Easy vanilla cake

Easy vanilla cake

A moist cake drenched with vanilla syrup. Use as the basis for a range of fabulous celebration cakes

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 12

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 20 mins

Freezable

Method

  1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a round, deep 20cm tin, then line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper.
  2. Using electric beaters or a tabletop mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt together until pale and fluffy, then pour in the eggs, one at a time, giving the mix a really good beating before adding the next. Add 1 tbsp of the plain flour if the mix starts to look slimy rather than fluffy. Beat in the yogurt.
  3. Mix the flours; then, using a large metal spoon, fold them into the batter, followed by the milk. Spoon the mix into the tin and bake for 1 hr 20 mins or until well risen and golden - a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean.
  4. Meanwhile, make the syrup by gently heating 50ml water with the sugar and vanilla in a pan until the sugar dissolves. Set aside. Once the cake is out of the oven, leave to cool for 30 mins in the tin, then use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake, going right to the bottom. Pour the syrup over, letting it completely soak in after each addition. Leave to cool completely, then either wrap the cake well or fill and ice it. If you wrap it with baking parchment and cling film, the unfilled cake will keep well for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
  5. For ideas on how to decorate the cake and to try out some variations on this basic cake mixture, have a look at the 'Goes well with' recipes for Simple elegance wedding cake, Birthday bug cake and Summer celebration cake.
Try

A good, basic vanilla buttercream

Put 175g soft unsalted butter into a large bowl. Beat with electric beaters for a few secs until pale. Gradually add 300g sifted icing sugar, a spoonful at a time. Keep beating until mixture is pale and creamy. Beat in seeds from 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla paste. Makes enough to cover a 20cm cake. Will keep in fridge for 1 week. Bring back to room temperature and beat well before using.

PER SERVING

399 kcalories, protein 6.0g, carbohydrate 48.0g, fat 21.0 g, saturated fat 12.0g, fibre 1.0g, sugar 27.0g, salt 0.31 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, June 2009.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo Claire

    17 June 2009

    Claire rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Good basic cake recipe. Lovely and moist. Would make again.

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  • Binder photo Cucina Italiana

    26 June 2009

    Cucina Italiana rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Thought about making this for MIL's 70th birthday next weekend, so had a 'trial run' yesterday with a 20cm cake. I am definitely going to make a bigger version for the party! Not only that, but this is going to be my sponge of choice for non-chocolate celebration cakes in future - it tastes sublime and is so, so easy to make. Highly recommended! xx

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  • Binder photo tish

    23 July 2009

    tish rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo currymad

    26 July 2009

    currymad commented on this recipe

    This cake was a hit with all the family it was super moist and the butter cream was really creamy and delicious.I served it with strawberries,rasberries and blueberries and slightly toasted flaked almonds and whipped double cream, it was heaven on a plate.

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  • Binder photo currymad

    26 July 2009

    currymad rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Fionn

    11 August 2009

    Fionn commented on this recipe

    How long will the cake last once filled and iced?

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  • Binder photo Coopsie

    12 August 2009

    Coopsie commented on this recipe

    I made this cake for my son's birthday and we finally finished it a week and a half later - it is absolutely yummy! Because it's so moist it keeps well but if not in the fridge keep it in a cool place.

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  • Binder photo Rose

    15 September 2009

    Rose commented on this recipe

    What can you fill it with, jam?

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  • Binder photo Coopsie

    04 October 2009

    Coopsie commented on this recipe

    I filled mine with vanilla buttercream, didn't bother with the jam and it was still delicious.

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  • Binder photo Calley

    10 October 2009

    Calley commented on this recipe

    I am thinking of trying it for my dads 40th.. will let you know how it goes!!

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  • Binder photo EmmaTowle

    15 December 2009

    EmmaTowle rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I used this recipe for my daughters first birthday cake and we all loved it. Practised it a few times before hand and it turned out yummy every time.

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  • Binder photo Sami Mac

    20 January 2010

    Sami Mac rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Fiver

    23 March 2010

    Fiver rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Marianne

    30 March 2010

    Marianne rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Pinksandi

    30 March 2010

    Pinksandi commented on this recipe

    How do you fill it?

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  • Binder photo bon bons

    20 April 2010

    bon bons commented on this recipe

    i always use a few soon fulls of milk in the butter icing and always had positive feed back on the taste

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  • Binder photo Emer

    12 May 2010

    Emer rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I want to make this for my daughter's birthday party but thought I'd do a trial run first. I made half the quantity and used a 1lb loaf tin - perfect! I didn't fill it, but coated the top with the vanilla buttercream with a little white chocolate added (as per Birthday Bug cake - about one third of the quantity). This also turned out great. I will definitely be making the full size cake complete with bugs for the big day.

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  • Binder photo paula

    24 May 2010

    paula rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I made this for my husband's birthday. Because we didn't want to eat it all straight away I filled it with cream and jam. It seems to have frozen well. We like to eat some and then freeze the rest for later. The filling made the cake very rich so it's just as well we didn't try to eat it all in a week. It was nice but I have known greater cake pleasure.

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  • Binder photo Sami Mac

    06 June 2010

    Sami Mac commented on this recipe

    I made this for my daughter's 8th birthday. I cut the cake into a handbag shape and iced it with coloured royal icing. I added a silver foil clasp and plaited icing strands for a strap - she loved it. I also made this for my son's 4th birthday - using a square cake tin and covering the cake with green royal icing. I then made it into a football pitch by piping with white icing and added some shop bought football goals and players. Both were a hit, it is now my celebration cake recipe of choice.

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  • Binder photo Loobyloo

    17 June 2010

    Loobyloo commented on this recipe

    Made this tonight - if you increase the recipe by 20% (6 eggs, 300g butter, 300g sugar, 120g yoghurt, 100g plain flour, 300g SR flour etc) it makes the perfect recipe for a giant cupcake for those of you who have one of the tins. Definitely my giant cupcake recipe of choice.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 12

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 20 mins

Freezable

Ingredients

  • 250g pack unsalted butter , softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 250g golden caster sugar
  • seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla paste
  • 5 large eggs , cracked into a jug
  • 85g plain flour
  • 100g full-fat Greek yogurt (I used Total)
  • 250g self-raising flour
  • 3 tbsp semi-skimmed milk

FOR THE SYRUP

  • 50g golden caster sugar
  • seeds ½ vanilla pod or ½ tsp vanilla paste
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PER SERVING

399 kcalories, protein 6.0g, carbohydrate 48.0g, fat 21.0 g, saturated fat 12.0g, fibre 1.0g, sugar 27.0g, salt 0.31 g

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