and bake for 20 minutes. Use 8 oz. cream cheese, 1 stick butter, 2 cups of powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla for a pipeable frosting.
- Skip the frosting?: if you’d like, skip the frosting entirely. I personally love this cake with powdered sugar simply sifted over the top.
- Vanilla Extract vs. Vanilla paste: use vanilla paste if you want a richer vanilla bean flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Additional Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Easy cakes
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 194
- Fat: 13
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 4
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 73