Vanilla Bean Cake With Buttercream (Printable)
Classic layered vanilla bean cake with creamy buttercream. Perfect celebration dessert for 12 servings.
# What You Need:
→ For the Vanilla Bean Cake
01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon fine salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
→ For the Buttercream Frosting
09 - 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
10 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 tablespoons whole milk
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
→ For Decoration
14 - Sprinkles or edible flowers (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla bean paste until fully incorporated.
05 - Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth tops with a spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
08 - Beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed. Add milk, vanilla, and salt; beat on high for 3 minutes until fluffy.
09 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of buttercream on top. Place the second layer over the first, then frost the top and sides evenly.
10 - Decorate with sprinkles or edible flowers if desired. Slice and serve.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The vanilla bean paste creates those beautiful speckles throughout the cake that signal something special
- Buttercream that stays perfectly spreadable but holds its shape for hours
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients blend together seamlessly and prevent curdled batter
- Overmixing after adding flour creates tough cake, so stop as soon as you see no dry streaks
03 -
- Sift powdered sugar directly into the butter to prevent airborne sugar clouds
- Rotate cake pans halfway through baking for even rising