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    Home > Recipes > Dessert

    Easy Vanilla Snack Cake

    Published: Nov 7, 2019 · Modified: Mar 15, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 40 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    21.5K shares
    vanilla snack cake
    vanilla snack cake
    a piece of vanilla snack cake
    easy vanilla snack cake cut into pieces on a white tray
    a piece of vanilla snack cake on a white plate
    vanilla snack cake

    a piece of vanilla cake on a white plate

    This Easy Vanilla Snack Cake makes a celebration possible any day of the week with just a little bit of effort! This is a no-mixer-required cake that is baked in an 8x8 pan and comes out tender and soft.

    vanilla cake cut into pieces on a white tray

    If I'm going to bake, I love a no-mixer weeknight-friendly dessert that doesn't feel like a big project. After adding One Bowl Chocolate Cake and Applesauce Cake to our baking rotation, I knew we needed a similarly easy vanilla version to add to the mix. True to its name, this vanilla snack cake has been serving us well for months. The kids and I can bake it together after school without any fuss. It makes just enough to serve our family of five and a couple of dinner guests. It’s great with just a dusting of powdered sugar, but is extra fun with vanilla frosting and a few sprinkles.

    See below for the easy instructions!

    vanilla snack cake in a clear baking dish

    Ingredients for Vanilla Snack Cake

    • All-Purpose Flour - Just the regular all-purpose white flour that you likely already have in your pantry. To get the most accurate results (and minimize dishes!), I like to do this on a scale by weight.
    • Sugar - Use granulated white sugar for this cake. Like the flour, I prefer to do this on a scale by weight, right inside the mixing bowl.
    • Baking Powder - Double check that you use baking powder in this cake, NOT baking soda.
    • Sour Cream - This is the “secret” ingredient to this cake that is simple, moist, and has a rich vanilla flavor. The sour cream gives the cake moisture and a very subtle tangy flavor. I use full fat sour cream, but light sour cream or even plain Greek yogurt will work.
    • Egg, Milk, Vegetable Oil, Pure Vanilla Extract, pinch of salt - You’ll also need these other common ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

    eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla, baking powder and measuring spoons on a white table

    cake batter in a clear bowl with a spatula

    pouring vanilla cake batter into a clear baking dish

    Toppings for Vanilla Cake

    Vanilla Cake is great topped with any of these:

    • Powdered Sugar
    • Cinnamon-Sugar
    • Vanilla Frosting and Sprinkles
    • Creamy Chocolate Frosting (for an 8x8 cake) 
    • Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting

     a piece of vanilla snack cake on a white plate

    Other Easy Desserts

    • One Bowl Chocolate Cake - This is my go-to weeknight cake because it can be made in one bowl!
    • Easy Apple Crumble - Just a few minutes to prep and you can have this super easy not-too-sweet apple crumble for dessert. Top it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!
    • Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars - These peanut butter bars loaded with chocolate peanut butter cups are made in an 8x8 baking pan which is great for a weeknight dinner, packing in lunches, or freezing for later.

    Favorite Tools

    • Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls - My go-to mixing bowls for baking.
    • 8x8 Baking Dish Emile Henry - I love this small, sturdy baker. 
    a piece of vanilla snack cake
    Print Recipe
    3.92 from 181 votes

    Easy Vanilla Snack Cake

    This Easy Vanilla Snack Cake makes a celebration possible any day of the week with just a little bit of effort! This is a no-mixer-required, two-bowl cake that is baked in an 8x8 pan and comes out tender and soft.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Keyword: easy dessert recipe, vanilla cake
    Servings: 9
    Calories: 194kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $4.00

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • 8x8 baking dish

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cup All-Purpose Flour (190 g)
    • 1 cup Sugar (200 g)
    • 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • 1 pinch Salt
    • 1 Egg
    • ½ cup Milk
    • ½ cup Sour Cream
    • 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
    • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

    Instructions

    • Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
    • In one large mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
    • In a small bowl whisk together egg, milk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla.
    • Pour wet ingredients over dry and stir until just combined (no dry spots should remain; but do not over mix).
    • Pour cake batter into prepared pan.
    • Bake until the center is firm and the cake is golden on top, 28 to 32 minutes.
    • Let cake cool in the pan before slicing and serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1mg

    Related

    « Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting
    Slow Cooker Chicken and Biscuits »
    21.5K shares

    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Monica G

      March 25, 2020 at 9:22 am

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe! A dense cake with just the right amount of vanilla. I only used 1 cup of sugar and it was just sweet enough for us. My son said it was like cornbread! Thank you for sharing, your applesauce cake is the next one I’m baking!

      Reply
      • Jess

        March 26, 2020 at 9:29 am

        Thanks so much Monica! Glad you liked it! We've done the same thing and reduced the sugar too and had the same thought!

        Reply
      • SG

        August 15, 2021 at 7:47 pm

        5 stars
        Made the vanilla snack cake with the creamy chocolate frosting and it was a hit for my niece's birthday dinner. I measured the flour and the sugar per your suggestion. Will keep this recipe on hand. The best part is the size is perfect to eat only enough to satisfy the sweet tooth without feeling guilty for over indulging.

        Reply
    2. asiansnacks

      May 07, 2020 at 6:54 am

      Hi author!
      Love the way you describe. Its really amazing.Thanks for
      sharing your knowledge.
      Regards:
      Snacks Near Me

      Reply
    3. Angela Kitchen

      June 23, 2020 at 10:02 pm

      Great cake unique and easy to make...thank you🌈😊

      Reply
    4. Becky

      June 27, 2020 at 10:57 pm

      5 stars
      Love this cake! I use it for strawberry shortcake. I can’t believe I can bake cakes from scratch. Keep sharing your recipes!!

      Reply
    5. Alyssa

      July 07, 2020 at 8:30 am

      Could you use full fat plain yogurt for the sour cream?

      Reply
      • Jess

        July 07, 2020 at 9:03 am

        Absolutely - that will work great!

        Reply
    6. Elizabeth Malek

      July 18, 2020 at 5:11 pm

      5 stars
      My family makes this cake so often— one of a kind!! So simple and delicious & ADDICTING!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        July 20, 2020 at 8:19 am

        That's so great to hear! I'm so glad you like it!

        Reply
        • Robert Timmons

          June 14, 2021 at 1:59 pm

          Recipe was awesome, my wife really loved it I'm not much of a Baker but it turned out perfectly!!!!!

          Reply
    7. Jimi

      August 18, 2020 at 6:47 pm

      Can you use cake flour for this recipe instead of all purpose?

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        August 19, 2020 at 11:17 am

        Absolutely! Cake flour works well in this recipe.

        Reply
    8. Erica

      September 08, 2020 at 9:05 pm

      Can I put chopped fresh strawberries in the cake? If so, how many cups and how will that effect the bake time?

      Reply
    9. Erika

      September 18, 2020 at 8:03 am

      Should I grease or flour the pan before adding the batter?

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        September 18, 2020 at 8:08 am

        Yes - do grease the pan (no need to flour). Thanks so much for your note - I've updated the recipe to include that.

        Reply
    10. Joanna

      October 02, 2020 at 8:26 pm

      5 stars
      I made this cake twice last month for 2 celebrations. They were delicious and I love the smaller size. It's perfect for a smaller crowd. No need to spend big money on a bakery cake because this is just as good. I made a simple glaze for the topping instead of icing and served with strawberries. It was a hit with everyone.

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        October 02, 2020 at 10:18 pm

        That's wonderful! Thanks so much for the note Joanna - so glad you've liked it! (And love the idea of simple glaze + strawberries - yum.)

        Reply
    11. Ali B

      October 15, 2020 at 10:01 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Jess I tried this recipe for the first time 5 days ago and my husband loved it but a little too dense for me. So I tried it again today and measured flour more carefully, sifted the dry ingredients. Whisked the wet ingredients in separate bowl Very well added to dry and folded all together gently with rubber spatula then baked. And voila! Much better. I used coconut and vanilla flavoring, cream cheese frosting and coconut on top. Delish. Thanx for this quickie snack. 😋

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        October 19, 2020 at 3:56 pm

        I'm so glad you both liked it! Those additions / toppings sound absolutely delicious!

        Reply
    12. Deborah

      January 14, 2021 at 5:25 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and delicious and "sociable ".......and we love it. Thank you.

      Reply
    13. Tracy

      January 22, 2021 at 7:11 pm

      5 stars
      Added some Nesquick and only did 2/3 cup of sugarto make it a chocolate cake yummy 😋😋 thanks for the recipe 😋😋😋😋

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        January 25, 2021 at 1:17 pm

        What a great idea! Yum!

        Reply
    14. Kate

      January 24, 2021 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      This is awesome, thank you! The recipe I have been searching for. My family cheered!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        January 25, 2021 at 1:11 pm

        So glad you all enjoyed it Kate. Thank you for the note!

        Reply
    15. nadene mallisk

      February 07, 2021 at 3:54 pm

      1 star
      did not care for it

      Reply
    16. Kelli Ludinich

      February 16, 2021 at 2:44 pm

      5 stars
      Loved it! It was perfect for what I was craving. Not overly sweet. Loved the texture and weight of it. Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        February 18, 2021 at 7:04 am

        So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the note!

        Reply
    17. Kate

      March 01, 2021 at 8:10 pm

      5 stars
      Best cake ever.

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        March 02, 2021 at 7:30 pm

        So glad you liked it Kate!!!

        Reply
    18. Amy

      May 08, 2021 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      I’m making 3 of these for different homes for Mother’s Day! I doubled the recipe in my mixing bowl and then allowed my 5 year old to follow with the third batter in her own bowl. It was easy and a lot of fun! Even with a 2 year old trying to take swipes at the bowls. They are in the oven right now, I’ll update with how they turn out! My daughter insisted they needed to be pink though, so we added a small amount of food coloring. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    19. Denise

      October 12, 2021 at 9:40 am

      How can the sodium be right??? Baking powder salt milk sour cream and egg have sodium

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        October 13, 2021 at 10:03 am

        Hi Denise! We get all of the nutrition information from the USDA Database of Food, but there may be variations. We always recommend that you use your own preferred nutrition calculator if you are looking for more detailed or accurate information.

        Reply
    20. Nancy Bishop

      January 28, 2022 at 2:25 pm

      5 stars
      I love the cake and the easy prep method. I don't like frosting. especially when shoveled on. Would a lemon glaze work for this cake?

      Thanks // Nancy B

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        January 30, 2022 at 9:20 am

        A lemon glaze would be fantastic on this! Great idea

        Reply
    21. Brittnee

      February 14, 2022 at 10:00 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious, quick, and easy! Perfect for a quiet Valentine’s night in:)

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        February 15, 2022 at 2:09 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    22. Holly

      March 17, 2022 at 5:14 pm

      do you think i could use this recipe as a base for a poke cake with jello?? thanks in advance

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        March 18, 2022 at 10:55 am

        I think that would be wonderful! I'm not exactly sure what adjustments I'd recommend, but this cake would be a great base to play with if you wanted to add the jello poke-cake style.

        Reply
        • Holly

          March 18, 2022 at 12:48 pm

          5 stars
          it ended up being wonderful! i didn’t even make any adjustments really, except maybe a little less sugar & added a small amount of almond extract, but i LOVED it for a small poke cake!

          Reply

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