vanilla bean cake

The most delicious, moist funfetti vanilla bean cake. This homemade funfetti cake has a yellow cake base and is made with buttermilk to keep it perfectly dense, and is packed full of Jimmy sprinkles. The confetti cake is layered with a rich chocolate American Buttercream frosting, and finished with more sprinkles. This is the perfect celebration cake, and at six inches it is great for a small group.

Funfetti Cake with Dark Chocolate Buttercream

eggs,

egg yolk,

vanilla bean paste

buttermilk,

full fat greek yoghurt

all-purpose flour

sugar

tsp baking powder

tsp salt

unsalted butter,

rainbow Jimmy sprinkles

salt

powdered sugar, sifted

dutch process cocoa, sifted

heavy cream, as needed

Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Grease three 6” cake pans, and line with parchment paper on the bottom.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, buttermilk, and yoghurt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix briefly to combine.

With the mixer on low, add the butter a cube at a time, until fully incorporated and the mixture looks like sand.

Add half of the wet ingredients into the mixer. Mix until just combined, then add the second half of the wet ingredients. Mix on medium speed until just combined. Add in the sprinkles and mix to combine.Remove the bowl from the mixer and give a few folds with a rubber spatula to ensure that no dry ingredients remain.

Divide the batter between your three cake tins (I prefer to do this by weight - see notes). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes are springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes in their pans, then turn onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

CAKE LAYERS

Melt the dark chocolate in 15 second increments in the microwave, stirring well between each until melted. Set aside to cool completely.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until light and fluffy, approx. 4 minutes. Add the salt, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and cocoa, and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice.

Add the melted chocolate and mix well until silky. If needed, add cream 1 tbsp at a time to get the frosting to a nice smooth, fluffy consistency.

DARK CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

Level off the cake layers. Secure one of the layers of cake to a cake turntable, cake stand or cake board using a little buttercream. Add about half a cup of buttercream onto the first layer of cake (I used a cookie scoop that had a 2 Tbsp volume and added 3 scoops), and smooth using an offset spatula.

Place the second layer of cake onto the first, pressing very lightly to secure, and sealing the joins with a thin layer of buttercream. Add more buttercream, smooth down, then top with the third layer of cake - I like to put this one upside down to ensure that the top of the cake is flat.

Crumb coat the cake - to do this, apply a thin layer of buttercream over the surface of the cake, and smooth with a bench scraper or icing smoother. Refrigerate the cake for 15-20 minutes, until the crumb coat has set. Press a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the buttercream while you are chilling down the cake.

If you have started with a chilled or frozen cake, or the buttercream seems to be not too sloppy, you can skip the chilling down of the crumb coat if you like, or reduce the time to 5 mins. If you have an empty freezer you can also throw it in the freezer for 5 minutes to help set it!

Add a second layer of buttercream to the cake - I like to make this one thicker and smooth down the edges.

Smooth the buttercream on the outside of the cake using a bench scraper, scraping down between passes. Fill in any gaps, and add additional buttercream where needed. Continue until you are happy with the finish.

Chill the cake until you are ready to serve. Bring to room temperature for about an hour before serving.

ASSEMBLY

Loved this recipe! I've never tried the reverse creaming method before and it was super easy. I think the crumb of the cake itself wasn't as light, but dang it was so good!!

Can you please write your recipes in cups as well as grams? Many of us do not weigh our ingredients.

I love that this is in grams!

I'm going to make this for my daughter's birthday cake.  Sadly, she prefers vanilla frosting - any recs to go with this?

Hi Erin 
I would Love to make this for my daughters birthday. I ended up ordering 2- 8 inch pans. Do I just double your recipe? What would you suggest? 

Thanks

Moist and Delicious Vanilla Bean Cake recipe!

Vanilla Bean Cake Recipe

Sticks (226 g) unsalted butter, slightly softened

(400 g) sugar

eggs, room temperature (you can add to warm water to bring to room temp)

(242 g) sour cream (we use full fat)

(81 grams) milk (we use whole milk)

Tablespoon

(342 g) cake flour *See substitution below

(12 grams) baking powder

(4 grams) salt

unsalted butter

(1035 grams) powdered sugar

vanilla

salt (optional

(60 grams) milk (adjust based on desired consistency)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and...

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour three 8 inch x 2 inch round cake pans. (You could use 2 cake pans for slightly thicker layers  if you would rather, but we like the additional layer filling.)

In a medium sized bowl, add the flour,...

In a medium sized bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to blend for 30 seconds. Set aside.

In another bowl or measuring cup, combine the...

In another bowl or measuring cup, combine the sour cream, milk and vanilla

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the...

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until fluffy and lightened in color.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing...

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.

Add the flour mixture and the sour cream...

Add the flour mixture and the sour cream mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (3 additions of dry ingredients, 2 of wet).

Mix until combined and smooth, do not mix...

Mix until combined and smooth, do not mix above medium speed or over-mix.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes or...

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let the cakes cool 5-10 minutes, then turn out.

Makes 7 cups batter. The recipe works well...

Makes 7 cups batter. The recipe works well for cupcakes.

Cream the softened butter until smooth. Blend in...

Cream the softened butter until smooth. Blend in the vanilla.

Add half of the powdered sugar and most...

Add half of the powdered sugar and most of the milk. Beat at medium speed until the powdered sugar is incorporated.

Add remaining powdered sugar and milk and mix...

Add remaining powdered sugar and milk and mix at medium speed another 3 to 4 minutes scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. I slow down the mixer to very slow. (#2 on the Kitchenaid) for 1 to 2 minutes. This will help eliminate air pockets in the buttercream. The texture will become very smooth.

Makes approximately 6 cups of frosting.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/u6ptons3mlczvpxhfib3.mp4

This moist and flavorful Vanilla Bean Cake recipe is the best! It's the perfect go-to recipe, and tastes amazing with so many frostings and fillings!

Fluffy vanilla bean cake layers with roasted macadamia nut cream filling, roasted macadamia nuts and vanilla bean buttercream. ﻿

Macadamia Nut Cream Cake

(226 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)

(350 g) granulated sugar

(72.6 g) vegetable oil

eggs (whole) (room temperature)

(345 g) cake flour

(8 g) baking powder

(5.6 g) salt

(240 g) buttermilk (room temperature)

(13 g) vanilla bean paste

(480 g) macadamia nut milk

(2.8 g) salt

(8.12 g) corn starch

(50 g) granulated sugar

(4.2 g) pure vanilla extract

(452 g) unsalted butter (slightly cold)

(750 g) powdered sugar (measured and then sifted)

(77 g) heavy whipping cream

*This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and

(62.5 g) granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, and another coat of spray. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on high until fluffy and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Add the eggs and the egg whites, one at a time to the bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated.

Turn the mixer on low and add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Then add half of the buttermilk and blend well, followed by another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the second half of the buttermilk and lastly, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until incorporated.

Add the vanilla bean paste and beat on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on low for another 30 seconds.

Evenly distribute the cake batter among the three 8-inch or four 6-inch pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it.

Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks.

When cakes are completely cooled, I like to wrap each cake layer individually with plastic wrap and stick it in the refrigerator or freezer until I’m ready to frost. The cake will be easier to work with if it’s cooled a bit. If I’m making the cake a day or two before I actually need to frost it, I put it in the freezer to ensure freshness. If I’m frosting same-day, I’ll just put it in the refrigerator to chill until needed.

FOR THE CAKE

TOASTED MACADAMIA NUTS (plan to do ahead of time): Roughly chop the macadamia nuts and then place in a saute pan over medium heat with the salt. Toast the macadamia nuts until golden brown and fragrant, making sure to stir frequently.

Once the macadamia nuts are toasted, combine the toasted macadamia nuts and nut milk (or water) in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the nuts soak for about an hour.

After the nuts have soaked for an hour, place the nuts and nut milk in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.

MACADAMIA NUT MILK (plan to do ahead of time): Using a cheesecloth or thin dish towel, strain the liquid from the puree. This is best done over a large bowl. Pour the nut puree over the cheesecloth and squeeze the liquid through the cloth. We want to get 1 cup of liquid from our puree. If you've strained as much as possible and still don't have 1 cup of liquid, place the leftover paste from the cheesecloth back into your blender or food processor, add another 1/2 cup of nut milk and puree again. You'll then strain the puree again to get more liquid.&nbsp;

The nut milk can be made up to a week before you plan to make the custard. Just make sure to refrigerate the milk in a mason jar or other airtight container.

FOR THE CUSTARD (plan to do ahead of time):&nbsp;In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks. Add the cornstarch and whisk until the mixture is light yellow and a bit thick.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup of the nut milk and vanilla. Just before the milk begins to boil, remove it from the heat.

Very slowly, add the nut milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling the eggs. When you’ve combined all the nut milk with the egg mixture, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to the stove.

Cook the mixture over medium heat until it has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently. Allow the custard to cool completely and then place in an airtight container to refrigerate overnight.

TO COMPLETE THE MACADAMIA NUT CREAM FILLING (finish day of assembly): Beat the heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks. Fold the heavy whipping cream into your custard. Best used right away.

FOR THE MACADAMIA NUT CREAM FILLING (most of these steps are best done ahead of time)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, and dash of salt.

Continue to beat the frosting on medium-high speed for an additional 5 minutes.

Before frosting your cake, mix the frosting by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

Chop the macadamia nuts and then place in a saute pan over medium heat with the sugar.&nbsp;

Cook the macadamia nuts until the sugar has melted, coated the nuts and the nuts become golden brown. Make sure to stir frequently. Once the nuts are cooked, spread them out on parchment paper to cool completely.

FOR THE TOASTED MACADAMIA NUTS

Place the first cake layer, top side up (top side up), on a cake board or cake plate. Using an offset icing spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake layer, about 1/2 cup. This creates a barrier between the cake and filling so the cake doesn't become soggy.

Pipe a rim of frosting around the edge of the cake layer. This will help support the cake layers and prevent the filling from spilling out.

Spread about 1/2 to 2/3 cup cream filling on the cake layer.

Sprinkle about a 1/2 cup of the toasted macadamia nuts over the cream filling.

Gently place the second cake layer on top of the fillings and the above steps for the second layer.

Place the final cake layer top side down on the second layer of fillings.

Freeze the cake for about 10 minutes to help set the frosting and filling, making it a bit more stable for when you frost. If the cake still feels wobbly, add a dowel to the center of the cake (or you can even use drinking straws for this).

After the filling is set, use a small amount of frosting to apply a crumb coat around the entire cake. Freeze the cake again for another 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.

After the crumbs are locked in, continue to frost and decorate the cake with the remaining frosting and toasted nuts.

Hi! I’m really excited to try making this cake for my bday! Do you think I can significantly reduce the powdered sugar from the vanilla buttercream without affecting the texture too much? I don’t like my buttercream too sweet. Thanks!

Yummy! Do you think I could use an olive oil/coconut or avocado oil instead of vegetable/canola oil?

I forgot to rate this.  Definitely 5 Stars

I made this cake for my birthday! The cake is the perfect texture. Moist but not heavy, I guess what they call the perfect crumb! I used almond milk to soak the nuts for the cream filling. I had dry roasted, salted macadamia nuts so I reduced the salt in the recipe as suggested. My family loved it as well, I will definitely make it again!

This vanilla bean cake recipe bakes up tender, delicious, and studded with beautiful flecks of vanilla bean!

Vanilla Bean Cake

all-purpose flour (375 grams)

sugar (600 grams)

tsp baking powder (10 grams)

tsp fine salt (6 grams)

unsalted butter, room temperature (226 grams)

full-fat sour cream, room temperature (360 grams)

Tbsp vegetable or canola oil (30 grams)

vanilla bean paste (12 grams)

unsalted butter, room temperature (452 grams)

vanilla bean paste (24 grams)

tsp fine salt (3 grams)

sugar (875 grams)

heavy whipping cream, room temperature (60 grams)

Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line four 7&quot; or three 8&quot; pans with parchment paper, then grease with nonstick spray or homemade cake release. Set aside.

Mix 3 cups all purpose flour, 3 cups sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until fully combined.

Then, mix in 1 cup of room temperature, unsalted butter slowly into the dry ingredients on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture looks like moist sand.

Pour in 1 cup of egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.

Then mix in 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil, and 1 Tbsp of vanilla bean paste on a low speed until fully incorporated.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula one more time, then beat on a medium speed for about 30 seconds to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. I like to use a scale to make sure each pan has the same amount of batter and will bake up to be the same height.

Bake for 33-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pans halfway through to help them bake evenly.

Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.

Place the cake layers into the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers.

Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers right before you plan to assemble your cake, or you can wrap and freeze them if you&#39;re making them in advance.

If you do freeze the cake layers, let them thaw for about 20 minutes before making the cake. The cake layers should still be slightly cold to the touch, which will make it easier to assemble the cake.

Vanilla Bean Cake Layers:

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla bean buttercream frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, beat 2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a stand mixer and paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.

Mix in 2 Tbsp of vanilla bean paste and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed. Gradually mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream on a low speed.

Continue to mix on a low speed for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached.  If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting seems too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).

If you plan to color the buttercream, add in the gel food coloring once the frosting is fully made, and beat on low until it reaches the desired color.

Cover the buttercream flush with plastic wrap to prevent crusting, then set aside.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting:

Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake baord or flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.

Spread an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula. Add a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers.

Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake and smooth using a bench scraper. Then decorate as desired and enjoy!  I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to decorate the top of the cake, but any open star piping tip would work great!

Assembling This Vanilla Bean Layer Cake:

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/zSgy4Ryr.mp4

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