Where I come from, people are always looking for a sweet snack to have with their “mate”. “Mate” is like a herbal hot drink made with yerba mate. This cake is the best pair to mate, tea, or coffee since it’s easy to make and only calls for simple ingredients.
To make this cake I use oil and buttermilk, which makes it super moist. It has a fluffy and light crumb, and the best lemon and vanilla aroma. On top, I cover it with a sugar crunch, a trick I learned from my grandmom that gives it an extraordinary touch. It’s a moist, delicious, spongy, easy-to-make vanilla cake you won’t regret trying.
How to make this Simple Vanilla Oil Cake?
These are the steps we’re going to follow to make this recipe:
- Beat eggs with the sugar
- Add the oil and mix
- Add the flour and the buttermilk and mix well
- Pour into the cake pan
- Make the sugar coating and place it on the cake
- Bake and let cool before serving
Baker’s Tips
¿How long should I whisk the eggs?
Whisking the eggs and sugar is the key to a fluffy and uniform crumb in this cake. Be sure not to skip the whisking step because that helps to break the bond of the eggs to get a homogenous batter. We’re also trying to whisk air into the cake. Beat the eggs and sugar with a hand whisk vigorously, until the batter is pale and foamy, 3 to 5 minutes.
Why is flour added in two parts?
For this cake, we add the flour in two parts and the buttermilk in one, in between the flour. This way, the ingredients will combine faster without overmixing the batter, and we’ll also help the flour absorb the liquids.
Other flavors for the Simple Vanilla Oil Cake
I used vanilla extract because I wanted to make a classic cake. I also added a little lemon zest to make it more interesting. The lemon zest also helps to cover the intense flavor of the oil. You can use just vanilla or some other citrus, such as orange or mandarine orange. You can also add chopped walnuts to it.
Sugar crunchy top substitute
The crunchy sugar top is easy to make and gives it an excellent extra touch. It has two simple ingredients, sugar, and butter. If you prefer not to use butter, you can replace it with the same weight in water. The crispy top made with water is a little firmer than the butter and sugar top. I recommend following the exact amounts given in the recipe since you only need a small amount of butter or water.
Other options are to dust with granulated sugar before baking the cake or with icing sugar after baking.
Simple Vanilla Oil Cake Conservation
Store this vanilla oil cake in an airtight container. You can also cover it with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying. Keep at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Simple Vanilla Oil Cake (with crunchy sugar top)
Equipment
- 7- inch cake pan
Ingredients
- 200 g Granulated sugar
- 3 Eggs at room temperature
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 120 ml Vegetable Oil
- 120 ml Buttermilk
- 230 g All purpose flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
For the crunchy sugar top:
- 50 g Granulated sugar
- 5 g/ 1 tsp Unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°F). Butter a 7-inch round mold and line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the sugar with the eggs, zest, and vanilla. Beat vigorously with a hand whisk until the eggs foam, about 4 minutes.
- Add the oil and combine.
- Sift the dry ingredients, add half to the mixture, and mix just until combined.
- Mix in the buttermilk.
- Add the rest of the flour and combine without overmixing. Pour into the mold.
For the crunchy sugar top:
- In a small bowl, mix the sugar with the butter with a spatula or with your hands until you get like moist sugar and there are no visible bits of butter.
- Place the sugar on the surface of the cake.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until a stick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven, wait 10 minutes, and unmold. Cool completely before serving.
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