Heavenly Vanilla Bean Dream Cake: Simple & Sublime

Heavenly Vanilla Bean Dream Cake: Simple & Sublime

There's nothing quite like the comforting aroma and taste of a perfectly baked vanilla cake. This recipe delivers a moist, tender crumb infused with real vanilla bean, making it an ideal canvas for any celebration or a delightful treat for an ordinary day. It's surprisingly easy to achieve bakery-quality results right in your own kitchen!

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

30-35 minutes

Servings

8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
• For the Simple Buttercream:
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate medium bowl, cream the softened butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape in the vanilla bean seeds (or add vanilla extract) and almond extract, if using.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
7. While the cakes cool, prepare the buttercream: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until smooth. Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt; beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
8. Once cakes are completely cool, frost and decorate as desired. Enjoy!