Butter Cake (The Best!)

4.54 from 927 votes

This easy butter cake recipe is rich, soft, moist, and fluffy—everything I love in a dessert. It’s simple to make, but so delicious, I find myself making it again and again. Whether it’s for a special occasion or just a cozy afternoon with a cup of tea, this cake never disappoints.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: Cake

Cuisine: Baking Recipes

Keyword: Butter Cake

Servings: slices

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

7 oz. (200g) cake flour or all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (225g) unsalted butter room temperature
7 oz. (200g) sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons plain yogurt preferred or full milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease the pan with some butter. Mix the flour and the baking powder together and sieve. Add in the salt and mix well. Set aside.
Pro tip: You can either use an 8×8-inch (20×20-cm) loaf pan or a 9×9-inch (23×23-cm) square or round pan.
Use an electronic hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter and sugar until well combined or pale yellow in color, about 3 minutes.
Add in the first egg. Beat well after each addition of egg until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes after adding each egg. Scrape down the sides for even mixing. Add in the vanilla extract and mix well. Fold in the flour and mix well. Add in the plain yogurt or whole milk.
Pour the batter into the greased baking pan. Shake it lightly to distribute the cake batter evenly. Bake until golden brown and cooked, about 40 – 50 minutes. To prevent the top of the cake from over browning, cover the top of the baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil once the cake top is set. Use a cake tester to test doneness.
Pro tip: If you don’t have a cake tester, you can use a toothpick or a skewer to check the doneness of your cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready!
Remove it from the oven and let it cool on the wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve warm.

Video

Notes

Recipe is adapted from Food4Tots.

I always bring my ingredients to room temperature so they blend smoothly and evenly. It makes such a difference in achieving that soft, light, and fluffy texture we all want—I’ve seen it firsthand!
For the best flavor and texture, I always use high-quality butter. In the U.S., I swear by Challenge unsalted butter, and in Asia, I recommend the Anchor brand.
To get a smoother batter, I prefer using a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar.
Sifting the dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) is a must to prevent any lumps and keep the batter smooth.
I make sure not to overmix the batter after adding the flour—otherwise, the cake can end up dense.
Instead of milk, I like to use yogurt because it makes the cake extra soft and moist.
To avoid over-browning the top of the cake, I cover it with aluminum foil halfway through baking. Just make sure not to cover it from the start, or the cake won’t rise properly.
If I do use foil, I make sure it doesn’t touch the batter so the smooth top stays intact once the cake’s fully baked.

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