Moist, Buttery Vanilla Cake

A community recipe by CucinaItaliana

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

Introduction

A wonderful, moist sponge with a light soaking of a vanilla syrup. This is my staple celebration cake where a vanilla sponge is the request and I have made it to serve between 8 and 80 people!

Ingredients

Serves: 10/12

Metric Cups

For the Cake

250 grams unsalted butter
250 grams golden caster sugar
¼ gram salt
1 vanilla pod (seeds only - or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste - I get mine from Ocado/Waitrose)
5 eggs
85 grams plain flour
100 grams Greek yoghurt (full-fat - I use Total)
250 grams self-raising flour
3 tablespoons semi skimmed milk

For the Syrup

50 grams golden caster sugar
50 millilitres water
1 vanilla pod (seeds only - or 1tsp vanilla bean paste)

For the Cake

9 ounces unsalted butter
9 ounces superfine sugar
ounce salt
1 vanilla bean (seeds only - or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste - I get mine from Ocado/Waitrose)
5 eggs
3 ounces all-purpose flour
4 ounces Greek yoghurt (full-fat - I use Total)
9 ounces self-rising flour
3 tablespoons reduced fat milk

For the Syrup

2 ounces superfine sugar
1¾ fluid ounces water
1 vanilla bean (seeds only - or 1tsp vanilla bean paste)

Method

Moist, Buttery Vanilla Cake is a community recipe submitted by CucinaItaliana and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 Grease and line a round, deep 20cm tin

Using electric beaters or a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and Â¼ tsp salt together until really pale and fluffy Add the eggs, one at a time, giving the mix a really good beating before adding the next.

Add 1 tbsp of the plain flour after each egg if the mix starts to look slimy rather than fluffy. Add the yoghurt.

Sieve together the flours then slowly fold them into the batter, followed by the milk â€“ take great care not to overmix at this point.

Spoon the mix into the tin and bake for 1 hr 20 mins or until well risen and golden - a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. (Check after 65 minutes)

Meanwhile, make the syrup by gently heating 50ml water with the sugar and vanilla in a pan until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Once the cake is out of the oven, leave to cool for 30 mins in the tin Use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake, going right to the bottom. Pour the syrup over, letting it completely soak in after each addition. Leave to cool completely, then either wrap the cake well or fill and ice/decorate it.

Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 Grease and line a round, deep 20cm tin

Add 1 tbsp of the all-purpose flour after each egg if the mix starts to look slimy rather than fluffy. Add the yoghurt.

Sieve together the flours then slowly fold them into the batter, followed by the milk â€“ take great care not to overmix at this point.

Spoon the mix into the tin and bake for 1 hr 20 mins or until well risen and golden - a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. (Check after 65 minutes)

Meanwhile, make the syrup by gently heating 50ml water with the sugar and vanilla in a pan until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Additional Information

Wrapped in baking parchment and cling film, the unfilled cake will keep well for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month. I like to cut horizontally into 3 layers and fill with raspberry jam and a wonderful vanilla buttercream made by beating together 150g soft unsalted butter, 300g sifted icing sugar and the seeds from 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste until really pale, light and fluffy (makes enough to fill and cover a 20cm round cake).