Vanilla Loaf Cake

Name: Vanilla Loaf Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 200 g Butter or baking spread (softened, unsalted); 200 g Caster sugar ((superfine sugar)); 4 Eggs (large); 200 g Self raising flour; 2 tsp Vanilla extract ((not essence!)); 125 g Butter (softened, unsalted); 250 g Icing sugar; 1 tsp Vanilla extract ((not essence!)); 1 tbsp Milk; Sprinkles (optional)

22/05/2020 by thebakingexplorer 39 Comments

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Sometimes you just want a no frills and fuss free cake that's simply delicious, and this Vanilla Loaf Cake fits the bill perfectly. It's a light vanilla sponge, topped with creamy vanilla buttercream and sprinkles. Loaf cakes are also known as pound cakes, this is because they were traditionally made with 1lb (one pound) of each ingredient - butter, eggs, flour and sugar. This cake is made with five ingredients, as I've added some vanilla extract for wonderful flavour. It's a great cake to make if you're new to baking!

I love vanilla and anything vanilla flavoured - I think it's a pretty universally loved flavour! The most popular ice cream flavour in the world is vanilla, and a big scoop of it would be so yummy with a slice of this cake! This was actually a reader requested recipe - don't forget to let me know if you have any recipe requests! The best way is either in the comments or via my Instagram profile.

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
For the best flavour, make sure to use a good quality vanilla extract and not an essence. You can also use a vanilla bean paste.
I used a baking spread for the cake and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
You will need a 2lb loaf tin for this recipe (you can test the size of your loaf tin by seeing how much water the tin can hold, 2lb will hold about 2 pints/1100ml of water). If you have a 1lb loaf tin, simply halve the ingredient amounts.
For easy lining of the tin, use a loaf cake tin liner*.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make a Vanilla Loaf Cake

To make the cake, mix the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Gently whisk in the self raising flour, then pour the mixture into the tin.

Bake for an hour until golden, then make a vanilla buttercream by mixing butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract together.

How long does the loaf cake last for and can it be frozen?

The loaf cake will last for 3-4 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cake and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cake well in cling film or put it in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze the loaf cake decorated, freeze on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the loaf cake out of the freezer to defrost, as if it defrosts with it still on it could damage the buttercream.

Can you make this loaf cake with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can this loaf cake be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp Xantham Gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread for the cake and the buttercream, and a dairy free milk for the buttercream.

Can this cake be made into cupcakes or mini loaf cakes?

Yes, you can split the mixture into cupcake cases in a cupcake tin, or mini loaf cases in a mini loaf tin. I would recommend using two cupcake/mini loaf tins as this recipe will make around 16-18 cupcakes. Or you can halve this recipe to make less. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden, risen and a thin skewere or cocktail stick inserted in the centre of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.

More tips for making the Vanilla Loaf Cake:

I decorated the cake with vanilla buttercream, but you could make some icing with icing sugar and vanilla extract and/or water, and drizzle it over instead for an even simpler decoration.
It's really important to use good quality vanilla extract for the perfect natural vanilla flavour. Avoid using essence as it's a sythentic flavour and personally I don't think it tastes as good.
I used a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle to pipe the buttercream onto the cake.

A slice of Vanilla Loaf Cake on a small plate

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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