BAKE WITH ZOHA

  • Recipes
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
×
Home » Cakes

Easy Classic Vanilla Bundt Cake

Published: Jul 10, 2023 · Modified: Jul 26, 2023 by Zoha · This post may contain affiliate links · 39 Comments

↓ Jump to Recipe

The first cake I ever learned was a Easy Classic Vanilla Bundt cake, served with the sacred afternoon tea in Pakistan. It was also the first ever recipe I shared on Bake With Zoha when I started in 2022. I was worried it was too simple, but learned quickly that people want simple. That recipe was recreated and praised by hundreds, and it only made sense to bring it back - with some improvements.

This is my improved but still Easy Classic Vanilla Bundt cake recipe. I like to call it foolproof and extremely beginner friendly - the batter takes all of 10 minutes to make, with no complicated steps or fancy ingredients, and you can enjoy a delicious, soft cake within an hour. It is truly the perfect accompaniment to your morning, afternoon, or night time tea / coffee ritual; and incredible for hosting!

classic vanilla bundt cake on marble serving stand dusted with powdered sugar
classic vanilla bundt cake on marble serving stand dusted with powdered sugar; hand pulling out 1 slice revealing soft texture inside

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

plain cake ingredients: eggs flour sugar oil butter

This recipe is designed to be ultra simple, and all ingredients are ones you should already have in your pantry / fridge:

  1. All purpose flour (or plain flour)
  2. Cornstarch (or corn flour, depending on where you live). Cornstarch has lower protein content than all purpose flour, and combined with all purpose flour creates something similar to cake flour, which results in a softer, more tender cake
  3. Baking powder
  4. Baking soda
  5. Salt
  6. Neutral tasting oil; in my experience, Canola has been the best. Since oil is a liquid at room temperature, cakes made with oil tend to be more moist and softer, especially when refrigerated, as opposed to those made with butter
  7. Melted butter. I like to add both oil and butter as, while oil is great for moisture, butter has better flavor
  8. Sugar
  9. Eggs and egg white. My original recipe had 3 eggs, but I find that omitting 1 egg yolk helps reduce the "eggy" flavor while still giving the cake structure. If you don't want to add eggs, you can replace them with flax seed eggs in this recipe!
  10. Buttermilk. Don't fret if you don't have it, you can make it easily by mixing lemon juice or vinegar with milk. Buttermilk helps add moisture to the batter while also helping make it thinner
  11. Vanilla. I strongly recommend using a high quality vanilla bean paste or fresh vanilla beans, as they have much better and stronger flavor. Using lower quality or insufficient vanilla will result in a cake which tastes more like egg and sugar, and we don't want that!

HOW TO MAKE THIS CLASSIC VANILLA BUNDT CAKE

Just like the ingredients, the method is super easy, too! It takes less than 10 minutes and mostly comes together in one bowl. Let's watch a video walkthrough:

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="8fViLc4l" upload-date="2023-07-25T01:22:04.000Z" name="Easy Classic Vanilla Bundt Cake" description="How to make a classic vanilla bundt cake" player-type="default" override-embed="default"]

Here's what you will need to do:

1. Sift and mix dry ingredients

Before getting started, pre-heat your oven to 350F (conventional; no fan).

Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl, and whisk to combine. Do not skip this step - if you don't sift the dry ingredients, they will be lumpy and will cause a lumpy, dense batter.

I like to use this sifter with a built in mechanism which makes it much quicker to sift dry ingredients!

2. Whisk wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar with the melted butter and oil for 1-2 minutes until the mixture changes color and becomes a bit lighter. You can do this with a hand whisk, or even use a blender!

butter oil and sugar in a bowl
whisk mixing butter oil and sugar until light in color

Add the eggs and vanilla, and whisk again for 1-2 minutes until the mixture starts to become aerated / fluffy in texture.

eggs mixed into butter and sugar to create cake batter
eggs mixed into butter and sugar to create cake batter

3. Fold the dry ingredients and buttermilk into wet ingredients

Now, add a third of the buttermilk into the wet ingredients and gently whisk in. Follow this with a third of the dry ingredients, and gently fold with a rubber spatula until almost mixed in.

Repeat this process, with a third of the buttermilk followed by a third of the flour, until all ingredients have been mixed.

3 tips:

  • Do not add both buttermilk and dry ingredients to the batter at the same time and then try to mix. The flour will immediately form lumps with the buttermilk
  • Be gently when mixing in the dry ingredients, and do not be tempted to overmix, as that will cause gluten formation which will create a rubbery texture in the cake. I recommend using a rubber spatula for this step, like this one
  • If you are in a rush, you can first whisk in all the buttermilk and then fold in the dry ingredients. Breaking this into 3 steps simply allows u1s to mix the ingredients without too much mixing
rubber spatula folding dry ingredients into cake batter
cake batter in a glass bowl

4. Prepare the Bundt pan

Now, Bundt pans can be quite tricky to properly line! We need to avoid the disaster where we are ready to serve cake but it refuses to come out of the pan in one piece.

How to properly line a Bundt pan

Ideally, your bundt pan is new and nonstick and you don't have to worry too much. But regardless, here's are some options which work best in my experience: generously brush butter or oil into your bundt pan with a pastry brush, taking care to get it into every crevice and corner so nothing sticks. Then, dust a generous coating of granulated sugar, and tap your pan in different directions to spread it evenly. Shake off any excess sugar.

Yes, the sugar does form a crust on the cake, but I actually quite like that! A lot of people suggest using flour instead, but I have had mixed results with flour.

Another option is to use baking spray (which is different from oil spray), like this one.

inside of bundt pan lined with oil and sugar
bundt pan filled with cake batter

5. Bake!

Now, just pour the cake batter into the bundt pan, and into the oven we go! This cake will take around ~30 minutes to bake up (or until a toothpick comes out clean). The exact time will vary depending on the size, shape and material of your bundt pan, so just keep an eye out and avoid getting the cake overbaked.

6. Serve and enjoy!

Let the cake cool inside the pan for 10 minutes, and then carefully turn it out onto your serving stand of choice. I like to dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving, as I find it creates a really beautiful look with basically no effort.

bundt cake on a serving stand. cake has a beautiful golden crust on the outside
eggs mixed into butter and sugar to create cake batter. Dusted with powdered sugar

MY FAVORITE BUNDT PANS

Let's face it - Bundt pans are so fun! It's hard to pick one, with all the shapes and sizes. But here are some trusted ones I love:

  • The exact pan I am using from Nordic Ware - this is a good option as it is under $20; however, it is NOT nonstick so you do need to take care with prepping the pan
  • Nordic Ware brilliance pan - this is from their heavy duty gold line. These pans are beautifully shaped, heavy, sturdy, and really nonstick! So even though a bit more pricey ($35 right now), they're worth it. This shape also creates deep ridges which are great if you want to pour any kind of ganache or icing onto your cake
  • Nordic Ware elegant pan - this is similar to the second option in quality, but has round ridges which also create a very fun look
  • Braided rope bundt pan - this one is probably my favorite! It has an incredibly unique shape which makes your cake look beautiful without any effort on your part

VARIATIONS

This recipe can be altered in so many fun ways! 2 of my favorite are:

  1. Marble cake. At the end, divide the batter between 2 bowls, and sift in 2 tablespoon of cocoa powder in one half. Alternately spoon the batter into the bundt pan to create a marbled effect
  2. Orange cake. Instead of buttermilk, add fresh orange juice! This makes a delicious fresh orange cake

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a substitute for buttermilk?

If you don't have buttermilk, you can make it yourself in no time! For every cup of buttermilk, simply mix 1 cup of whole milk with 2 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. The result should be a bit clumpy and thick, like the milk has separated.

How to substitute eggs in this vanilla Bundt cake recipe?

If you don't consume eggs, you can substitute them in this recipe with flax seed eggs. 1 egg is replaced with 1 tablespoon or ground flax seed and 3 tablespoon of water. So for this recipe, you will need 2.5 tablespoon of ground flax seeds mixed with 7.5 tablespoon of water. Mix and refrigerate for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes gloopy. Follow the recipe as is.

Why does my cake taste eggy?

The cake will taste eggy if you don't add enough vanilla, or good quality vanilla. For best results I suggest using vanilla bean paste! You can also brown your butter for a delicious aroma and flavor.

I don't have a Bundt pan. Can I use a different pan?

Yes! If you don't want to use a Bundt pan, you can bake this cake in a 9" round pan, or a 9x9" brownie pan. The baking time will be less, probably around 20-25 minutes.

3 slices of vanilla bundt cake on a small plate with a soft texture and golden crust
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
classic vanilla bundt cake on marble serving stand dusted with powdered sugar; hand pulling out 1 slice revealing soft texture inside

EASY CLASSIC VANILLA BUNDT CAKE RECIPE


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 13 reviews

  • Author: Zoha
  • Total Time: 45 min
  • Yield: 10-12 servings
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

A simple, fool proof recipe for a Classic Vanilla Bundt Cake which takes less than 10 minutes of work!


Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour (195g)
  • ¼ cup cornstarch (35g)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup oil (100g)
  • ¼ cup melted butter (57g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (220g)
  • 2 eggs + 1 egg white
  • ½ cup buttermilk (120g); or sub ½ cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
  • 1.5 to 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F (conventional)
  • Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and mix. Set aside
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, oil and butter for 1-2 minutes with a hand mix until the mixture starts to change color. Add the eggs, egg white and vanilla, and whisk for another 1-2 minutes
  • Add a third of the buttermilk to the wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Add a third of the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula gently until mixed in. Repeat, adding the buttermilk and dry ingredients in thirds and combining until everything is mixed together
  • Prep a bundt pan by brushing generously with oil and dusting with granulated sugar. Pour the batter into the pan
  • Bake for ~30 minutes (exact time varies), until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached
  • Let the cake rest in the pan for 10-15 min, then carefully turn it out
  • Dust with powdered sugar and serve!

Notes

  • The exact baking time will vary depending on the type and material of your Bundt pan; check around the 25 min mark with a toothpick
  • Try to use good quality vanilla, like vanilla bean paste, for the best flavor
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review and tag @bakewithzoha on Instagram!

RELATED RECIPES

If you enjoy this recipe, also check out:

  • Simple moist chocolate cake
  • Pecan upside down marble cake
  • The best layered lemon cake with cream cheese frosting

Note: This post contains affiliate links

More Cakes

  • a fork taking out a bite from a slice of coconut cake on a small plate
    Soft, Moist and Easy Coconut Cake
  • close up of chocolate pudding cake in a dish with a spoon pulling out a scoop showing the molten pudding fudge sauce on the bottom
    Microwave Chocolate Pudding Cake
  • half of a victoria sandwich cake on a marble cake stand decorated with strawberries and layered with jam and whipped cream, pictured from the side
    Classic Victoria Sandwich Cake
  • chocolate lava cake in a small plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A bite has been removed to show the molten lava chocolate center. A spoon is resting with the cake on the side of the plate
    Perfect Chocolate Lava Cakes

Comments

    Leave a rating and a comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  1. Nadia kamran says

    July 18, 2023 at 4:07 am

    How much time should I preheat my gas oven for this Bundt cake??

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      July 24, 2023 at 5:44 pm

      As long as it takes your oven to reach the temperature! usually 15-20 minutes are enough

      Reply
  2. Shellin says

    August 01, 2023 at 4:50 pm

    Absolutely delicious! I made it with my 11 year old niece and she thought it was easy to make. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      August 02, 2023 at 1:49 am

      Thanks so much, Shellin! Makes me so happy to hear that, and glad your niece enjoyed this recipe too.

      Reply
  3. Zo says

    August 01, 2023 at 6:32 pm

    Crazy how easy this was to make, and it was delicious. Perfect when paired with fresh fruit and chai!

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      August 02, 2023 at 1:48 am

      Wuhu!! Thank you, Zo! (btw, are you a name fellow? 🙂 )

      Reply
  4. Ayesha Asad says

    August 30, 2023 at 12:12 am

    I tried it and I love it! I turned this cake into a marble cake and omg the level of sugar is just perfect! Thank you Zoha for sharing your recipes, especially for someone like me who can cook a pretty damn good lasagna but cannot bake a decent cake to save her life ….until now ❤️

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      September 08, 2023 at 9:10 pm

      Awww, welcome to the cake baking fam 😉 I am glad you enjoyed this recipe! ❤️

      Reply
  5. Yadira says

    December 10, 2023 at 2:42 pm

    This was a super easy and straightforward recipe. My husband and daughter were craving something sweet and I found this recipe. We couldn't find our regular bundt pan, so we used a mild for mini bundt cakes (12 minis) and one mini pound cake mold. Baked the mini bundt cakes for 25mins and the mini pound cake for 35mins.

    They all came out fluffy and sweet (but not too sweet). We'll be making this again soon.

    Reply
  6. Cathryn says

    February 11, 2024 at 11:21 am

    I loved the recipe, but unfortunately, I cannot remove the cake from my bundt pan, despite generously greasing and sugaring the pan. Should have tested the recipe ahead of time. Too bad, it would have been a nice addition to the Super Bowl party this afternoon.

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      February 21, 2024 at 3:20 am

      Hi Cathryn! Really sorry the cake stuck to your pan. This is always a risk with bundt pans, especially if they have lost their nonstick properties. Next time, you could try using nonstick baking spray instead of butter / oil and sugar.

      Reply
  7. Maya says

    March 03, 2024 at 10:13 am

    I have made this cake a few times now and it comes out perfect every single time!! Thank you for sharing your recipes with us. Excited to try more!

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      March 10, 2024 at 5:23 am

      I'm so happy to hear that!

      Reply
  8. Cecilia says

    March 12, 2024 at 4:48 pm

    Hello ZOHA, I have a 9 inch bunt pan.just wondering if this recipe is for that size pan.
    When I purchased the pan I didn't realize there was different sizes.
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      March 24, 2024 at 9:10 pm

      It should be totally fine in a 9" bundt pan 🙂

      Reply
  9. Nicka says

    April 05, 2024 at 2:26 pm

    I made this today and it was so yummy!
    I love trying your recipes! All came out perfect, thank you! 😊

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      April 16, 2024 at 5:10 pm

      Aww, thank you so much Nicka! That means so much to me

      Reply
  10. Lauren says

    May 25, 2024 at 8:38 am

    If I don’t have vanilla bean paste, will pure vanilla extract work in a pinch? If so, how much would you recommend?
    Thanks! 😊

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      July 10, 2024 at 1:10 pm

      Yes!!

      Reply
      • Zoha says

        July 10, 2024 at 1:10 pm

        Same quantity

        Reply
  11. Z says

    July 25, 2024 at 11:08 am

    I love this recipe! I've made it like 4 or 5 times already and it gets eaten in one day 🤭 Its the perfect texture and soo easy to make.
    One thing I like to do, is to brown the butter, it just takes the flavour to the next level 😋

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      September 04, 2024 at 12:01 am

      Awww thank you!! And i love that tip!

      Reply
  12. Linda says

    September 18, 2024 at 7:51 am

    This recipe is so easy, and best of all , delicious.
    I’ve had no trouble getting it out of the pan.

    Reply
  13. Maliha says

    September 18, 2024 at 2:09 pm

    I’m so making this! Want to add chopped walnuts into the batter. Should be fine right?!

    Reply
  14. A says

    October 08, 2024 at 12:12 pm

    I've made this about 5 times now. Always turns out great, and is sweet but not too sweet. Sponge is moist but firm so it holds up to frosting. This and the easy chocolate cake recipes are my go to!

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      October 31, 2024 at 8:45 pm

      Thank you for the kind review, A!!! 😀

      Reply
  15. Sanjana says

    October 20, 2024 at 4:49 am

    Hey Zoha, I made this cake today and it was just delicious! been admiring your work for a while on Instagram and finally got to try one of your recipes and you have earned yourself a lifelong fan 🧡 thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      October 31, 2024 at 8:22 pm

      Awww thank you so much, Sanjana! Means the world to me 🙂

      Reply
  16. Afsheen says

    November 19, 2024 at 4:13 pm

    I just tried this Bundt cake and it’s was sooooo good 😊

    Reply
  17. Huma says

    January 29, 2025 at 1:09 pm

    Hi, what size is your pan!

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      January 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm

      it's 10 inches in diameter

      Reply
  18. DJ says

    February 08, 2025 at 1:03 pm

    Do you use salted or unsalted butter?

    Reply
  19. Rene says

    February 18, 2025 at 4:03 pm

    easy to make, came out without sticking. Everyone enjoyed this. made caramelize apple for the top. just perfect.

    Reply
  20. Mrs b thomson says

    February 28, 2025 at 8:39 am

    it would have been nice if you told how much in weight for the ingredients instead of photos

    Reply
  21. Linda says

    March 12, 2025 at 3:27 pm

    This has become my go to Bundt cake. It is so easy, and absolutely delicious.

    Reply
  22. Yusra Momade says

    May 04, 2025 at 12:41 pm

    I made it but it didn't rise
    I used all purpose flour with baking powder
    And added the other risers too
    What could be wrong

    Reply
    • Zoha says

      May 07, 2025 at 5:27 pm

      Is it possible your raising agents have expired?

      Reply
girl (zoha) sitting with arm propped on counter, smiling at camera, muffins and brownies in front of her

Hi, I'm Zoha! Self taught home-baker, massive sweet tooth, lover of all things baked and content creator behind Bake With Zoha.

More about me →

Latest

  • 9 sticky banana bread cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing spread on 5 of them
    Sticky Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
  • slice of no bake mango cheesecake on a small plate with another in the background. the cheesecake has a golden crust, creamy cheesecake, and mango pulp, and is decorated with mangoes and cream
    No Bake Mango Ice Cream Cheesecake
  • stack of chocolate churro french toast bites on a cake stand, one is in focus and chocolate is oozing out of it
    Chocolate Churro French Toast Bites
  • 2 slices of pound cake being pulled out from it and pictured from the side. texture is soft and crust is golden and crispy
    Classic Pound Cake Made Better

Popular

  • a close up picture of a slice of cheesecake placed sideways on a small plate with a fork taking out a bite. the cheesecake has a very creamy, silky texture, a crispy golden crust, and whipped cream on top
    The BEST Cheesecake Recipe (New York style)
  • chicken alfredo lasagna in a dish. lasagna has a beautiful golden cheesy crust and is garnished with chopped parsley
    The Best Easy Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
  • Moist chocolate cake with a shiny chocolate ganache, spatula taking out one slice from the cake
    Easy Chocolate Cake From Scratch (Under 1 Hour!)
  • biscoff tiramisu dessert from the top in a dessert cup with pretty piping of biscoff cream, crushed biscoff cookies, and drizzled cookie butter. a spoon is taking out a bite revealing layers of cream and cookies inside
    Easy Biscoff Tiramisu

Footer

↑ back to top

Connect

About me

Subscribe to my newsletter

Contact me

Policies

Privacy policy

Terms and conditions

Copyright @ Bake With Zoha LLC. All rights reserved.