Moist Vanilla Church Cake (Printable Version)

Classic moist vanilla cake with tender crumb and sweet glaze. Perfect for sharing at gatherings, potlucks, and celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake Components

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 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, 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.
07 - Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled cake. Allow glaze to set before slicing.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you spent all day in the kitchen
  • The glaze sets perfectly glossy every single time, even for first time bakers
  • Buttermilk keeps it incredibly moist for days
02 -
  • Overmixing after adding the flour will make your cake tough, so stop as soon as everything is combined
  • The glaze looks best when you drizzle it while the cake is slightly warm, not hot or completely room temperature
  • This cake freezes beautifully if you wrap it tightly before adding the glaze, then thaw and glaze when ready to serve
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale if you have one since flour measured by weight is more consistent than cups
  • Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots

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