This easy vanilla bean cake is tender, moist, and flecked with vanilla beans in every bite. The vanilla brown butter icing is a fantastic finishing touch!
This vanilla bean cake is a version of a sour cream cake that I use as a starting point for a lot of cake recipes. I bumped up the vanilla for a bigger flavor in a simple cake. Then, I topped it all off with a basic icing that I plied with browned butter and even more vanilla. The total package is a delicious vanilla cake recipe with flavors that are somehow both understated and complex.
Why You’ll Love This Vanilla Bean Cake Recipe
- One easy layer. I have a great love for simple one-layer cakes like my blueberry snack cake, pecan cake, and this vanilla cake. They’re essentially fail-proof and a good option for a cake to serve a smaller number of people.
- Vanilla is the star. If you associate vanilla with plain, this vanilla bean cake will be a revelation. The vanilla flavor is front and center in both the cake itself and the icing. It’s a delicious reminder that vanilla done right is anything but boring.
- Not too sweet. While this isn’t a low sugar cake, it’s not overly sweet like many cakes with frosting tend to be. The tanginess of the sour cream nicely balances out the sweetness of the cake and icing. Plus, using browned butter adds another layer of depth that keeps it from being cloying.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Cake:
- All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour for a cake.
- Baking powder and soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter – Learn more: Unsalted or Salted Butter: Which is Better for Baking?
- Light brown sugar – Here’s the difference between light brown sugar vs. dark brown sugar.
- Eggs
- Vanilla – You can use vanilla bean seeds (scraped out of the pod), vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract.
- Sour cream – Full-fat sour cream will yield the most tender crumb in this vanilla bean cake.
For the Icing:
- Unsalted butter
- Confectioners’ sugar – Using confectioners’ sugar is important; unlike granulated sugar, it will dissolve right into the icing without being heated.
- Milk – Whatever kind you have on hand.
- Vanilla – Same as above; bean, paste, or extract. Learn more: Types of Vanilla: A Home Baker’s Guide
How to Make Vanilla Bean Cake
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed, then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
- Finish the batter. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in 3 portions, alternating with 2 portions of the sour cream.
- Bake. Pour the cake batter into a greased and floured round cake pan and bake at 350ºF for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn it out directly onto the rack to finish cooling.
- Brown the butter. Melt it in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, continue to cook, whisking often, until it foams and brown specks form at the bottom of the pan. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl to cool.
- Make the icing. Beat 2 tablespoons of milk, vanilla, and 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar into the butter. Slowly add more confectioners’ sugar and more milk, if needed, until the icing reaches your desired consistency.
- Ice the cake. Spread the icing over the vanilla bean cake and serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
Tips for Success
- Soften the butter for the cake. The butter should be soft enough that your finger can easily leave an indentation but not so soft that it looks greasy or shiny. Learn more: How to Soften Butter
- Don’t over-mix. Over-mixing can result in a tough vanilla cake. Beat the batter just until everything is well-combined. Here are some more baking tips for beginners.
- Brown the butter carefully. Keep a close eye on the butter when browning it because it can go from perfect to burned pretty quickly. After the butter begins to foam, look for brown specks at the bottom of your pan and take note when it begins to have a nutty aroma to know when it’s ready to come off the heat.
- Strain the brown butter if desired. Straining browned butter is a preference thing. I usually don’t strain it, but rather control how much of the browned specks stay with the butter as I pour it out of the saucepan. Personally, I like some specks from the brown butter, along with the vanilla bean, in the icing.
- Double the layers. If you’d like a big, tall cake, this recipe can easily be doubled to make a two-layer cake.
Serving Suggestions and Garnish Ideas
It’s important not to overpower the vanilla bean flavor in this cake, so tread lightly when garnishing and serving it. I think fresh berries or even some edible flowers if you’re serving it for a party would be lovely. Or, add raspberry coulis to a plate and serve the slices of cake on top.
How to Store
Once the vanilla bean cake has cooled completely and the icing has set, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, allow it to come to room temperature for optimal flavor.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
You can freeze this vanilla bean cake whole or in slices. To freeze the whole cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. To freeze slices, wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. When you’re ready to enjoy the cake, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
More Recipes Where Vanilla Is the Star
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
- Homemade Vanilla Wafers
- Vanilla Pudding Cake
- Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Frosting
Vanilla Bean Cake
This simple cake is full of flavor thanks to nutty browned butter and fragrant vanilla bean.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 & 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream
For the icing:
- 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (110g) confectioners' sugar
- 2 to 4 tablespoons milk
- 1/3 to 1/2 of the seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 portions, alternating with 2 portions of the sour cream. Mix just until combined.
- Transfer to the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, remove the cake from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing:
- Place the butter in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter until melted. Continue cooking, whisking often to prevent burning. The butter will begin to foam, brown specks will begin to form at the bottom of the pan, and the butter will have a nutty aroma.
- Remove from the heat. Transfer the butter to a large heatproof bowl to cool to room temperature.
- Add 2 tablespoons of milk and the vanilla to the cooled butter. Add about 1/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar. Beat the mixture until blended. Gradually add the remaining confectioners' sugar and mix until blended and smooth. If necessary, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix until the icing is the desired consistency.
- Spread the icing over the top of the cooled cake. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. If refrigerating, allow to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Once the vanilla bean cake has cooled completely and the icing has set, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. When you're ready to enjoy a slice, allow it to come to room temperature for optimal flavor.
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25 Comments on “Vanilla Bean Cake”
Brown butter is my best friiiiend! Hooray!!! This cake seriously looks amazing!
This cake sounds light and full of flavor with that browned butter and vanilla!
This sounds just lovely! Browned butter is pure deliciousness!
I love browned butter too! No, turning back! Love the simplicity of this vanilla cake!
I need to try browned butter! This cake looks beautiful and simple!
Such a classic cake! Looks lovely!
This frosting sounds amazing…. It also looks so easy to spread!! Beautiful!
Simple is always always one of my specs. Love how you made the cake in a round one layer pan & cut in pie shape for serving…. I would probably have done the old boring square pan… Thanks for the idea!
I had almost forgotten the beauty in simplicity of one layer cakes! Thanks for the lovely reminder!
I’m vaguely obsessed with brown butter lately so that frosting needs to happen in my life…though there is a danger I”d just eat the whole batch.
Oooh I have never tried browned butter icing, that sounds heavenly!
that icing sounds great, yes! sometimes icing makes the cake, agree?!
This would be perfect for a nice afternoon of coffee
This recipe looks really good. I can’t wait ti give it a try.
First off, I love the swirl on the top! It’s one of my favorite simple designs. Secondly (and most importantly), I have got to try this recipe, it looks and sounds delicious!
This cake was delicious! I was on a hunt for a perfect browned butter recipe, I made this yesterday and it was amazing! I used just vanilla extract instead of the vanilla beans, and it was still perfectly yummy. Thanks for the recipe!
This cake seems a simple and warm delight to make for a desert. The butter icing is perfect with the vanilla flavoring of the cake. And yes, straining brown butter is the ideal way to go. It’s a nice desert. I want to try this soon.
I am impressed that you choose brown sugar over white sugar. I’ve always been partial to brown, and I think the darker color it gives the cake is lovely. I can’t wait to try this recipe. (Also, thanks for supplying recipes so I can see the inside of the cake. The crumb on this look perfect.)
Happy birthday.
I’ve tried a few of your recipes, all keepers.
Thank you, Alvirta!
I used this recipe with amaretto instead of vanilla, and frosted with Italian buttercream for a wedding, it got rave reviews! thanks!
That sounds delicious!
My co-worker gave me a vanilla bean for Christmas and I had been wondering what to do with it. I finally made this cake yesterday and it is incredible! I now want to make EVERYTHING with browned butter! Mmmmm, your brown brown brownies or the chocolate chip hazelnut brown butter blondies are begging to be made and devoured!
Welcome to the brown butter club! 🙂
I just baked it tonight (did not do the frosting). It’s delicious! Mine was a bit on the crumbly side, and I am guessing it needs to stay in the oven for a few minutes less. Lovely recipe, thank you!