Moist Vanilla Bean Cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Birthday time! One of my close friends had a birthday (okay, it was a month ago, I'm slow with posting) and for flavors of her cake she gave me options: coconut, banana, or vanilla.
Coconut is definitely off the table. Banana... let's just say I have "eh" feelings about bananas in cakes. Banana bread, sure. But birthday cake? Nah. So it's a pretty easy decision - vanilla all the way. That's one reason it's awesome to be the baker. Free reign over final decisions. Well, as long as you're not getting paid. Because then the customer is always right. Either way, I still retain veto power.
Anyway, cake. Standard vanilla cake, while delicious, is not exciting enough for a birthday. Let's try a vanilla bean confection. And sprinkles. Of course sprinkles!
Throw on an apron and let's start. Get that oven preheating to 350F. Then prep some baking pans with parchment paper and cooking spray - I recommend 2 round pans of the 9" variety, but you could always adapt and do a 9x13 rectangular pan or cupcakes.
Lug out the trusty stand mixer. Cream together the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Slice the vanilla bean in half and scrape out all the delicious seeds. Put them in with the butter/sugar to mix thoroughly. I threw the remnants of the pod in my vanilla container for extra flavor but do what you will with yours...
While that works, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Add eggs to the stand mixer one at a time and whip until well combined before adding the next egg. Add in the vanilla and mix.
Alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture with the milk in 2-3 batches until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter among pans and bake.
When the cake is golden brown on top, remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. When completely cool, transfer to a cake stand for frosting.
While the cake cools, whip up the frosting. Bad news, you need the same bowl for the stand mixer (unless you're as lucky as I am and have two!) so that needs to be cleaned. So after washing the dishes, then you can start.
I should also say that normally I recommend using a paddle attachment to whip up buttercream. However, a whisk attachment works too as long as your butter is room temp already. But it's really up to you.
Beat butter until smooth. Add confectioner's sugar slowly and beat at a low speed until combined. Otherwise you will have a cloud of sugar. Not fun to clean...
After the sugar is combined, add a pinch of salt, the seeds from 2 scraped vanilla beans, vanilla extract, and milk.
Whip on low-medium speed until creamy and fluffy. This will take time, so give it at least 4-5 minutes. See how much more volume you get? That means it's ready.
Taste the frosting, just to be sure it's delicious. If not, adjust as necessary. But trust me, it will be amazing!
Smooth a thick layer of frosting on top of the first layer.
Add the second cake layer and mound the rest of the frosting on top.
Smooth over top sides until you have an even, smooth layer. (Or not so smooth if you cover it with sprinkles...)
Go crazy with sprinkles.
Devour!
Published 2004
Coconut is definitely off the table. Banana... let's just say I have "eh" feelings about bananas in cakes. Banana bread, sure. But birthday cake? Nah. So it's a pretty easy decision - vanilla all the way. That's one reason it's awesome to be the baker. Free reign over final decisions. Well, as long as you're not getting paid. Because then the customer is always right. Either way, I still retain veto power.
Anyway, cake. Standard vanilla cake, while delicious, is not exciting enough for a birthday. Let's try a vanilla bean confection. And sprinkles. Of course sprinkles!
Lug out the trusty stand mixer. Cream together the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Slice the vanilla bean in half and scrape out all the delicious seeds. Put them in with the butter/sugar to mix thoroughly. I threw the remnants of the pod in my vanilla container for extra flavor but do what you will with yours...
While that works, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Add eggs to the stand mixer one at a time and whip until well combined before adding the next egg. Add in the vanilla and mix.
Alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture with the milk in 2-3 batches until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter among pans and bake.
When the cake is golden brown on top, remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. When completely cool, transfer to a cake stand for frosting.
While the cake cools, whip up the frosting. Bad news, you need the same bowl for the stand mixer (unless you're as lucky as I am and have two!) so that needs to be cleaned. So after washing the dishes, then you can start.
I should also say that normally I recommend using a paddle attachment to whip up buttercream. However, a whisk attachment works too as long as your butter is room temp already. But it's really up to you.
Beat butter until smooth. Add confectioner's sugar slowly and beat at a low speed until combined. Otherwise you will have a cloud of sugar. Not fun to clean...
Whip on low-medium speed until creamy and fluffy. This will take time, so give it at least 4-5 minutes. See how much more volume you get? That means it's ready.
Taste the frosting, just to be sure it's delicious. If not, adjust as necessary. But trust me, it will be amazing!
Smooth a thick layer of frosting on top of the first layer.
Add the second cake layer and mound the rest of the frosting on top.
Smooth over top sides until you have an even, smooth layer. (Or not so smooth if you cover it with sprinkles...)
Go crazy with sprinkles.
Vanilla Bean Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 large vanilla bean
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of 2 9" round pans with parchment paper and spray sides with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light an fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Cut vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds, adding to the butter mixture. Discard remaining pod. Add eggs one at a time to the mixing bowl and combine well after each. Add vanilla and mix.
- Add half of flour mixture to the butter, and stir until just combined. Add half of milk and continue to combine. Add the remaining dry and wet ingredients until just mixed.
- Evenly divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on wire rack before frosting.
Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Published 2004
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2 vanilla beans, scraped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar slowly and beat until combined.
- Add vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add milk and beat on low-medium speed until smooth and creamy, 5 minutes.
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