Church Cake Vanilla Glaze (Printable)
Moist vanilla sponge cake with buttermilk and a sweet glaze. Perfect for large gatherings and potlucks.
# What You Need:
→ Cake Components
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup buttermilk
→ Vanilla Glaze
10 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
11 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly distributed.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Incorporate eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture in alternating portions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just incorporated to avoid tough texture.
06 - Spread batter evenly into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
08 - Allow cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Adjust milk quantity to achieve desired consistency.
10 - Drizzle the glaze evenly over the completely cooled cake. Allow glaze to set for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It travels beautifully and actually tastes better after sitting for a few hours making it perfect for potlucks
- The ingredient list is simple enough that you can memorize it after making it once or twice
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are not optional here cold butter and eggs will not cream properly and your cake will be dense instead of tender
- Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears overmixed batter develops too much gluten and makes the cake tough instead of soft
03 -
- If your oven runs hot check the cake at 25 minutes to prevent overbaking which dries out the edges
- Brush the warm cake with simple syrup before glazing if you want extra moisture and a subtle sweetness boost