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Vanilla Bundt Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

Firm, vanilla bundt cake topped with a fluffy vanilla butter cream.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12
Author: adapted slightly from America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients

Vanilla Bundt Cake

  • 3 cups all purpose flour 15 ounces
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs plus 1 yolk (room temperature)
  • 18 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 1/4 sticks, softened but still cool
  • 2 cups 14 ounces granulated sugar

Vanilla Buttercream (3 cups, enough for 1 layer of cake, double for 2 layer)

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • tablespoons table salt
  • cups confectioners’ sugar 10 ounces
  • 20 tablespoons 2½ sticks unsalted butter, softened

Instructions

Vanilla Bundt Cake

  • Adjust oven rack to lower middle, and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Combine buttermilk and vanilla extract in a bowl
  • Whisk eggs and yolk together in a small bowl.
  • Using the paddle attachment in a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about three minutes.
  • Reduce speed to medium and slowly add about half the eggs. Mix for about 15 seconds, and add the remaining eggs. Reduce speed and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • With the speed on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Scrape bowl as needed. Give batter a final stir by hand.
  • Prepare bundt pan with floured baking spray
  • Scrape batter in pan. Bake until top is golden brown about 45-50 minutes, and rotate once halfway through. A skewer should come out clean when inserted in center (no crumbs attached.)
  • Let cake and pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Finish by inverting cake onto wire rack.
  • Decorate as desired or serve with fruit.<br>

Vanilla Buttercream (3 cups, enough for 1 layer of cake, double for 2 layer)

  • Using whisk attachment in a stand mixer, beat butter on medium high until smooth (20 seconds).
  • Add sugar and salt, and slowly increase speed to medium-low. After 45 seconds most of the sugar should be moistened.
  • Scrape the sides of the bowl down, and mix again for 15 seconds.
  • Scrape the sides of the bowl down, and add vanilla and heavy cream. Beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes). Scrape the bowl down once or twice.