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Cake 101 – Vanilla Butter Cake

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Mixing technique can make a big difference when making Vanilla Butter Cake. Find out the best way to get a light and tender cake.

Three different ways to mix the same vanilla butter cake.

Three different ways to mix the same vanilla cake.

Note: Since this post was written I’ve created a very detailed and specific series of classes about the science of cake batter, click on the Baking School link in the top menu to see the entire series.

When I was developing the base recipe for my wedding cake business I wanted a tender and melt-in-your mouth cake that could be stacked into wedding cakes or carved into 3-d creations. This vanilla cake recipe was the basis for most of the wedding cakes I sold at Cake Art Studio.

I always make my butter cakes using the “reverse creaming” method of mixing. While I was writing up this post, I knew I wanted to explain the reverse creaming method and why I use it.

A short explanation – The traditional “creaming method” starts by whipping together the butter and sugar to incorporate air into the batter. Reverse creaming starts with the butter mixed into the dry ingredients to prevent gluten formation.

(I have edited this post and  deleted the long explanation about the mixing methods because I cover those extensively in the Cake Batter series. To learn all about cake batter mixing methods visit the Cake Batter Mixing Methods Post.)

One Recipe, three very different cakes!

Since showing is always better than telling, I mixed the vanilla recipe three different ways; Traditional creaming, reverse creaming and reverse creaming with the eggs separated and the whites whipped and folded in.

Some differences were immediately noticeable. The batter made by the traditional creaming method was a darker yellow and felt a little more dense than the other two batters.  The traditional cake baked up shorter than the cakes made with the reverse method.

The Proof is in the tasting!

But the true test would be the tasting, and there were distinct differences between the three cakes. Cake 1 (traditional creaming method) had an open and regular crumb, but was not as tender as I would like and it had a slightly oily mouth-feel. Cake 2 (reverse creaming) was very tender, velvety and soft. Cake 3 (reverse method with whipped whites) had a slightly irregular but very tender crumb. It was not quite as velvety as cake 2, but it was lighter and quite tender.

Three cake with the exact same ingredients, but different mixing methods. Three different outcomes for vanilla butter cake.

Three cakes with the exact same ingredients, but different mixing methods. Three different outcomes. Left=Traditional Method, Middle=Reverse Creaming, Right=Reverse with Whipped Whites

vanilla butter cake

The bottom cake=traditional, the middle cake=Reverse, the top cake=Reverse with whipped whites

vanilla butter cake

The cake on the left=Traditional, middle=Reverse, Right=Reverse with Whipped Whites.

For Vanilla Butter Cake I still like my method of reverse creaming and whipped eggs whites to get the best of both worlds; a tender cake with a light and airy crumb. This is a really great all purpose cake that is tender yet strong enough for stacking or carving. For more information about cake batter, click on the Baking School link in the main menu.

Watch this video to see how to do the “reverse creaming” method for a light and tender cake:

 

Serves 12

Vanilla Butter Cake

Perfectly tender and buttery vanilla cake layers. Super soft, yet strong enough for sculpted or wedding cakes.

30 minPrep Time

30 minCook Time

1 hrTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 6 large egg yolks at room temperature
  • 3 large egg whites at room temperature
  • 1 cup (8 oz, 230g) sour cream at room temperature, divided in 1/2
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (10oz, 285g) cake flour
  • 1 1/2 cups (12 oz, 340g) granulated sugar, 1/4 cup separated & reserved
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 sticks + 2 tablespoons (9 oz, 255g) unsalted butter at room temperature

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F convection or 350°F regular
  • Line two 8 round cake pans with a circle of parchment paper or butter and flour the bottom of the pans only, not the sides.
  • Combine the yolks, 1/2 the sour cream and the vanilla in a small bowl, whisk to combine
  • Into a mixer bowl put 1 1/4 cup of the sugar, sift in the flour, leavening and salt.
  • Mix with the paddle on low speed to distribute the leavening
  • Add the butter to the flour mixture.
  • Mix on low until the butter is incorporated and the batter looks like a paste
  • Add the other 1/2 of the sour cream to the flour and butter mixture
  • Increase the speed to medium and mix about 3 minutes until the batter lightens in texture
  • Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl
  • With the mixer on low, add 1/2 the egg yolk mixture. Mix until mostly incorporated
  • Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl
  • Add the rest of the egg yolk mixture. Scrape the bowl and mix until incorporated.
  • Take the batter off the mixer.
  • Whip the egg whites on medium high until they form soft peaks
  • Turn the mixer to medium low and slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar
  • Turn the mixer to medium high and whip the whites to full peak.
  • Fold the whites into the base in 2 parts.
  • Fold just until there are no streaks of egg whites.
  • Divide the batter between the 2 pans and spread so it's level
  • Bake about 25-30 minutes until the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  • Cool 10 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a cooling rack
  • When fully cooled, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 3 hours or over night.

Notes

The cake is very soft the day that it's baked. If you'd like to trim the crust and split the layers allow it to chill in the refrigerator until it's firm enough to handle without breaking.

The filled cake can be kept at room temperature for several days (unless it has a perishable filling).

The cake cake be frozen for several months.

7.6.8
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https://www.baking-sense.com/2015/04/20/cake-101-vanilla-butter-cake/

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beautiful! I stumbled upon this blog by accident and am quite glad I did!! I am now a stay at home mom who was a trained pasyry chef as well. At one of my shorter lived jobs I made a recipe I was given to test for the best vanilla cake I habe ever tasted. The problem is I cannot for the life of me remember the exact recipe. It was a dense cake but very moist with a not too tight crumb. I do remember it had mayo (i know... Usually only in chocolate cakes your grandmother made) AND buttermilk! Do you by chance know how to "sub or add" mayo into a cake? It still had a few eggs in it so I am guessing just throwing it in addition? Any thoughts would be helpful. Thank you!!
    Reply

    • Hi Alexandra. Hmmm, I haven't made a mayo cake in years. The ingredients for Hellman's Mayo lists oil as the first ingredient and eggs as the second ingredient.If I were experimenting with this recipe and wanted to add mayo I think I'd start by substituting some of the sour cream to exchange the fat in the mayo for the fat in the sour cream. You might even eliminate the sour cream and add a mix of mayo and buttermilk and then tweak it from there. If you experiment I'd love to know how it goes.
      Reply

      • Thank you for the advice! I will let you know if I test your cake with the changes :) I am on the search for the perfect birthday cake for my son in a few months!
        Reply

  2. Fascinating ... I'm new to baking and love to experiment and can't wait to try this. I Love to bake cupcakes. Would you recommend this recipie and method for cupcakes? Also, you did not mention the all in one method in this blog. Is there a reason for that?
    Reply

    • Hi Julie, I have used this very same batter to make cupcakes and they bake up beautifully. I fill the cupcakes pans about 2/3 full and end up with a nicely domed top. I have not tried the all in one method. The reason the two stage or reverse creaming makes a tender cake is because the flour is coated with the fat before any liquid (eggs) is introduced. I'm concerned that mixing all the ingredients together might make for a less tender cake since the liquid goes in with the flour from the beginning. I do plan to do some experimenting with the traditional pound cake recipe so I might give this method a try to see the results. Thanks for reading and happy baking!
      Reply

  3. Hi, I love baking and I will definitely try your butter cake recipe... Actually I was searching for a butter cake recipe using reverse creaming method because I want to see how is it done... I found this vanilla buttermilk bunds cake that used reverse creaming method... I've made this recipe countless of time and turned out well every time. Moist, soft in the inside and a lil crispy on the outside. However, I've baked using the same recipe a few times recently but unfortunately doesn't turned out as desired. Soft on the outside and didn't cooked evenly on the inside.... Btw, the reverse creaming method used in this recipe has called to add butter and half of liquid mixture (buttermilk, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla essence) in the flour mixture, beat well and then the other half of the liquid mixture. What do you think I would have done wrong?
    Reply

    • Hi Sakinah, I'm not sure what could be going wrong if you'd been getting good results until recently. Did you change anything about how you make the batter? Did you change the type of pan that it was baked in? If you switched from a Bundt pan to a round pan it could affect the baking time and give you a different result.
      Reply

  4. Hi Eileen, I'm a mother who likes to bake her kids' birthday cakes and have been on a quest for the perfect cake. Your recipe sounds delicious and I'm going to try it but was wondering if it's possible to reduce the sugar content without compromising the taste and texture of the cake.
    Reply

    • Hi Stephanie-Sugar doesn't only add sweetness to cake batter, it also contributes moisture and helps make the cake more tender for a melt-in-your-mouth texture. I wouldn't reduce the sugar to less than the amount of flour in a recipe. This recipe calls for 10 ounces of flour and 12 ounces of sugar. So I wouldn't reduce the sugar by more than 2 oz. If you reduce much more than that you'll get something with a texture more like a muffin or quick bread, rather than a cake. I'm currently writing a series of articles for American Cake Decorating Magazine looking at the role of each ingredient in a cake batter. I'll be doing the series in my blog as well. This should help anyone looking to change a recipe to suit their own tastes. Hope this was helpful. If you try reducing the sugar, let me know how it turns out.
      Reply

  5. Hello, How would you add dulce de leche to this cake? Would it be a sub ingrediant or just added in addition at the end? Thanks!
    Reply

    • Hi Vicki - I'm not sure exactly what you have in mind. I wouldn't add ingredients directly to the batter because it would change the texture of the cake batter. You'd need to revise the recipe to accommodate the new ingredient. I've drizzled cajeta, which is similar to dulce de leche, onto cake layers and let is soak in. You can see an example of such a cake in the cajeta post. You could also add the dulce de leche to a buttercream filling to create a buttercream with that flavor.
      Reply

  6. I have made this cake twice and both times it fell when I took it out of the oven. I followed the recipe precisely and am very disappointed in it. The flavor is delicious but who wants a flat cake?! The first try, I thought maybe I did something wrong but after the second try, I don't think so. I really love the taste and want to use this recipe for a wedding cake but I can't if it's flat. Help!
    Reply

    • Hi Jen, Sorry you're having trouble with your cake. I'm very confident with this recipe since I've been making it for more than 10 years. It's hard to know what's happening without working in person but I'll try to help you troubleshoot. I'll start with some general questions: Are you using weight or volume measures? Are you using the reverse creaming or regular creaming method? Did you make any ingredient substitutions, like all purpose flour instead of cake flour or yogurt instead of sour cream? Are you sure that your oven temperature is calibrated correctly? If there is a significant difference in oven temp, for example if it's baking at a much lower temperature, the cake might not set properly. Does it rise in the oven then fall while it's still in the oven or when it is cooling? Again, without knowing specifics, my first guess with a cake that rises and then falls is that there's a problem with the leavening. Are you using the correct measurements of both baking soda and baking powder?
      Reply

  7. Hello and thanks for taking the time to explain all that wonderful advice I have not used your recipe yet but I'm interested in the reverse method without the whipped egg whites I have a QUESTION regarding the amount of eggs would I just use 6 eggs? Or do I use 9 in replace of the 3 egg whites?
    Reply

  8. Hi Mrs. Coachman - If you're trying to avoid separating the eggs I would recommend using 5 whole eggs instead of the 6 yolks and 3 whites listed in the recipe. Hope that helps. Let me know how it turns out.
    Reply

    • Ok thanks so much!! I will let you know how it turns out I don't mind the separating process I just noticed there was nothing about the egg amount for (the basic ) and the (reverse method without egg whites) I want to try all of them so will it be 6 whole eggs for the basic method as well? Last question! My favorite texture cake is something moist and velvety which method fits that description best?
      Reply

      • The reason the original recipe has more yolks than whites is because the extra yolks give the cake more richness and a more tender crumb. You can use the same proportions and just not whip the whites or you can use all whole eggs (5). To me, I think reverse creaming with whipped whites give the most velvety texture. It's the way I always mix my cakes. This week I will be publishing a series of "classes" all about cake batter. Each "class" will go into detail about the ingredients in the cake batter and how to change ingredients around to fix the texture of a cake.
        Reply

  9. I've been using this recipe with success, however, the last time I used it the tops were so sticky and I had a little accident with one layer after torting it - I made the mistake of laying the sticky side down and then it stuck to the foil where I laid it while I filled the other layers. I've always torted this cake and the tops have never been this sticky. What do you think made it sticky? I have to make a wedding cake and would like to use this recipe again but would like to avoid the stickiness.
    Reply

    • Hi Ana. If you refrigerate the cake before torting, the crust on the top can get a bit sticky. Especially if it was wrapped while still warm. What I do is unwrap the cake and peel off the sticky layer on top. Next time, if it sticks to the foil just put it in the refrigerator and let it get cold. Take it out and flip it over so the foil is on top. It should be easy to peel away the foil before flipping it back over. Since this cake gets firm when chilled (because of the butter) it's super easy to handle when it's cold. Also, I always use parchment paper instead of foil because it's less sticky. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions. Eileen
      Reply

      • Hi thanks for your response. I froze the cake and the foil was just the outer layer that I happened to place the cake on after torting it. To freeze I wrap in plastic wrap and then again in foil. Do you think I should let it cool completely before wrapping and freezing so it's not as sticky?
        Reply

        • I do think if you let the cake cool completely it will stick less. But I never mind when the outside sticks because I trim that off anyway. Personally, I don't like the brown crusty part in the cake. When the outside sticks I just peel it off with the plastic wrap. Have you looked at this post? You can see detailed photos of how I trim and assemble the cake. Hope that helps.
          Reply

  10. Thanks for such an informative post. I've used reverse creaming before but only when recipes specifically call for it. Do you think I can try the reverse creaming method with other cake recipes and get similar results? I have searched high and low for a good strawberry cake recipe that doesn't rely on boxed mix and weird ingredients like jello. I finally found one that has a good flavor and decent texture, but I found the crumb wasn't quite what I had hoped for. The cake was moist and fairly tender but had a very open, holey texture and I was hoping for something with a that is tender but still with a fairly fine crumb, if that makes sense. More like the reverse creaming with whipped whites in your pictures. Also, are there any pitfalls to be aware of when using the reverse creaming method? I'm making my daughter's birthday cake on Saturday and would hate to screw it up! Here's the recipe in question: http://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/15348/summers-scratch-strawberry-cake
    Reply

    • Hi Lindsay. I would say that any recipe that uses the "creaming" method could be made with the reverse creaming method. I looked at the recipe you want to use and it looks like a pretty balanced recipe. There is a fairly high percentage of liquid in the recipe with the eggs, strawberry puree and sour cream. If you add an emulsifier to the batter that will help the texture of the batter and the cake crumb. Egg yolks are great emulsifiers. You might want to try using 4 whole eggs plus 3 yolks instead of 5 whole eggs. You can still separate the whites and whip them as described in my recipe. There is a lot more information about cake batter in the Baking School section here at Baking Sense. If you review the Pound Cake Perfection class you'll learn about the Baker's Formula and about balanced cake recipes.
      Reply

  12. Wow this is so fascinating! I'm not much of a cake baker, but I think it's because I don't understand the science behind it. This is awesome! I may just go bake a perfect cake today!
    Reply

    • Thanks, Nicole. Even if you don't care about the science behind it, just follow the recipe and you'll get a great tasting cake.
      Reply

  13. Nice info! Just wondering how it would end up with the traditional way and whipped whites. I'm not such a baker but I love to learn about it science. It's a nice experiment you've done there! Surely those wedding cakes are popular with all that fluffy and light vanilla texture!
    Reply

    • I think the traditional way with whipped whites would work well too. The advantage of reverse creaming is that the flour gets coated with fat before the liquid is added. So no gluten can form, making a very tender cake. Those wedding cakes were very, very popular for 10 years. Thanks!
      Reply

  16. I suppose, with the reverse creaming method, the leavening would not be activated till you add the sour cream? Sure makes a beautiful cake!
    Reply

    • Hi Nicole. The baking powder is activated once it gets wet and again when it goes in the oven (double acting). So, yes, it starts to get activated with the eggs (there's not much liquid in the sour cream) and then again in the oven.
      Reply

  17. What a fantastic post, I have to say I love your cake series, every post is so informative and I always take away at least one thing I didn't know! I will be using the whipped whites method from now on, look at how fluffy that cake is!
    Reply

  18. Mmmmmm. Vanilla. A moist and tender cake. I don't think I need anything more. Thank you for taking the time to compare methods to find the best technique!
    Reply

    • Thanks, Sarah. As I always say, even if you don't care about the science, if you follow the recipe it will work.
      Reply

  20. This post is so informative. I can't wait to try the reverse creaming method. I'm going to go check our your baking series too. Pinning!
    Reply

  21. Hello, I cannot have gluten or milk/cream. Based on what I have been reading I was planning on: -not doing the reverse creaming method, sticking to the "traditional" method -use 230 oz of GF flour and 50 oz of cornstarch (to mimic Cake Flour) -eliminate the sour cream and the corresponding baking soda Is this the right approach? Do you have a recommendation on how to better proceed? Thank you!!
    Reply

    • Replacing the GF flour for regular flour is a 1:1 swap. In my testing I used GF flour to replace cake flour and did not use corn starch. I don't think you need to use the corn starch, just the GF flour. Yes, I do recommend the normal creaming method when using GF flour. Can you have butter? I'm assuming not since you can't have cream. Do you plan to replace the butter with vegetable shortening? You can eliminate the sour cream but I would recommend adding another liquid in it's place. Can you use nut milks or coconut milk? I would add a 1/2 cup of another liquid in place of the sour cream. If you eliminate the baking soda up the baking powder to 1 teaspoon.
      Reply

      • Thank you for your response! I can have butter, just not milk, cream, or cheeses. I typically use an almond milk or a coconut cream if a recipe calls for it, but I have not figured out the best way to replace sour cream. Would you recommend keeping in the Baking soda and just replacing the sour cream with 1/2 cup of almond milk? I only thought of using the starch as a way to get the GF flour to mimic the cake flour properties vs an AP flour, but if you think its unnecessary I won't do it. :) I really would like to thank you! I have been searching everywhere for a way to learn about the chemistry behind baking and your blog has been exactly what I have been looking for! I am so thankful that you took the time not only to share your knowledge through the blog, but to answer my questions. Thank you genuinely!
        Reply

        • Hi Vicki - If you can have butter that's great. Butter will make the cake taste better. The reason to use corn starch with all purpose flour is to lower the protein content to make the cake more tender. Since GF flour doesn't have gluten (the protein in flour) there really is no reason to use the corn starch. Just replace the all purpose flour with GF flour 1:1. If you use almond milk instead of sour cream you can use all baking powder instead of baking soda. The reason to use baking soda is to neutralize the acid in the sour cream. I would use about half as much almond milk as sour cream since there is more water in the almond milk. I'm so glad the blog is helping you. It's exactly why I started Baking Sense Blog.
          Reply

  22. Hello! I made the recipe many times and every time I take it out of the oven the cake is lowered and reduced from the sides 1 ".The temperature is correct, do not replace any ingredient.I made the recipe as is. If shrinking from 15 "to 13"
    Reply

    • Hi Daian, the cake will shrink a little bit as it cools. Make sure you just bake the cake until it is set in the center. If you bake it a little too long it will pull back from the sides of the pan. You might be over baking a bit. To test if the cake is done press the center of the cake. If it springs back, it's baked. If it leaves a dent let it bake a bit longer. You can also use the "toothpick" test. Poke a toothpick in the center of the cake and if it comes out with just a few crumbs but no raw dough the cake is ready. Baking the batter in a larger pan, like 15", is a little more tricky. Personally, even for wedding cakes I never baked anything larger than 14" since it's hard not to over-bake the edges in a very large pan. Let me know if you have any other questions.
      Reply

  23. Hi Eileen! I LOVE this cake recipe!! Is there a way that I can make it without the yolks and still have a super moist cake? I want the cake to be super white like a wedding cake. I tried substituting 1/4 cup of oil for the yolks and the cake didn't rise properly. Also I didn't have sour cream, so I tried 1 cup of yogurt + 1 tsp of baking soda (I found on the web).
    Reply

    • Hi Ceeny, Replacing the sour cream with yogurt is fine. Just use equal proportions of yogurt to replace sour cream. Adding a teaspoon of baking soda will make the cake rise too fast, then collapse. So I'm not surprised the cake didn't rise properly. A teaspoon of baking soda is quite a lot, enough to rise 4 cups of flour! Not sure where you found that substitution on the web, but maybe it's not the most reliable source. Replacing the yolks with oil will not work, as you found out. Oil is a fat which tenderizes the cake. Yolks, while they do add some fat, also contribute to the structure of the cake. Yolks also have emulsifiers in them, which help distribute the liquid in the batter. To make the cake whiter, use 6 egg whites and no yolks. Add 3 of the whites with the sour cream, and whip the other three whites and fold in, as described in the recipe. You can also replace some of the butter with vegetable shortening. Vegetable shortening has emulsifiers like yolks. The original recipe uses 9 ounces of butter. Try using 6 ounces of butter and 3 ounces of vegetable shortening. This will also help whiten the cake. The "Eggs in Cake Batter" class in the Baking School link has more information about how to switch out eggs and yolks in cake batter.
      Reply

          • I made your suggested adjustments and my cakes came out soooooo much better! They still took about 1 1/2 hours to bake. And they still collapsed, only slightly, in the center and were a bit dense. I measured my pans and they are actually only 7-1/4 inches! Would that be part of my problem? Should I put less batter in the pans or cook at a different temperature? My pans are aluminum and I don't have a convection oven. Would fresh baking powder make a big difference? Mine is probably a year old.. Also, my climate is hot and humid (indoors is normally around 80-85 degrees). Would my baking powder go bad faster in that climate? I'd still like to get my cakes whiter. My butter here is a bit yellow. Would it taste bad if I just used all shortening? Should I leave out the vanilla? Btw I LOVE your cake batter classes! I love that you do so much detailed testing! You are amazing!!

          • Hi Ceeny. The cake pan size would make a difference. I generally fill the pans 1/2 to 2/3 full. The weather shouldn't matter. My commercial kitchen would often be extremely hot on baking days with no adverse affects on the cakes. The cakes can be baked with our without convection. Aluminum cake pans are exactly what I use. I don't think the baking powder is the issue. The oven temperature should be 350°F or 175°C. Have you checked your oven temperature with a oven thermometer? I just recently realized my home oven was running 50°-100° too hot. Maybe your oven calibration is off and the temp is too low. My cakes generally bake in about 20-25 minutes. Thanks to your questions I am currently developing a "white cake" recipe. I hope to post it next week. I'm trying versions with both butter and shortening and with different ways of adding the egg whites. Thanks for your questions! I love the input and the questions often spark ideas for new recipes.

          • Ah, I wasn't sure if the oven is better to be hotter or cooler since my pans were so full. I do have an oven thermometer. The temperature would drop down to 325 or even 300 when I opened the oven door. I thought it would be okay at a lower temperature. I'll keep an eye on it and make sure it stays closer to 350 now. I'm so excited that you're doing a "white cake" recipe! I can't wait to try it!! :D

  24. The flavor is very good. Not overly sweet, just perfect with vanilla. Love the sour cream. This was my first time trying the reverse creaming method with folding in the whipped egg whites. My cakes took longer to bake, about 35 minutes at 325*. And I used three 6” pans (the dark nonstick Wilton ones). They did fall flat and the middle bottom (when cut in half) was not quite baked. I tried to read most of the reviews, but I didn’t see anything about not filling them too much. I wonder if that’s why mine fell flat. Smaller pans, filled at the half way mark. They rose nicely in the oven, but once I took out to rest, they fell. I will try again. Not filling up all the way. And perhaps bake at 350* for 25 minutes.
    Reply

    • Hi Jesse. Thanks for the feedback and questions. As long as you don't fill the cake pans more than 1/2 to 2/3 using a 6" cake pan should not be a problem. If you filled the pans more than that it could cause a problem with how they bake. From what you've shared I can see few other things that could cause the cakes to not bake properly; I've never baked this recipe in a non-stick pan. I imagine that the slick interior of a non-stick pan could prevent the cake from rising properly. Did you butter/flour the pan? Did you set the oven to 325F with convection or without? The recipe says 325F convection or 350F regular (no convection). Baking at the lower temperature would make it take longer to bake. Since you say the middle of the cake was not quite baked that could cause the cake to fall once it's out of the oven, and I also suspect that the non-stick surface didn't help either. Did you use the "toothpick" test or "press the middle" test to check if it was done?
      Reply

      • I did not butter/flour the pan. But I will this time since all I have are nonstick pans. I think I messed up by baking at 325* when I have a conventional oven. (dont know why I did it lower). I used the toothpick test. Came out clean. I will make your white cake version today with the right temperature. Will report back. Thanks for answering !
        Reply

        • Great. I hope it works this time. I just made the vanilla cake again yesterday and it was perfect. I've made it, literally, thousands of times without fail. I would also suggest that in addition to the toothpick test try gently pressing on the middle of the cake. It should spring back. If it leaves a dent let the cake go a few more minutes. Let me know how it works out.
          Reply

          • I’ve attempted both the white cake and the butter cake twice, and same results. Puffs up nicely in oven, but once I take it out, falls. What wonderful flavors though. Perhaps it really has something to do with dark nonstick pans.

          • When you say they "puff up and fall" do you mean the cake is humped in the oven and then becomes level while cooling? Or you do you mean totally falls and becomes concave in the middle. I just made the vanilla cake again last week and it had a slight hump when it came out of the oven and then became level when cool. I prefer a level cake since that means less trimming before I assemble. If you could email me a picture of the cake that would be great!

          • I didn’t think to take photos before I scrapped it. But it puffs up, nice and golden brown. Passes the toothpick and poke test. Then falls deeply once cooled. I like leveled cakes too, easier to ice, but when I split cake in half, the bottom middle is not baked. Not raw, just under baked by maybe 8 minutes. But if I cook it longer, then the sides and top get almost burnt. Even with covering tops with foil.

          • Hmmm, all I can think is that is has something to do with the pans or your oven, especially since the cakes don't seem to be baking evenly. I have never had this type of problem with this cake, so I'm kind of at a loss. I wish I could give you an answer.

  25. What are you referring to exactly when you say leavening? "Into the bowl of a stand mixer put 1 cup of the sugar, sift in the flour, leavening and salt. Mix with the paddle on low speed to distribute the leavening"
    Reply

  26. Hi Eileen, I'm so glad I found this page. I have been trying out a pound cake recipe that uses the reverse creaming method (sort of) .The dry ingredients are mixed together and then the butter and half the liquids(eggs+ milk + vanilla) are added to the dry ingredients and mixed on low speed for about 30sec till combined; then speed is amped up to medium speed and mixed for 60secs, Remaining half of liquid ingredients are added in two turns and mixed for about 30 secs each. Well the cake turned out very moist and light and tastes really nice, not as dense as some other traditional pound cakes I made, but I noticed the bottom of the cake had a dense appearance, like the middle cake in the picture above; if you look closely you will notice a thin dense layer at the base which is exactly what my cake had,slightly thicke than yours though. It's as if some fat had settled at the base or some portion of the batter was not properly mixed (but I made sure my scraping and mixing was thorough though). I just can't place it. What do you think is the problem, that is, if it is a problem. And well, my cake didn't crack; my pound cakes never seem to crack well; sometimes all I get is a feeble attempt at a crack.
    Reply

    • Hi Ev, the process you describe is exactly reverse creaming. The cake in the middle (in my photo) was made using reverse creaming method. My preferred method is to use reverse creaming but also whip the whites and fold them in at the end. That is the method used for the cake at the right. I do sometimes see that slightly dense bottom like you mentioned. I'm not sure exactly what causes that. Maybe the batter at the bottom melts and settles a bit before it bakes. But usually I find that it's not noticeable when I eat the cake. I bake this recipe as a layer cake, not in a loaf pan. Here's my Pound Cake recipe that also uses the reverse creaming method.
      Reply

  27. If I'm making cupcakes and don't need that much batter, could you just do half of everything?! And do you happen to know the difference between a butter cake and a vanilla cake. I have a client wanting a butter cake but to my knowledge it's the same as vanilla....
    Reply

    • Hi Chantel. A butter cake is made with butter as opposed to oil or another fat. Vanilla is just the flavor. Any type of cake can be vanilla is that's the flavor in the cake. You could halve the ingredients for a small batch. I would guess a full batch would make about 1.5 dozen cupcakes (that's just a guess it could be a few more or less).
      Reply

  28. I am making a carved pirate ship cake covered with buttercream and thin fondant layer. I will use my 8” or 9” square cake tins for the cake building blocks. Would you recommend this recipe or one of the pound cake recipes from your ebook? Thanks and LOVE your site.
    Reply

    • This is the recipe I used for all my carved cakes for my cake business. I've carved everything from a dolls head to a sitting dog with this recipe, so it should work for your pirate ship.
      Reply

      • Ok great...I will try it. Would this quantity fit in a square pan? I have a variety of sizes from 8” to 10” square. Any suggestion for baking time? Sorry to bombard with so many questions… It’s just really great for a hobby baker to ask an experienced person! I did try the perfect pound cake recipe whipped cream version. I put it in an 8” square pan. That worked really well. Many thanks!
        Reply

  29. Hi, I have been looking into making your chocolate chip cookie layer cake and have been looking at the ingredients and method of all the sections. The only part i'm a bit unsure of is the cakes in this cake recipe as they don't state the size of egg needed for the egg white & yolk. In the UK we have small, medium, large, extra large and I imagine size will affect the recipe as it would increase/decrease quantity. Would you be able to clarify the size of egg needed for this recipe? Thanks
    Reply

    • Hi Ryan, thanks for bringing that to my attention. I always use large eggs. I've edited the recipe to note the correct egg size. You are right that using the wrong size eggs would change the outcome.
      Reply

  30. Hi, there - thanks for posting this recipe! I am on a search for a delicate cake to make a special Valentines Day dessert. One question: I’d like to bake this as a 9x13 sheet so I can cut smaller circles for layer assembly later - will this work? Any suggestions as to changes in baking times?
    Reply

    • Hi Jen, I've baked this recipe in sheet pans hundreds of times. It will bake faster. I would start checking at about 10-15 minutes. Depending how evenly your oven bakes, you'll probably want to turn the trays half way through baking. This recipe will make two quarter sheets (9"x 13") or one half sheet (12" x 17").
      Reply

  31. Hi Eileen! My name is Dewanya Gray, and I just had to tell you THANK YOU! I am an exceptional cook, but I have been trying to learn how to bake a vanilla butter cake from scratch. Finally! I've tried many online recipes. All the cakes come out dense or get super hard lol. I made this recipe last night. I followed every step, just like the video and as you wrote in your blog. I used every ingredient just like you directed. It's so good, I can eat it as is so my 16yr old daughter says Super tender, mines is sort of like a pound cake. Thank you, Eileen! Great cake...
    Reply

  32. Hi Eileen! I just found the Baking Sense site because I will be making my brother-in-law's wedding cake this fall. Your site is so informative and easy to understand! Would you recommend this cake for a semi-naked style presentation? I know that the edges have to caramelize a bit so you can see the color of the cake but you also don't want to drag a lot of crumb during the smoothing process so it has to be somewhat dense (and probably chilled during the frosting process I would think). Additionally, are there any frosting recipes you would suggest for the semi-naked style cake? Thank you so much for your help!
    Reply

    • Hi Brittany. I've used this recipe for semi-naked cakes. Personally, I prefer to lightly trim the edges so the sides are less brown when they show through. You can see a video in this post that shows photos of how I trim the sides of the cake. Yes, it is easier to trim and stack the cakes when they're chilled. I've done the semi-naked cakes with both whipped cream and Italian Meringue Buttercream filling/frosting.
      Reply

  33. Hi Eileen! Thank you for such a wonderful website. This recipe says "Turn the mixer to medium low and slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar." Do I add the 1/4 sugar to the batter or to the whipped egg whites? I added it to the whipped egg whites but was not quite sure. The cake turned out incredibly delicious although I inadvertently left out the 1/4 baking soda. Hence, the cake fell a little when I removed it from the oven, but still incredibly moist and yummy.
    Reply

    • Hi Kay. You did it exactly right, the last 1/4 cup of sugar goes in with the egg whites. This type of cake always "settles" when it comes out of the oven. If you read the update at the end of my White Cake post it explains why.
      Reply

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