French vanilla cake/Photo byGin Lee

French vanilla cake

French vanilla cake has a flavor that's superior to a basic vanilla cake, in my opinion. Its buttery vanilla taste and texture are so dreamy that it's downright difficult to resist.

French vanilla cake/Photo byGin Lee

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of butter, softened
• 2 cups of Splenda or sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2-3/4 cups of cake flour, or all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2-1/4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1 cup of oat milk
• 2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract

Vanilla buttercream frosting ingredients:

• 1 cup of butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups of vegetable shortening
• 6 cups of sugar-free powdered sugar or regular powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons of oat milk, almond milk, or whole milk (add more if needed)
• 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

Grease a 9x13 cake pan with butter, then dust the inside of the pan with flour. Shake the pan from side to side to make sure all of the pan is coated well. Shake out any excess flour.

Sift the flour at least once. Then add it, the baking powder, and the salt to a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Beat the butter for a few minutes until it becomes fluffy and turns a pale yellow. Add the Splenda or sugar and beat for another two to three minutes. Add the eggs and mix them in one at a time.

Now, add the flour mixture gradually, a little at a time. Then pour in the milk while mixing the batter. Add the pure vanilla extract, and blend well.

Using a spoon, pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.

Baking a French vanilla cake/Photo byGin Lee

Bake your French vanilla cake for about 30 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Once baked, transfer it to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before frosting it.

Making cake frosting/Photo byGin Lee

Vanilla buttercream frosting ingredients:

• 1 cup of butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups of vegetable shortening
• 6 cups of sugar-free powdered sugar or regular powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons of oat milk, almond milk, or whole milk (add more if needed)
• 1-1/2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract

Frosting instructions:

Place the softened butter and the vegetable shortening in a mixing bowl and blend for about 4 minutes.

Gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter and vegetable shortening mixture. Add one cup at a time. Mix on the lowest speed just until the ingredients are combined. Then mix on high for another 4 minutes. Add the pure vanilla extract and beat for an additional 6 minutes.

Once cool, use a cake spatula to spread the frosting on the cake.

I didn't unmold my cake, but if you want to, run a cake knife around the cake and pan to help loosen it. Then place a cake board over the top of your cake pan and flip the pan upside down to release the cake. Now, you'll be able to frost the top and sides of your delicious French vanilla cake.