Moist Vanilla Church Cake (Print Version)

A moist vanilla sponge cake with tender crumb and sweet glaze, ideal for gatherings and feeding large crowds.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup buttermilk

→ Vanilla Glaze

10 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
11 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
03 - Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Cool cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled cake. Allow glaze to set before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Makes a 9x13 pan perfect for feeding a crowd without any fancy decorating
  • The buttermilk keeps it incredibly moist for days if it lasts that long
  • Simple ingredients you probably have in the pantry right now
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together so much better than cold ones
  • Overmixing the batter will make the cake tough so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • The glaze should pour slowly like honey not run off the cake entirely
03 -
  • Use real butter not margarine it really does make a difference in the final taste
  • If you do not have buttermilk add one tablespoon of lemon juice to regular milk and let it sit for five minutes

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