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    Vanilla Loaf Cake

    22/05/2020 by thebakingexplorer 43 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    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! 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.

    Sliced Vanilla Loaf Cake

    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.

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

    Vanilla Loaf Cake

    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 (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with). You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread for the cake and a dairy free block butter alternative (I like Flora Plant) for the buttercream, and a dairy free milk for the buttercream. Please do check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

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

    If you'd like to make cupcakes, check out my Vanilla Cupcakes recipe for the details. For mini lof cakes, I would recommend using two mini loaf tins as this recipe will make around 16-18 of them. Or you can halve this recipe to make less. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden, risen and a thin skewer or cocktail stick inserted in the centre of one of the mini loaf cakes comes out clean.

    A slice of Vanilla Loaf Cake on a small plate

    What size tin do you need for this recipe?

    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/1100mls of water). If you have a 1lb loaf tin, simply halve the ingredient amounts. I have a few different 2lb loaf tins, that all have slightly different measurements. The one I used for this recipe has internal measurements of 22cm x 11cm x 6cm. If your 2lb loaf tin is slightly narrower, your cake may need slightly longer to bake.

    What is the best way to line a loaf tin?

    For easy and quick lining of the tin, use a loaf cake tin liner*, however if you don't have any of these you can use baking paper instead. Cut two pieces of baking paper, one wider piece and one longer and thinner piece. The wider piece will cover the two longer sides of the tin and the base, then place the longer thinner piece over the top of the first piece and cover the base again, and the smaller sides. Making a cross shape with the baking paper. I always grease the tin lightly before adding the liner or baking paper, as this helps to keep the paper in place and stop it from moving around when you add the batter.

    Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

    While you can absolutely make this recipe with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease, I do recommend using an electric mixer for the best results. The cake will be lighter and fluffier when made with an electric mixer. The buttercream will also be smoother. You don't have to use an expensive stand mixer either, you can get electric hand whisks for as little as £10!

    Should a loaf cake have a crack on top?

    Yes! A slight crack down the middle of a loaf cake is totally normal. Some people even encourage a crack to happen by adding a line of melted butter or oil down the centre of the batter! If your loaf cake has a very large crack, it could be that it was baked on too high a temperature (or that your oven runs hotter inside than the dial says).

    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 large round nozzle to pipe the buttercream onto the cake.

    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!

    Recommended equipment & ingredients*

    • Loaf cake tin
    • Mixing bowls
    • Measuring spoons
    • Cooling rack
    • Kitchen scales
    • Electric hand mixer
    • Loaf cake tin liners
    • Piping bags
    • Round piping nozzle
    • Funfetti sprinkles
    • Loaf cake storage box

    *I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!

    Vanilla Loaf Cake with a fork

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    Vanilla Loaf Cake

    Vanilla Loaf Cake

    Vanilla loaf cake with vanilla buttercream
    4.90 from 19 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: Cake
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Author: thebakingexplorer

    Ingredients

    For the sponge

    • 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!)

    For the buttercream

    • 125 g Butter softened, unsalted
    • 250 g Icing sugar
    • 1 tsp Vanilla extract (not essence!)
    • 1 tbsp Milk

    For decoration (optional)

    • Sprinkles optional
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat the oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin
    • Mix together the butter or baking spread and caster sugar until light and fluffy, ideally using an electric mixer
    • Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk in until smooth
    • Whisk in the flour gently until fully combined
    • Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for an hour, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool fully
    • To make the buttercream, mix together the butter and icing sugar until they start to combine, then add the vanilla extract and milk, and mix until smooth. You can add a little more milk if the buttercream is too stiff. Use an electric mixer for the best results
    • Put the buttercream into a piping bag and pipe it onto the loaf cake, or spread on with a spoon or spatula
    • Decorate with sprinkles, if using
    • Store in an airtight container in a cool place and eat within 3 days. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months
    Made this recipe?Share on Instagram with me @TheBakingExplorer or tag #thebakingexplorer!

    Video

    Notes

    • To make this recipe with plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add 2 tsp baking powder.
    • 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 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.
    • I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales and  measuring spoons for the best results.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 509kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 907IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

    If you like this, check out more of my Loaf Cake recipes!

    « Nutella Baked Donuts
    Snickers Millionaire's Shortbread »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle Rolfe

      May 22, 2020 at 2:34 pm

      5 stars
      Can't beat a simple loaf cake at anytime, perfect with an afternoon cuppa. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle

      Reply
      • Rebecca Smith

        May 24, 2020 at 9:40 am

        5 stars
        You definately have a more reserved way of slicing your cake portions hahahaha. This looks lovely and the sprinkles remind me of my childhood too.

        Reply
      • Disappointed TT

        April 07, 2021 at 6:56 pm

        This cake was really bad for me..it tasted like it was burnt but it looked perfect with a golden-brown hue. Really disappointed TT

        Please tell me where I went wrong DX

        Reply
        • thebakingexplorer

          April 07, 2021 at 8:38 pm

          Hi there, I'm sorry that happened. I'm unsure as to why it would taste burnt if it wasn't actually burnt. Could there be something in the oven causing it? Has this happened with anything else you've cooked in there?

          Reply
    2. Louise Fairweather

      May 24, 2020 at 7:09 pm

      Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing #cookblogshare

      Reply
    3. Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie

      May 25, 2020 at 10:29 am

      5 stars
      What a lovely 'easy peasy' cake! And I very much agree with you about vanilla - such a great flavour 😀 Eb x

      Reply
    4. Nic

      May 26, 2020 at 11:54 am

      Thanks for sharing 🙂 This looks very yummy 🙂

      Reply
    5. Of Goats and Greens

      May 28, 2020 at 2:58 am

      Looks good, and not hard to create. Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday.

      Reply
      • Susan

        May 03, 2023 at 3:37 pm

        This cake is my go to, got one in the oven right now ready to slice up for my honesty stall tomorrow 💕

        Reply
    6. Liz

      May 28, 2020 at 3:55 pm

      This is perfect. Although a blank slate it could be modified with other flavorings, and it doesn't sound too rich (I'm don't have much of a sweet tooth). Thank you so much for bringing it to FF.

      Reply
    7. Acdem

      May 29, 2020 at 5:02 pm

      Help, when I just tried this it came out of the oven with a high peak in the middle! Why didn’t it come out all flat like your cake? Thanks.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        May 29, 2020 at 8:43 pm

        Hi Acdem, what temperature did you bake the cake on? Your oven may be running hotter than the dial says, I would suggest turning the oven temperature down next time. And check your tin is a 2lb one, if it is smaller then that could be another reason for it peaking so high. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    8. Navi

      June 02, 2020 at 12:33 am

      5 stars
      This sponge cake is my go to for when I want to make this! I also have made it in a round cake tin, I know the recipe says a loaf tin but I didn’t have one at the time. Amazing recipe. Thank you for sharing this recipe with the world

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        June 02, 2020 at 10:41 pm

        Thank you Navi for your lovely feedback!

        Reply
      • @cupcakedan80

        August 07, 2021 at 10:35 am

        5 stars
        I made this recipe last night and it turned out perfectly also the taste was amazing 😍sometimes I look for simple flavours taking a break from all the other ones so if you're looking for a lovely moist vanilla loaf then this is the definitely it thank you kat for the recipe 😊

        Reply
    9. Fairby

      June 09, 2020 at 6:40 am

      5 stars
      Hello, I made your delicious vanilla sponge loaf and it got rave reviews!
      It was so light, fluffy and vanillary!
      In the past I've never had much success with butter cream but even this was good....
      My cake had a raised top too and my piping skills are disastrous so I made fork lines in my butter cream to hold the sprinkles.
      I have a photo too so will share it on one of your social media pages....
      Thank you x

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        June 10, 2020 at 12:12 am

        Thank you so much for the lovely feedback! I think I have seen the photo, thank you so much for sharing!!

        Reply
    10. Acdem

      June 21, 2020 at 10:25 am

      I just made this cake again, followed the recipe to the letter, and even used an oven thermometer, but still got a peaked top on the cake. Can you please confirm the oven temp - 160 fan?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        June 21, 2020 at 10:37 am

        Hi Acdem, I bake mine on 160C Fan, but all ovens are different. Your oven may run slightly hotter than the dial says (this is very common) so you could try to turn the oven down to 150C Fan next time and bake a little longer. If you want to check your oven temperature you can buy oven thermometers to find out what the real temperature inside is. I wouldn't worry too much about a peak top on this cake though as you can hide it with the buttercream, or you can cut it off if you really don't like it!

        Reply
      • Michelle

        July 01, 2021 at 3:46 pm

        Try to use a cake baking strip, you can DIY one with wet newspapers on the inside and aluminum foil as an outer layer, wrap it around the tin, it makes the shape a bit flatter at the top.

        Reply
    11. Sophie H

      July 28, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      Hi
      This looks great!
      Did you use a 1lb or 2lb loaf tin?
      Many Thanks!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        July 28, 2020 at 3:51 pm

        Hi Sophie, I used a 2lb loaf tin 🙂

        Reply
    12. Nathiya

      September 10, 2020 at 12:34 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Kat...i have tried vanilla loaf cake and utvturns out delicious...it was moist and fluffy...my family loved it..thank you for the recipe❤❤❤

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        September 10, 2020 at 10:17 pm

        Thank you so much for your lovely feedback!

        Reply
    13. Zak

      October 03, 2020 at 8:50 pm

      5 stars
      Just finished baking this for a third time. It's honestly so simple yet amazing ! Thank you for sharing. This time though I have split the batter - one half I added coco powder to and made a marble version of this. Thank you again 💙

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        October 03, 2020 at 9:21 pm

        Hi Zak, I'm so pleased you've been enjoying this recipe! Thank you so much for the lovely feedback 😀

        Reply
    14. Jody

      October 06, 2020 at 8:51 pm

      5 stars
      Best vanilla sponge recipe I have tried x

      Reply
    15. Hannah

      October 08, 2020 at 3:26 pm

      5 stars
      Was looking for an easy to bake cake with my 3 year old and came across this. Perfect to do with him and he loved decorating it. it didn't look as pretty as this but we enjoyed baking it together (and licking the bowl afterwards)!

      Reply
    16. Jayne Harvey

      October 12, 2020 at 9:03 pm

      5 stars
      This loaf Cake is great. I loved the simple vanilla flavour together with the butter icing and the sprinkles took me back to some much loved childhood baking. A nice change from making cupcakes.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        October 14, 2020 at 9:14 am

        Thank you Jayne, I'm so pleased you enjoyed this recipe!

        Reply
    17. Hannah

      February 18, 2021 at 9:06 pm

      Hi Kat, this cake looks so amazing. I’d like to make a smaller version in a 1lb loaf tin so would I be correct in assuming I would just halve the ingredients quantities? Also how long would you suggest I bake it for? Many thanks in advance😊xx

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 19, 2021 at 7:57 am

        Hi Hannah, thank you! Yes that's right just halve the ingredient quantities. I've not baked in a 1lb tin before, so I'd say to check on it after 25-30 minutes - but only open the door if it looks well risen and a golden crust has developed on top. If it has then you can check with the skewer method. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    18. Charlotte

      April 02, 2021 at 9:18 pm

      What a super easy recipe to follow and so versatile allowing you to add your favourite toppings. I’ve made this twice as it’s now my daughters favourite cake so would definitely recommend. Thank you The Baking Explorer 👍🏻

      Reply
    19. Bee

      April 19, 2021 at 2:26 pm

      5 stars
      I made this today and it is so good!
      I halved the ingredients and used a 1lb loaf tin and baked it for about 35 minutes. Perfect!

      Reply
    20. Kelly

      April 26, 2021 at 7:47 am

      5 stars
      Finally I’ve found it; the best vanilla loaf recipe. This will be a staple in my house now. Today I added freeze dried strawberries and coconut to make my loaf cake, it held up well with adding other ingredients and tastes delicious. Simple and magical!
      thank you for this.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        April 26, 2021 at 2:15 pm

        Wow thank you so much Kelly, this is such lovely feedback!! 😀

        Reply
    21. Gillian Calvert

      August 06, 2021 at 11:43 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is amazing. I made the vanilla loaf cake yesterday and it’s so delicious there’s only 1 slice left. Even hubby loves it. Will definitely make more. Would recommend this recipe 💯 % xx

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        August 07, 2021 at 9:55 am

        Thanks you so much for the lovely review Gillian!

        Reply
    22. Coral Jade

      August 28, 2021 at 10:09 pm

      3 stars
      Sadly this has been my least favourite of your recipes so far. The sponge was very nice but just didn’t really find the taste amazing. Good for people who like plain cakes though 🙂 x

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        August 28, 2021 at 11:22 pm

        I'm so sorry to hear this Coral. Can I ask what vanilla extract you used? A good quality one adds the best flavour, and try to avoid using an essence as it's just not the same. Or you can always add a teaspoons extra next time if you found it too plain 🙂

        Reply
    23. Jenny

      March 06, 2023 at 11:30 pm

      How can I make this gluten free?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        March 07, 2023 at 9:18 am

        Hi Jenny, there's a paragraph detailing this in the post 🙂

        Reply
    24. Toni

      March 17, 2023 at 2:44 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! Great texture!

      Reply

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