Vanilla Bean Cake
One-Bowl Vanilla Bean Sheet Cake Recipe: Easy and Delicious!
How this Vanilla Bean Cake became famous:
I started making this humble cake this summer for the Whitefish Farmer’s Market so folks could sample my vanilla products. Boy, was it a hit. Just last night, I had a bit of cake leftover and a woman came up and asked me how much it would be to buy the rest of the cake. I sold it to her for $5. Probably should have charged more.
I have served dozens of these cakes all over Montana at farmers markets and shows. Thousands of people have downloaded this recipe.
Everyone always asks me for the recipe and I reply- “it’s just eggs, flour, vanilla, sugar, and butter.” But, it really is a lovely little cake that deserves a post of its own.
Frost it with either my Classic Vanilla Buttercream frosting or my Chocolate Frosting recipe.
Enjoy.
Why this recipe works:
- Mixing the ingredients in one bowl makes it super simple.
- You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry and fridge.
- Room-temperature eggs, butter, and dairy products make this cake extra fluffy and light.
- This cake bakes up in a standard 9″ x 13″ pan- no fussy cake pans or tins.
- The Vanilla Bean buttercream frosting is so good and So easy- just 4 ingredients.
Equipment you will need for this recipe:
- 9″ x 13″ cake pan
- Stand mixer or electric mixer
- Fine mesh sieve
- Offset spatula
- Rubber or silicone spatula
Secrets for a Fantastic Vanilla Bean Cake:
- Correctly measure your flour with this method: Fluff the flour with a fork or whisk, spoon into a dry measuring cup, level off the flour with a knife. For even more precise baking use a food scale. Buy my favorite HERE.
- Use fresh flour, baking soda and baking powder. Flour can go rancid, so give it a sniff test.
- Buy the best quality vanilla bean paste you can find like my Pine and Palm Vanilla Paste.
- Cream the butter and sugar toggery until they are light and fluffy. you do not want any sugar crystals visible. Make certain your butter is room temperature- leave out for 3-4 hours in the summer. Overnight in the fall and winter.
- My favorite butter is unsalted Land O’ Lakes or Challenge.
Other Vanilla Bean Paste recipes to try:
- The Very Best Southern Banana Pudding
- 5 Ingredient Homemade Vanilla Bean Almond Milk
- Apricot Galette with Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Cream
- Brown Butter Pecan Cookies
Common Questions
Vanilla Paste is a flavor enhancer used the same way you would use vanilla extract. It is made of whole vanilla beans, water, alcohol ( typically vodka or rum), sugar and a thinking agent like Xanthan gum or light corn syrup. Look for the best quality paste you can find. Artificial colors or additives are not desirable. I typically use about half as much paste as vanilla extract in most recipes.
Yes- substitute the extract 1-1 in this recipe. Meaning- use the 2 full teaspoons.
You can order here on my website or any fancy food shop or grocer on the baking and spice aisle.
I use All-purpose flour but cake flour works beautifully for lighter sponge.
Here’s how to butter & flour your baking pans: Using a pastry brush or even very clean fingers or a piece of wrapper from a stick of butter. Take 1-2 Tablespoons of soft butter and rub all around the pan.
Cover the entire surface inside of your baking dish with the soft butter. Do not use cold butter- it will not spread well. Nor should you use melted butter- it will run down. Then add about 1 tablespoon of flour the pan. Shake the pan over the sink or trash can to evenly distribute the flour and coat the butter lightly. give the pan a good “whack” to remove any excess flour. There should be a light, but visible layer of flour sticking to the pan.
I do not like the taste of cooking spray. It can pool in the corners of your baking dish causing it to burn the cake batter. I do not use Bakers Joy often, so I cannot comment on if the cake will release well from the pan.
How to Make a One-Bowl Vanilla Bean Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 cup 2% milk at room temperature
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 354 grams
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 x 13 cake pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add in the sugar, and beat on medium for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Add in the vanilla bean paste, milk, and yogurt or sour cream. Mix for 30 seconds on medium speed until well incorporated. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and beat until well blended into the butter mixer.
- With a fine sieve placed over the stand mixer bowl, sift together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour.
- Beat the flour into the butter mixture on low for 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides and beat until just combined. Turn the speed up to medium-high and beat the mixture for about 15 seconds. It should be light and fluffy. Do not over-mix.
- Spoon the mixer into the prepared baking dish. Using an offset spatula, smooth the batter into the cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Set on a wire rack to cool completely. Once completely cooled, top with my vanilla buttercream frosting.
- Use a sharp knife and loosen the cake from the edges of the pan. Slice into squares and serve.
