Vanilla Bundt Cake

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This classic Vanilla Bundt Cake is full of lovely vanilla flavor. It’s sweet, moist, tender and covered in a delicious vanilla glaze. It’s simple to make and easy to dress up or down for any occasion.

I’m excited to finally share a classic vanilla bundt cake today! I can’t believe I didn’t have one already, but this is a recipe I wanted to get just right before sharing. To me, bundt cake isn’t just any cake. It has to be just the right texture. It’s not quite the same texture as a layer cake, and not as dense as a pound cake, but somewhere in the middle. Getting that balance in a cake that’s all baked in one pan for such a long time isn’t easy. But I finally have it! This cake is moist, light (but too light), tender and so tasty!

3 Reasons Why I Love This Vanilla Bundt Cake

This vanilla bundt cake has all of the elements I described above as my requirements for the perfect bundt cake recipe.

• Dense but not too dense. This cake isn’t as dense as a pound cake though it’s a bit denser than a classic vanilla cake.
• The icing! I finished this bundt cake with an irresistible vanilla icing drizzled over the top. While you could simply finish it off with a dusting of powdered sugar, I love how pretty the vanilla icing looks and it tastes so yummy too.
• Easy to make! Bundt cakes are always pretty easy to make. The only important thing is that you have a bundt pan that’s well-greased. And, of course, plan some time for the cake to cool before adding the icing. That might be the hardest part!

So, What Exactly Is A Bundt Cake?

A bundt cake is quite literally a cake that is baked in a bundt pan. You could bake any cake in a bundt pan and call it a bundt cake. You could even call a pound cake a bundt cake. But when I think of a bundt cake, I have something a little different in mind. I want a delicious cake in bundt form. To me, that means it should be:

• Less dense than a pound cake, but will naturally be denser than a regular layer cake.
• Nice and tender, but holds up well in the bundt shape.
• Sweet and delicious, and covered in glaze or icing.

What’s the difference between a Bundt Cake and Pound Cake?

While a Bundt cake can be any cake baked in a Bundt pan, pound cake is traditionally made with a pound of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. While that’s not always the case these days, pound cakes tend to have a heavy dose of butter and sugar, and are quite dense. While a pound cake can be called a Bundt cake, not all Bundt cakes are pound cakes.

Recipe Ingredients

This bundt cake recipe is made with very basic ingredients, which is one of the reasons I love it. I usually have everything I need already on hand. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

• All-purpose flour – Measuring the flour accurately is key to ensuring the perfect texture in this cake. Too much flour will give you a dry cake.
• Baking powder & baking soda – Using both helps achieve the best texture. You get a tighter crumb from the baking powder and more tenderness from the baking soda.
• Salt – Brings out the flavors present in the cake. Don’t leave it out.
• Unsalted butter & vegetable oil – The combination of both adds fat and moisture to the cake and gives the ideal mix of flavor and moisture.
• Sugar – This bundt cake has a good amount of sugar. I tried reducing it to see if it would make a big difference and it did. I would stick with the recipe as-is.
• Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
• Vanilla extract
• Buttermilk – Buttermilk in bundt cake is one of the secrets to a very tender crumb with lots of moisture. It does add a bit of classic buttermilk tang but it’s very subtle. You could swap it out for regular milk, but it will loose a touch of softness and moisture.
• Corn syrup – Optional for the icing, but adds a little shine to the icing.
• Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar thickens the icing. You only want to add as much as you need for the right drizzling consistency.

How To Make Vanilla Bundt Cake

One of the reasons that I love bundt cakes is that they’re so simple to make. This vanilla version is no exception. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Make the cake

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 325F. Coat a bundt pan with baking spray.
• Make the batter. Combine the dry ingredients. In a mixer bowl, cream the butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then mix in the vanilla. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Then mix in the buttermilk, followed by the remaining dry ingredients.

• Bake. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack.

Make the icing

• Melt the sugar. Combine all of the ingredients except the powdered sugar in a saucepan. Heat on low until the sugar is melted. Increase the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour into a heat-proof bowl.
• Add the powdered sugar. Whisk in 1 1/4 cups of powdered sugar. Allow to cool for a few minutes to thicken. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a touch of water.
• Decorate the cake. Drizzle the icing over the cake while the icing is still warm.

How To Get The Right Icing Consistency

The best thing to do is to test the drizzle before you add it to the cake. I like to test the icing on the side of a bowl or something before adding it to that cake to make sure it drizzles, but not too much. If it drizzles too much, you can add additional powdered sugar. If it doesn’t drizzle enough, add a teaspoon or so of cream to thin it out. Also keep in mind that it thickens as it cools. I let it cool for a few minutes to help it thicken a bit, but you don’t want it to be too cool or it won’t drizzle as well.

Tips for Success

Here are a few things I found helpful to keep in mind while making this bundt cake.

• Grease the pan well. Bundt cakes have a tendency to stick, so I like to use non-stick baking spray. You could also use butter and flour, or even homemade cake goop. Ensuring that all the crevices are well greased ensures the cake will release from the pan much easier.
• Measure flour properly. I’m a stickler for this and always recommend a food scale. If you don’t have one, be sure to fluff up your flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and then level it.
• Don’t skimp on the cream time. You should see a visible difference in the texture and color of the creamed butter, oil, and sugar. I recommend creaming them for no less than 3-4 minutes.
• Don’t over mix. Over mixing the batter after adding the dry ingredients can lead to a tough, overly dense cake.
• Cool before icing. Let the bundt cake come to room temperature before adding the icing, or it’ll just melt into the cake or slide off.
• Drizzle the icing while warm. That said, it’s also important to drizzle the icing while it’s still a little warm. Once it cools completely, it’s too firm to pour and get a good drizzle.

Serving Suggestions

Dress it up or down, it’s up to you! Here are a few options to decorate your cake or serve it with a little something extra.

• Dress it up – This vanilla bundt cake is beautiful in it’s simplicity, but you could also fill the center with something like fruit to add a pop of color and fancy it up a bit.
• Sprinkles – Another simple way to add color for a celebration would be to add some sprinkles.
• Serve it with a sauce – Caramel sauce or hot fudge sauce would be yummy! Or try something fruity like raspberry sauce, blueberry sauce or strawberry sauce. All are great options to add a little something extra.
• Ice cream – Ice cream and cake are a popular combination, and any flavor would pair great with vanilla. You could also consider my no-churn strawberry ice cream.
• Whipped cream – From basics like vanilla whipped cream and chocolate whipped cream, to a tasty mascarpone whipped cream and strawberry whipped cream, you have options!
• Try powdered sugar. I covered my bundt cake with vanilla icing, but you could also dust it with powdered sugar.

Proper Storage

• Room temperature. Vanilla bundt cake can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days. Keep it well covered or in an airtight container, such as a cake carrier.
• Freezer. You can freeze slices or the full cake. If freezing the full cake, I recommend waiting to frost it. Wrap the whole cake, or the slices, well in plastic wrap and again in foil, for an extra layer of protection. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before frosting.

More Vanilla Cake Recipes

• Berry Vanilla Cake Roll
• Bourbon Vanilla Cake
• Moist Vanilla Layer Cake
• Vanilla Sheet Cake
• Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Watch How To Make It

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