Church Cake with Vanilla Glaze (Printable)

A tender vanilla sponge cake with sweet glaze, ideal for large gatherings and potluck events.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan.
07 - Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
08 - Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over cooled cake. Allow glaze to set before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The kind of cake that travels beautifully and stays moist for days, making it perfect for sharing
  • So incredibly simple that you can memorize the recipe after making it once
  • That tender buttermilk crumb that works with coffee, tea, or just straight from the pan
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients make all the difference, so take everything out of the fridge at least an hour before you start
  • Overmixing once the flour is added will make the cake tough, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • The glaze needs to be the consistency of heavy cream, so adjust with powdered sugar or milk until it pours easily but isn't watery
03 -
  • Don't have buttermilk? Mix regular milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes
  • For a citrus variation, add a tablespoon of fresh lemon zest to the batter and use lemon juice in the glaze

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