Buttery Vanilla Bundt Cake

This Bundt cake is a wonderful recipe that is included in two of my four cookbooks.

I’ve been making Bundt cakes since I started my baking career 20+ years ago, and this particular cake evolved from a variety of sources, including bakeries I worked in and decades of making Bundt cakes in my own kitchen. This is why you’ll find it titled the “Everything Bundt Cake” in my cookbook, as it has a bit of everything in terms of flavor profile and techniques from all of the recipes I worked with.

Sour cream adds a slight tang here, and a little canola oil keeps the cake moist over several days. I prefer this cake on the second and third days; the flavor develops and the crumb is tender and perfectly buttery.

The cake is lovely on its own, with a simple powdered sugar dusting on top, but you could also finish with chocolate glaze, or lemon glaze.

Baking with a Bundt Pan

Over the last decade of making Bundt cakes, I’ve come to rely on Nordic Ware for almost all my baking pans; their Bundt pans are not only beautiful, but durable and well-made, and they create an even cake-bake.

A few years ago I was invited to the Nordic Ware factory and was able to see how Bundt cakes were made. I love that their pans are not only made here in America, but also in Minnesota, and that they are a family run business. If you get a chance to check out their Factory Store (located in St. Louis Park, MN), I highly recommend it!

For recipe testing in my book, I used their 16 cup ProForm Heavyweight Angel Food and Pound Cake Pan (which is a dream to work with). In this post I’ve used their Braided Bundt Pan, which is absolutely gorgeous. In honor of their 75th Anniversary, the Minneapolis’ family-owned company made this exclusive pan with an intricately woven design, commemorating community, togetherness, and collaboration over the years. 

The braided Bundt pan holds 12 cups (batter amount is still the same for the recipe) and turned out the most gorgeous cake that released perfectly.

Worried about sticking?

Nordic Ware Bundt pans are made of cast aluminum which is superior for baking, and the nonstick surface means clean release and easy cleaning. One of the many reasons I swear by their pans!

More Bundt Cake Recipes:

• Espresso Bundt Cake
• Blueberry Orange Bundt Cake
• Banana Chocolate Bundt Cake

Buttery Vanilla Bundt Cake

Servings: 8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

A delicious vanilla bundt cake with the best texture. Sour cream adds a slight tang, and a little canola oil keeps the cake moist over several days. I prefer this cake on the second and third days; the flavor develops and the crumb is tender and perfectly buttery.

Sarah Kieffer

4.23 from 18 votes

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

• 3 cups [426 g] all-purpose flour*
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup [120 g] sour cream at room temperature
• 1/2 cup [120 g] whole milk at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups [2 1/2 sticks or 283 g] unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
• 3 cups [600 g] granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 6 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Equipment

• Nordic Ware Braided Bundt Pan

Instructions

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Generously grease a 10 in [25 cm] tube or Bundt pan*. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.
• In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and whole milk until combined.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and salt and beat on medium speed until very light and fluffy, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed until incorporated and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the canola oil and vanilla and mix on low speed to combine. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Add the sour cream mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the remaining flour mixture, and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 15 to 20 seconds.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to even out the top. Bake for 50 to 65 minutes, until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and gently run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then invert the cake onto the rack and remove the pan to finish cooling. The cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Notes

Greasing a Bundt pan:

• Use baking spray with flour or melted shortening — not butter. The milk solids in butter can lead to sticking. 
• Use a pastry brush to grease your Bundt pan to get into all the nooks and crannies, including the tube.

*Throughout my recipes posted on this website, 1 cup of flour equals 142g. Please note that 1 cup of flour can range anywhere from 120g to 142g, depending on the baker or website. I found that after weighting many cups of flour and averaging the total, mine always ended up around this number. If I am posting a recipe from another cookbook, I will use whatever gram measure of flour used in that book, which is why you may see a few posts with a different cup measurement. 

Different brands of flour have varying levels of protein, ranging from low to high, which can result in very different outcomes when baking. I’ve found Gold Medal all-purpose unbleached flour to be the best option for many of my recipes; I use it in all the baked goods that don’t use yeast. For yeasted doughs that call for all-purpose flour, I like to use King Arthur Brand. If you are using White Lily flour, please note that it is a low protein flour and doesn’t absorb liquid the same as regular all-purpose flours. Check the back of the flour bag for instructions on substituting it for regular all-purpose flours.