An exceptional, yet simple Vanilla Butter Cake. Adapted from a master Cook’s Illustrated recipe, this sponge cake is made with pantry staples, has a velvety, tender crumb and keeps well for 3 days. An essential addition to every recipe collection!
Want to step it up? Try my ultimate Perfect Vanilla Cake.
Moist and tender Vanilla Sponge Cake
I call this a plain-jane Vanilla Sponge Cake, but it’s really anything but that. Everyone should have a classic vanilla sponge cake in their repertoire, and it took me many years to find the “perfect” one.
This is a classic, simple Vanilla Sponge Cake that is made with basic ingredients – eggs, milk, butter, flour, sugar, vanilla, baking powder and salt. That’s it. No sour cream, no buttermilk – these are not pantry staples in my world – or any other schmancy ingredients. Yes adding sour cream and/or buttermilk makes an even more tender, more moist cake. But I wanted to share a truly great Vanilla Sponge Cake that is made with just pantry staples.
I have a soft spot for old fashioned Vanilla sponge cakes. I am pretty sure the Women’s Weekly Best Ever Sponge was the first cake I ever (attempted?) to make. 🙂 Freshly made, they are lovely, albeit a wee bit dry for my taste. But the biggest issue I’ve always had is that after 12 hours, the sponge is incredibly dry. Even slathered with copious amounts of cream and frosting can’t hide it.
This recipe I’m sharing today is made with the same ingredients as old fashioned Vanilla Sponge Cakes, but there’s one very important step that you won’t see in any Women’s Weekly recipe books from the 1980’s: beating softened butter into the dry ingredients. THIS is the secret to a moist, tender sponge cake made without sour cream or buttermilk.
How do I know this?
Because this is a Cook’s Illustrated recipe. 🙂 They’ve gone and done all the hard work with the recipe testing for us.
Regular readers know I’m never going to win any awards in the cake decorating category. I’m much more focussed on the body of the cake – getting that sponge right. So I kept this simple and just slathered on lots of cream and and sandwiched it with strawberries. In addition to adding some lovely fresh juicy flavours into the cake, the strawberries also stop the cream from oozing out of the cake when you cut into it.
You’ll see in the video. 🙂
Happy weekend everyone! Hope you have a lovely one. I’m off to a festival of some sort – for a friends’ birthday. I’m not really a festival-type gal, so it will be an experience. I don’t even know what the festival is for – music, I’m guessing. Guess I should probably leave my stilettos behind. 😉 – Nagi x
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Vanilla Sponge Cake recipe video!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Butter Cake (Vanilla Sponge Cak)
Ingredients
- 225 g / 2 sticks unsalted butter , cut into 8 pieces and softened
Wet:
- 4 large eggs (55 – 65g / 2 – 2.5 oz each), at room temperature
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml milk (whole or low fat, not no fat), room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry:
- 1 3/4 cups / 265g plain flour (all purpose flour, 7 oz) (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup cornflour / cornstarch (Note 1)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups / 330g caster sugar / superfine sugar (normal white sugar also ok)
- 3/4 tsp salt
Strawberries & Cream:
- 2 1/2 cups / 625 ml whipping cream
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 400 g/ 14 oz strawberries , halved (1 1/2 punnets)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan / convection). Put the rack in the middle of the oven.
- Butter 2 x 20cm / 8″ cake pans (Note 2). Line the base with baking paper.
- Place Wet ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place Dry ingredients in a bowl and use a handheld beater on speed 1 (slowest) to quickly whisk.
- Add 1/3 of the butter, then put the beater whisk in the butter, and mix using speed 1. Once the butter is incorporated a bit, speed up to 5 and whisk for 10 seconds.
- Add another 1/3 of the butter then repeat, then add remaining butter and repeat again. It should look like wet sand (see video / photos in post).
- Add half the Wet mixture, beat until incorporated. Add remaining Wet mixture, then beat on speed 5 (medium) until almost completely smooth.
- Divide between cake pans, smooth surface (it levels out in the oven), then bake for 25 minutes.
- A skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean but moist.
- Cool on cooling rack for at least 15 minutes then remove cake from pan.
Frosting / Decorating with Strawberries & Cream:
- Optional: Use a serrated knife (I use a bread knife) to cut the top off each cake to make it completely flat. This makes neat layers when you cut into the cake.
- Place cream, vanilla and sugar in a bowl. Beat on high with a handheld beater or stand mixer until firm peaks form.
- If piping little swirls around the edge like in the photos, transfer 1 cup of cream into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.
- Place a cake on a serving platter. Spread a thin layer of cream over the top.
- Cover with strawberries, cut side down.
- Top with 1/3 of the cream.
- Place 2nd cake on top. Cover top and sides with remaining cream. Pipe cream around the edge.
- Decorate with remaining strawberries, as desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More cake goodness
LIFE OF DOZER
You do not want to know how big the puddle on the floor was….EEEEWWWW!!!! (watch me teasing him with this in the video!!)
Hi Nagi, I have only had good outcomes using your receipes therefore you are my go to blogger for receipes. As a new Vegan, I was wondering if you have any vegan cooking/baking receipes Thanks
Hi Tulip, I don’t specifically do vegan recipes sorry (and if one is it is usually by accident) – N x
A keeper for sure, thank you again for another delicious Recipe Tin addition.
We usually make a laborious and expensive carrot cake for birthdays, but who’s got the time and money for that?
This is a great, easy, quick cake with tons of flavour.
Recipe was followed almost exactly as written, but we subbed mixed berries for the fresh strawberries. My mistakes to fix next time: use fine caster sugar (as called for), make sure the butter is fully softened (as called for), and bring the milk to room temperature (as called for).
Hi Christopher, this would be great with mixed berries! Yes all the small details really do make a difference when making a sponge – but I’m so glad you loved it!
My 11yo made this cake this afternoon, she loves to bake! It was delicious 😋
That’s great Megan, it’s great to get kids into the kitchen ❤️
Hi Nagi,
In this case, can we wash and pat dry the strawberries for filling purpose? Thanks.
Of course Min! – N x
What am awesome recipe! I’ve been baking birthday cakes for the past 7-8yrs and it’s always been either hit or miss wIth other recipes, but i followed your recipe and the cake rose beautifully and tasted great, so thank you, this is definitely a keeper 😀
Wahoo! That’s great to hear Parveen ❤️
Hi Nagi, thanks for sharing the recipe. Can I use cake flour instead? What should be the quantity of cake flour to be used? Thanks.
Hi Min – 290 grams of cake flour will replace the flour and corn starch in this recipe – N x
Hi Nagi, thank you for such a great recipe! I’m a pretty decent baker but couldn’t find a sponge which would keep moist for longer (the English Victoria sponge is great but won’t keep very long at all). You have no idea how many Vanilla recipes I tried until I stumbled upon yours. I love that you made it pretty basic but it really keeps well and the result is pretty consistent. I made lots of variations and made it into coffee cake, lemon….etc. it’s very versatile. If making lemon or coffee cake, I keep the original amount of sugar stated in recipe but if making vanilla cake I reduce it by 1/4 cup. I also like the reverse creaming method because it produces consistently nice crumb. I have a question though. You advice to only mix until incorporated but other people using this method advice either to mix it for full 2 min at the first or last stage. I’m confused. Is there a right or wrong way? What is your view on that? And purely hypothetically. If I substituted the plain and cornstarch for a cake flour. How much cake flour in gramms it would be? 290g of cake flour? Thank you for such a great staple recipe. More please!!!!! Best wishes xx
Hi Stania, I only mix until incorporated, it produces a lighter crumb as you aren’t over mixing the batter. And yes 290g of cake flour is the substitute. – N x
Hi Nagi, thank you for such a great recipe! I’m a pretty decent baker but couldn’t find a sponge which would keep moist for longer (the English Victoria sponge is great but won’t keep very long). You have no idea how many Vanilla recipes I tried until I stumbled upon yours. I love that you made it pretty basic but it really keeps well and the result is consistent. I made a lots of variations and made it into coffee cake, lemon….etc. it’s very versatile. I making lemon or coffee cake, I keep the original amount of sugar stated in recipe but if making vanilla cake I reduce it by 1/4 cup. I also like the reverse creaming method because it produces consistently nice crumb. I have a question though. You advice to only mix until incorporated but other people using this method advice either to mix it for 2 min at the first or last stage. I’m confused. Is there a right or wrong way? What is your view on that? Thank you for such a great staple recipe. More please!!!!! Best wishes xx
Hi Nagi!
What do you think about making a 5-layer 8” cake using this cake recipe? Do you think the rounds would be able to hold up? I am planning on frosting the outside with a Swiss meringue buttercream. My coworker asked me to make a cake that serves 30. Would it be better to do a 10” 3 layer instead? Thanks!!
Hi Jess – I’d probably opt for the 3 layer, just to be safe! Let me know how you go – N x
I have a question can this work for 10 inch pans??
Hi Raelene, it will, the cake will be slightly shorter though – N x
I have been trying cakes for almost 3 years by seeing various recipes. To be honest, none of the others recipe gave the spongy texture for the cake, except yours. It’s simply wowwwwwwww. I got a perfect cake by trying this recipe… A ton of hearty thanks for u. Loved the recipe. Tried muffins & chocolate cake with this recipe. Turns out well… Thanks again…
Wahoo!!!!!
I loved the simplicity of making it and how it turned out the texture was amazing and it also holds well.My only concern was the sugar I found it too sweet.
I’m sorry you found it too sweet Wendy, you could definitely cut back a little on the sugar if you prefer – N x
Hello, if i was doimg it in a single pan, what would cooking time roughly be?
Made cupcakes instead. Reduced the amount of sugar. Came out fabulous. Will definitely be making these again
Wahoo, that’s great to hear Tulip!
Thank you for the wonderful cake recipe!! I would love some more cake/dessert recipes in the future!!
You’re so welcome Brooke!
Hi I tried this recipe this morning. It’s so easy to make and tasty as well. I cut down on the sugar a bit for personal preference but it’s delicious thanks
Perfect Pat! – N x
Can I make this in a bundt pan?
I haven’t tried but I don’t see why not!
Hi Nagi,
My daughter is at a stage where she experiments with food but more especially baking. She asked me to get easy step by step instruction on baking a vanilla/chocolate cake since mommy is clueless. I must say the most user friendly and easy to read guides you have. I am now into baking with her. LOL!
Thats so nice to hear!!!
Hi Nagi, do you think I could use this sponge for your lamington recipe?
Hmmm… I think the sponge used in the Leamington recipe itself is a safer bet 🙂 Is there a reason you prefer this recipe?? N x
This one seems lighter! I made the lamington one and while it was moist, the sponge was quite dense. I prefer a lighter sponge, like the texture of your lemon cake 🙂
Hiya. Would this cake work with butter cream frosting for my sons birthday cake or would you recommend something a little more dense to hold together?
I know! It’s just that I’m worried this one is TOO light to handle the Lamington coating part 🙂 It might fall apart!
Hi, wanted to let you know I tried out this recipe today and I love it. It truly is the perfect sponge! Thank you so very much for the precise and helpful directions. The video in particular is just what I needed to understand the incorporation of the butter. Cheers!
Thanks so much for the awesome feedback Sue ❤️
Hi Nagi,
I just made this recipe and it’s absolutely delicious!! I used the buttercream frosting you gave us in another recipe and …….WOW… Thank you for sharing with all of us!! 🙂
Thanks so much, I’m so glad it was a hit!