Super Easy Vanilla Cake Recipe – Kid-Friendly Christmas Cake Recipe

Holiday baking burnout is no joke! This 7 ingredient cake is so easy to make with kids and you won’t spend hours in the kitchen baking and cleaning up. You can even make a couple and let each kid decorate their own. With 10 minutes of prep time, you’ll have a quick and delicious cake in the oven in minutes. Decorate your Christmas cake with red sprinkles, faux Christmas trees, edible glitter, or colored frosting. The possibilities are endless and this makes for a super fun Christmas break activity. Keep this recipe handy for an easy birthday cake too!

This recipe yields one layer of cake.

If you’re looking for an easy vanilla cake recipe, look no further. This is literally the easiest cake you can make outside of a box cake. 10 minutes of prep time and you have a fluffy, vanilla cake that’s great for a quick dessert, birthday cake, or any time of the year.

Prep Time:
10 mins

Cook Time:
30 mins

Total Time:
40 mins

Servings:
12

Yield:
1 9-inch square cake or circle pan

The Easiest Vanilla Cake Ingredients

1 cup white sugar

ยฝ cup unsalted butter

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ยฝ cups all-purpose flour

1 ยพ teaspoons baking powder

ยฝ cup milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 175 degrees C.

Grease and flour a 9-inch square cake pan or circle pan. You can double this recipe for a 2-layer cake.

Cream butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl. The trick to a light and fluffy cake is a light and fluffy creamed butter and sugar mixture. If it isn’t creamed before adding the eggs, the cake will be dense.

One at a time at each egg. Mix between each egg. Add vanilla.

Combine the flour and baking powder in a separate dry ingredient bowl. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well. Add the milk and stir until smooth.

Pour your batter into the cake pan.

Bake in the preheated oven. The top of the cake will spring back when lightly touched. Use a cake tester or toothpick to test it. The bake time will range from 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Easy Buttercream Frosting

Prep Time:
10 mins

Total Time:
10 mins

Servings:
8

Yield:
2 1/2 cups

This recipe is for one layer cake, double for a 2-layer cake)

Ingredients

ยฝ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

4.5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 ยฝ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

Food coloring, or as needed (Optional)

Directions

Cream butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. This will make sure your frosting is smooth and fluffy. Gradually add in confectioners’ sugar until fully mixed. Add in vanilla extract.

Add the milk and beat for another 3-4 minutes. Separate frosting for different colors if desired. If you’re only using one color of frosting, mix in 3-5 drops of desired color and mix well.