World’s Best Vanilla Cake with American Buttercream Frosting
This recipe is featured in All the World's a Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 297 grams (1½ cups) granulated sugar
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) baking powder
- 113 grams (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) salt
- 118 ml (½ cup) milk
- 118 ml (½ cup) vanilla coffee creamer
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
For the American Buttercream Frosting:
- 113 grams (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 156 ml (2/3 cup) shortening
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) cream cheese flavoring*
- 1/4 cup milk, or as needed**
- 794 grams (1.75 pounds) confectioners sugar, or as needed
* Available where professional baking products are sold, and online at https://www.amazon.com/Oz-Cream-Cheese-Flavoring-Dropper/dp/B00KX4XD3Y
**In regions with high humidity, less milk may be needed
Preparation
- For the cake: Preheat the oven to 177°C (350°F). In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a measuring pitcher combine the milk, coffee creamer, and vanilla.
2. Using an electric mixer cream together the softened butter and sugar for a few minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in each one before adding the next. Add about a third of the dry ingredients, then about a third of the wet, continuing until they are all added.
3. Spray the cake pan with baking spray. Pour in the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
4. For the American Buttercream Frosting: Using a mixer, combine the softened butter and shortening for about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla, cream cheese flavoring, and a small amount of the milk.
5. Mix at the slowest speed and slowly add about half of the sugar. Add the rest of the milk followed by the rest of the sugar. When the sugar is fully incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 4 to 5 minutes. Add additional milk if the mixture is too stiff, more sugar if it is too thin; the more sugar, the sweeter the buttercream will be.
6. Frost the cooled cake as desired.