This homemade vanilla cake recipe is another winner you can keep in your recipe box in case you ever want to use it.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with using one of those boxed cake mixes you buy at the store, especially if you can find it on sale—and who wouldn’t take advantage of that? I love using those mixes because they’re practically altitude‑proof.
I mean, by simply adding a couple of tablespoons of all‑purpose flour and adjusting the baking time, you can get a perfect cake at almost any altitude, which is very difficult to achieve with homemade versions.
However, homemade cakes tend to be firmer, making them easier to frost. Plus, you can make them as sweet as you like. That’s why it’s always a good idea to keep a reliable homemade cake recipe handy.
Best Vanilla Cake Recipe
Preparation time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Total time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Dish: Sweets, Dessert
Portions: 8
Equipment
- 24 cm diameter mold.
Ingredients: For CAKE
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Chopped chocolate | 60 g |
| Zest of ½ lemon | as needed |
| Ground almonds | 50 g |
| Flour | 110 g |
| Butter | 50 g |
| Marzipan | 150 g |
| Sugar | 150 g |
| Vanilla branches | 2 |
| Egg yolks | 6 |
| Egg whites | 5 |
Ingredients: COVERAGE
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Jam (I used fig jam) | 50 g |
| Marzipan | 200 g |
| Chocolate | 100 g |
| Butter | 60 g |
Step‑by‑step preparation
- We prepared the marzipan – (no additional step given in original)
- We break the chocolate into fairly large pieces, about half a centimeter in size. This is so that it doesn’t melt inside the cake during baking and turn it brown.
- We grease the mold with butter and sprinkle it with flour.
- We prepare the lemon zest.
- We remove the seeds from the vanilla branches.
- We separate the egg whites from the yolks.
- In a bowl, put butter, marzipan, vanilla seeds, 1 egg yolk and 50g of sugar.
- We beat it. Once all the ingredients are combined, we add the remaining egg yolks one by one.
- After adding all the ingredients, beat the batter at maximum speed for another 4 minutes until you get a cream.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg whites at high speed. When the whisk starts to leave marks, add the remaining sugar. Whisk for another 1‑2 minutes and stop.
- We add the egg yolk mixture to the egg whites.
- Very carefully and with up‑and‑down movements, mix until the dough becomes a single color.
- We sift the flour.
- We add ground almonds, lemon zest, chocolate and, just like before, very carefully, we stir.
- We put the dough in the mold and smooth the surface with a spoon.
- Bake the cake at 190°C for 40‑50 minutes in the oven (preheated for 20 minutes). To check if it’s ready, insert a toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean, the cake is done.
- We cooled it on a wire rack, upside down.
- Once it is completely cold, spread the jam on top and on the sides.
- Using a rolling pin, on a surface dusted with powdered sugar, roll out the marzipan into a circle (if it sticks to the surface, don’t worry; just scrape it off with a knife). Keep in mind that you have to work with marzipan continuously: you can’t, for example, roll it out, set it aside, and then do something else. It will dry out.
- We covered the cake with marzipan. We smoothed out any wrinkles with our fingers. We cut away the excess with a knife.
- In the microwave, on the defrost setting, and with a time of 3 minutes, melt the butter with the chopped chocolate. Stop every minute to stir.
- We covered the cake with chocolate.
- We let it cool and, with a hot knife, we mark the portions.
- We decorate it with a marzipan rose and… that’s it.
Nutritional Facts for Best Vanilla Cake
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | 1 slice | — |
| Calories | 410 kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g | 19% |
| Protein | 5 g | 10% |
| Total Fat | 20 g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 12 g | 60% |
| Cholesterol | 85 mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 280 mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 110 mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1 g | 4% |
| Sugars | 38 g | — |
| Vitamin A | 620 IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 90 mg | 7% |
| Iron | 1.6 mg | 9% |
Note: Nutritional values are approximate and may vary depending on the flour, butter, frosting, and sugar used. Vanilla cake is a classic dessert loved for its soft texture, rich buttery flavor, and versatility for celebrations and special occasions.
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000‑calorie diet.
Notes on the recipe
Making this vanilla cake isn’t difficult, but it does take time. You have to prepare the marzipan, the cake, wait for the cake to cool, and then cover it with jam, marzipan, and chocolate. You can do it all in one day, but I took my time, working on it over two days.
On the first day, I prepared the marzipan (for making the cake and for the decorative rose), and the next day I made the cake and the rose.
I made a few small changes to the recipe that I think worked perfectly. I reduced the amount of lemon zest (so it wouldn’t overpower the other flavors) and the amount of chocolate—from 80g to 60g. Next time I make this cake, I won’t put the chocolate inside. The chocolate topping is enough, in my opinion. The cake itself is incredible.