Here’s a classic Grandma Cake recipe—a soft, moist, and comforting vanilla cake, often frosted with a simple buttercream. This is the kind of cake your grandma might bake for birthdays or special occasions:
Ingredients (for 1 9-inch cake, 8–10 servings)
For the cake:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
For the buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Preheat and prepare pans
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
2. Make the cake batter
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
- Mix in vanilla extract.
- Alternately add dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
3. Bake
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
4. Make the frosting
- Beat butter in a bowl until creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well.
- Add milk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Adjust consistency with more milk or powdered sugar if needed.
5. Assemble the cake
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
- Spread a layer of buttercream over the top.
- Place the second layer on top and frost the entire cake.
- Decorate with sprinkles or piping if desired.
💡 Tips:
- For extra moistness, brush cake layers with a simple syrup (1 part sugar, 1 part water) before frosting.
- You can add lemon zest, almond extract, or a layer of fruit preserves for variety.
- Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
If you want, I can also give a super easy “one-bowl Grandma Cake” version that skips multiple bowls and is perfect for quick baking.
Do you want me to give that one-bowl version?
