Fluffy Vanilla Bean Cake
Two layer fluffy Vanilla Bean Cake enhanced with vanilla syrup and Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting.
Servings: 10 servings
Equipment
- electric hand mixer for cake
- electric stand mixer for buttercream frosting
Ingredients
Vanilla Syrup
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 120 grams water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Bean Cake
- 375 grams cake flour or pastry flour 8-9% protein
- 15 grams baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 333 grams granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 113 grams unsalted European style butter 82% butterfat melted and cooled
- 112 grams sunflower oil
- 240 grams whole milk
- 1.5 tablespoons vanilla bean paste *or 2 vanilla bean pods scraped
Instructions
Vanilla Syrup
- Stir together the sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat on medium until the sugar has dissolved.100 grams granulated sugar, 120 grams water
- Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a heat proof container and let cool.1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Bean Cake
- Preheat Oven to 325℉ / 160℃ / 140℃ Fan (convection). Prepare two 9-inch cake pans with baking spray or butter & flour, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Warm the milk in a small sauce pan on medium heat until steaming. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste or scraped vanilla seeds and set aside to cool to room temperature.240 grams whole milk, 1.5 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
- In a medium bowl hand whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.375 grams cake flour or pastry flour, 15 grams baking powder , 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Using a stand mixer with whisk attachment or a hand mixer with a large bowl, whip together the eggs and sugar until thick, doubled in size, and pale in color. This should only take about 2 minutes. You should be able to draw ribbons with the batter.333 grams granulated sugar, 3 large egg whites, 2 large eggs
- Mix in the cooled butter, followed by the oil. Scrape the bottom and side of the bowl to make sure everything is well blended.113 grams unsalted European style butter 82% butterfat, 112 grams sunflower oil
- Spoon in 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix to distribute, followed by 1/3 of the vanilla milk.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Repeat by alternating the remaining flour mixture, followed by the rest of the milk using 1/3 of each at a time. Mix slowly between each to form a smooth liquid batter, without over mixing.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared pans. Weigh them on a kitchen scale to be exact. Gently tap the pans on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
- Bake cake layers on the middle oven rack for 38-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with small crumbs. The cakes will pull away from the sides and spring back when gently pressed with a fingertip.
- The cakes will be light in color on the top, but slightly golden on the sides. Since all ovens heat differently, check the cakes at 30 minutes. They will bake faster if using convection.
- Place cakes on a wire rack to cool. Immediately brush the tops with a light coating of the vanilla syrup using a pastry brush.
- Let cake layers cool completely before inverting them onto a wire rack. Remove the layer of parchment paper and place right side up.
- Optional: Wrap cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or overnight to allow the syrup to absorb and flavor to develop. Cold cake layers are also easier to frost.
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
- While the cake layers are cooling, make a batch of Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting.1 batch vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream frosting
Assemble the Cake
- Level the tops of the cake layers with a serrated knife if needed. These cake layers should bake pretty flat in 9-inch pans and a slight dome will stack just fine without leveling.
- Place one layer on a serving plate and cover with an even layer of buttercream frosting. Add the second cake layer onto the frosting, top side down if you want a smooth flat top. I stacked mine without inverting the top layer.
- Cover the top and sides of the cake with buttercream and smooth with an offset spatula. Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
Ingredients Used:
- Flour- Cake Flour, 8.6% protein
- Butter- President Unsalted, European style butter, 82% butterfat
- Use baking strips like these, which I use on my cake pans for even heat distribution
- Don't over bake the cake layers, to prevent dry crumbly cake! Cakes are done when the center is set and edges are starting to turn golden brown. Test this by lightly pressing your finger on top of the center of the cake. If there is slight firmness or bit of resistance, the cake is done.