Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning that, at no cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Read more here.
Jump to RecipeThe Perfect Standard
Everybody should have a few standard recipes in their repertoire. Classic, go-to dishes that you know will turn out great every single time. This, for me, is one of them. This simply yet delicious vanilla bundt cake recipe turns our great every single time. Even though you can use a regular cake shape, a bundt shape will help steal the show. If you have a bundt cake shape, like the one I use, you will also treat the eyes of your guests on something truly beautiful. Top tip: when searching for a bundt pan, go for a heavy thick-walled one as they hold and transfer heat the best, for the best result.
You can bake this cake in a regular rectangular cake form or a Bundt cake pan. If you want to have little individual cakes, you can use smaller shapes, such as mini loaves or miniature Dutch ovens. When you use smaller pans or forms, adjust the baking time. With smaller cakes, the time they spend in the oven is shorter. You can dry them out, or even burn them.
A Perfect Base
You can bake and present this cake as-is without having to worry: it looks and tastes that good. But with a few simple steps you can create something unique. With minimal effort, you can dress up the cake and make it look high-class. They are perfect for toppings as fruits: think of berries, strawberries, tangerines or pineapple. Or use icing, such as the one we use ourselves. Find our quick and simple recipe here.
In addition, this cake can form the perfect base for trifle. Cut up the cake to form the bottom cake-layer part of your trifle and make that already pretty amazing desert even better by using your own, home made cake.
You can easily freeze your cake or left-overs. Just use a freezer bag, saran wrap or aluminum foil. Make sure to press out the air so the cake doesn’t dry out too much. You can store your cake in the freezer for up to three months.
Let’s Bake!
There is nothing “vanilla” about this cake, as the bundt shape perfectly hides that it’s such a simple thing to make. Let’s take a look at how to create this wonderful little bake.
Vanilla Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 400 grams granulated sugar
- 350 grams all-purpose flour
- 225 grams unsalted butter (softened, not melted)
- 220 ml milk
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Preparation
- Grease your cake or Bundt pan well with butter or spraying oil.
- Preheat your oven to 350°C/180°C.
Mixing the ingredients
- For this step, you can use your stand mixer, or a large bowl and your hand mixer.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar and salt. As it comes together, the color changes from a darker to lighter yellow. The mixture becomes fluffier.
- Add the eggs, one by one. Mix well after you add each egg, and don't add the next until the previous egg is incorporated.
- Especially if you use a stand mixer, make sure that all ingredients are truly mixed. Scrape the sides of the bowl or use a paddle mixer with a rubber scraper.
- Alternating between the flour and milk, add the flour and milk to the sugar-egg mixture in three steps, and mix Make sure the ingredients are mixed but avoid overworking the batter.
Baking
- Scoop in your batter and level the top with a spoon or spatula.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes until the top is nicely browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
Finishing
- After baking, the cake should come out quickly. If it doesn't, let the shape cool for about 5 minutes and try again. Carefully use a knife to cut along the edges of the cake. With the pan upside down, carefully shake the pan directly above your plate or board.
- If you plan to decorate with icing, allow the cake to cool completely before you add the icing. If you don;t, the icing will melt and disappear in the cake.