Easy Birthday Cake Recipe: Simple One-Bowl Vanilla Cake

Easy Birthday Cake Recipe: Simple One-Bowl Vanilla Cake

A good birthday cake should be straightforward to make, impressive on the table and genuinely delicious. This light vanilla sponge is based on our Hero Sponge style and works with either quick buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream.

Prep: about 20 minutes · Bake: about 25–30 minutes · Tins: 2 × 6 inch · Serves: about 10.

The Recipe

Vanilla sponge ingredients

• 2 medium eggs
• 50g neutral oil, such as vegetable or sunflower
• 80g low-fat or non-fat yoghurt
• 65g whole or semi-skimmed milk
• 10g vanilla extract, approximately 2 teaspoons
• 200g granulated sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 230g plain flour
• 10g baking powder, approximately 2 teaspoons

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. Mix the eggs, oil, yoghurt, milk and vanilla together.
3. Add the sugar and salt. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then mix only until the larger lumps have disappeared.
4. Grease two 6-inch tins and divide the batter evenly. Bake for about 25 minutes, then test the centre. It is ready when a skewer or paring knife comes out without wet batter. If necessary, bake for another 2 minutes and check again.
5. Cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely before filling.

Quick 5-minute buttercream

Beat 150g softened unsalted butter until pale. Gradually beat in 300g icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1–2 tablespoons milk until light and spreadable.

Swiss meringue buttercream

• 125g pasteurised egg whites
• 185g granulated sugar
• 250g softened butter, cubed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place the pasteurised egg whites and sugar in a clean heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, without letting the bowl touch the water. Whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved and a reliable food thermometer reads 71°C.
2. Whisk until glossy peaks form and the bowl has cooled.
3. Add vanilla, salt and softened butter. Continue whipping until smooth and silky; a split-looking stage on the way is normal.

Decorating

Fill and cover the cooled sponges with your chosen buttercream. Add sprinkles, chocolate, nuts or fruit, or use our tested chocolate drip.

If you make a Victoria-style version with fresh cream, or use another perishable filling such as custard, refrigerate the finished cake promptly and follow the storage requirements of the most perishable ingredient. Fresh-cream cake is not a room-temperature storage cake. Buttercream-only versions should still be stored according to the ingredients used and the conditions in your kitchen.

Fresh fruit on top can also change how well a cake keeps, so decorate close enough to serving that the fruit remains in good condition.

If baking your own cake is not practical, browse our vanilla cakes or the full birthday cake collection for London and Surrey delivery.

Love,
Reshmi xoxo