Vanilla Bundt Cake: the easy recipe for a beautiful, fluffy dessert

With its sweet, delicious vanilla flavor and moist, tender crumb, homemade vanilla bundt cake always hits the spot. Decorated with a clear vanilla glaze, it's a phenomenally rich, buttery treat you can bake and enjoy as a snack with coffee or tea, or as a light, sturdy dessert with some fresh fruit.

Vanilla bundt cake is always a beautiful, fine-grained dessert to make, especially since it's so wonderfully tall and fluffy. Try garnishing it with some powdered sugar for an elegant yet comforting traditional treat.

It's easy to customize as well – add other flavorings or swap out the vanilla glaze with chocolate, orange, lemon, or other flavors.

What is Bundt Cake?

Bundt cake is a classic dessert that is baked in a bundt pan. This moist, tender cake is based on European cakes found across the continent. They can come in a variety of flavors but are exclusively baked in fluted bundt pans. There's no specific recipe.

It's similar to a pound cake in that it's rich, buttery, and often enjoyed with tea. Pound cakes tend to be denser compared to bundt cakes, but they can be baked in bundt pans as well.

Vanilla Bundt Cake Ingredients

You don't need any fancy ingredients to make this classic vanilla bundt cake.

All-purpose flour, plenty of butter, some milk, sugar, vanilla, and baking powder are all essential for making a vanilla bundt cake.

To make the glaze, you'll also need sugar, water, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt – this will balance out the glaze so it isn't too sweet.

How to Make Vanilla Bundt Cake

To make the perfect vanilla bundt cake at home, start by prepping your flour. Measure it out, making sure to scrape off any excess from your measuring cup with a knife. Next, generously grease a large bundt pan (this is essential for ensuring your bundt cake doesn't stick when you try to remove it), and heat your oven to 350F.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until it becomes fluffy. Mix in the baking powder and salt. Now it's time to add in the eggs. This step is key to making the perfect fluffy, light, bundt cake. Working one by one, mix in the first three eggs.

Next, add in 2 tablespoons of your premeasured flour. Beat in the next egg, followed by another 2 tablespoons of flour. Repeat until all the eggs have been added. Combine the extracts with the milk in a separate cup. Beat one-third of the flour into the egg mixture, followed by half the milk. Repeat until all the flour and milk has been added.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake your bundt cake for 50 to 60 minutes. Put the pan on a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes then remove the cake from the pan. To make the vanilla glaze, stir the water, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Heat the mixture in the microwave, then add in the vanilla. Generously brush the glaze over the cake.

Tips for Moist Vanilla Bundt Cake

Use room-temperature ingredients to make your bundt cake.

Using a non-stick bundt pan will help prevent your cake from sticking.

For a richer vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste or one whole vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract.

Make your bundt cake up to a few days in advance.

If you don't have any all-purpose flour, use cake flour as a substitute. You might need a little extra to get the same texture.

To make a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.

For ultra-moist, fluffy, and light bundt cake, use buttermilk instead of regular milk.

To make a vegetarian bundt cake, use plant-based milk and oil instead of milk and butter.

If your bundt cake is browning too quickly, tent foil over it.

Vanilla bundt cake is done cooking when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean and crumb-free.

How to Decorate Vanilla Bundt Cake

While this recipe calls for a lovely clear vanilla glaze, you can easily switch things up when it comes to decorating your bundt cake. Some popular alternatives are chocolate glaze, orange or lemon glaze, cream cheese frosting, caramel sauce, butterscotch, or icing.

You can add sprinkles, edible flowers, or fresh fruit to your bundt cake to make it even more eye-catching.

If you're making a bundt cake for the holidays or other special occasions, you can also add a drop or two of food coloring to any glazes or frosting.

How to Store Vanilla Bundt Cake

Cover and keep your bundt cake for up to 2 days at room temperature.

For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to one week, however, take note it might dry out slightly in the fridge.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease a bundt pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Measure the flour and set it aside. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in baking powder and salt.

Beat three of the eggs in one by one. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the flour. Beat in the fourth egg, followed by another 2 tablespoons of flour. Repeat until all the eggs have been added. Whisk the vanilla and almond extracts into the milk.

Beat 1/3 of the measured flour into the egg mixture, followed by half the milk. Repeat until all the flour and milk has been added.

Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan.

Smooth it out.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and loosen the cake.

Place the pan bottom side down onto a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the cake and leave to cool completely. Decorate with powdered sugar. If you want to make the glaze, whisk water, sugar, and salt in a pot to combine. Heat in the microwave, then add in the vanilla extract. Generously brush the glaze over the cake.

Slice and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

Use a 10 to 12 cup bundt pan for your cake.