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Rich Buttery Vanilla Cake

A community recipe by

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

This cake lives up to its name. It is baked in a square tin and yields a dense and moist cake that is full of vanilla flavor.

This cake lives up to its name. It is baked in a square tin and yields a dense and moist cake that is full of vanilla flavor.

Ingredients

Serves: 6

Metric Cups

For the Vanilla Cake

  • 250 grams butter (softened)
  • 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 330 grams caster sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 260 grams self-raising flour
  • 50 grams plain flour
  • 180 millilitres milk

For the Vanilla Bean Icing

  • ½ vanilla bean
  • 240 grams icing sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water (approximately)

For the Vanilla Cake

  • 9 ounces butter (softened)
  • 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 12 ounces superfine sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 9 ounces self-rising flour
  • 2 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 6⅓ fluid ounces milk

For the Vanilla Bean Icing

  • ½ vanilla bean
  • 8 ounces confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water (approximately)

Method

Rich Buttery Vanilla Cake is a community recipe submitted by SamIAm and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

  • Preheat oven to moderately slow (160C/140C fan-forced). Grease a deep 20 cm square cake pan, line base and sides of pan with baking paper, bring paper 5 cm above the sides of the pan.
  • Beat the butter, extract and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined between additions.
  • Transfer mixture to a large bowl; fold in combined sifted flours and milk in two batches. Spread mixture into prepared pan.
  • Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when tested. Stand cake in pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack for cooling.
  • VANILLA BEAN ICING:

  • Split bean sideways and scrape out the seeds.
  • Sift the icing sugar into a small heat proof bowl; stir in the seeds and enough water to form a firm paste.
  • Place the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water and stir until paste is of a spreadable consistency, careful not to overheat.
  • Spread icing immediately over the cake.
  • Preheat oven to moderately slow (160C/140C fan-forced). Grease a deep 20 cm square cake pan, line base and sides of pan with baking paper, bring paper 5 cm above the sides of the pan.
  • Beat the butter, extract and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined between additions.
  • Transfer mixture to a large bowl; fold in combined sifted flours and milk in two batches. Spread mixture into prepared pan.
  • Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when tested. Stand cake in pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack for cooling.
  • VANILLA BEAN ICING:

  • Split bean sideways and scrape out the seeds.
  • Sift the confectioners' sugar into a small heat proof bowl; stir in the seeds and enough water to form a firm paste.
  • Place the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water and stir until paste is of a spreadable consistency, careful not to overheat.
  • Spread icing immediately over the cake.
  • Additional Information

    The cake with no glaze on top can be frozen. The icing that can turn to a solid can be microwaved.

    The cake with no glaze on top can be frozen. The icing that can turn to a solid can be microwaved.

    Tell us what you think

    What 3 Others have said

    • Made this for third time today. My lovely youngest Neill (Gaelic for Nigel). It is wonderful even if I am GF because everyone loves it.

      Posted by karenrichard on 18th May 2014
    • Baked this cake the other day, followed the instruction to a tee and perfect! It took the full amount of time to cook (I have an electric oven and its about 60 degrees out but it still cooked great). I have baked a few vanilla cakes but most of them were a bit dry and lacked the full rich vanilla flavour, this cake is rich, dense and quite pleasing to a novice baker. Would recommend trying this, you wont be disappointed.

      Posted by Faye27 on 21st September 2013
    • Made this as a birthday cake for my daughter, the cake is lovely and will make again. It did brown heavily around the edges so I may look at the time/temp combo next time to avoid the crusty edges.

      Posted by vickichiki on 28th April 2013
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