Butter cake recipe – Learn how to make cake at home with video & step by step photos. This Butter cake recipe is one of the most simple & easy one that yields – light, moist, buttery and absolutely delicious and great cake. This has been baked again and again at home since many years either for birthdays or just to snack on. The texture, taste and flavor turns out absolutely outstanding every time.
This butter cake recipe is quite simple to make and can be tried even by beginners. Serve it however you like with sugar dusted over, whipped cream frosting, butter cream frosting or chocolate frosting. It tastes amazing even plain with a cup of tea or milk.
I have used a stand mixer for convenience however a hand mixer or a food processor can also be used. Even a ballon whisk also does a good job but takes a bit longer.
This basic cake recipe can be used to make cupcakes, birthday cakes or layered cakes with any frosting. This can be baked in a 8 * 8 square pan / brownie pan or 7 inch round pan or a loaf pan and 4 small cup cakes.
How to make cake recipe – simple & quick
1. Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Butter must be soft and cold. Preheat the oven to 180 C. If fan forced oven, set to 170 C.
2. Grease a pan and line with butter paper.
3. Break the eggs and set aside.
4. Mix flour, salt and baking powder. Sieve and set aside. I did mine directly over the mixing bowl later at step 13.
5. Add butter to a mixing bowl. It has to be soft but cold.
6. Add fine sugar. I used organic fine sugar. If you have granulated sugar then pulse it in a blender to get fine sugar. Make sure you don’t make a fine powder.
7. Mix sugar and butter on a low speed till well combined. Next set to medium speed and beat until pale, light and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom in between. The creamed butter and sugar turns fluffy with soft peaks. The color too changes and turns light. Sugar does not dissolve at this stage.
8. Add one egg at a time.
9. Beat after each addition until creamy.
10. Scrape down the sides & bottom before adding the next egg.
11. Continue to add one egg at one time and beat until the mixture is creamy.
12. Add in vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
13. We are going to add flour with salt & baking powder in 3 parts. Divide the flour into 3 parts, add one part at a time. Mix on lowest or medium speed, and scrape down the sides.
I directly placed the sieve and added the dry ingredients – flour, salt and baking powder. If you are doing this, mix gently all the 3 ingredients.
14. Sieve only 1/3 rd of the total flour.
15. Mix on lowest or medium speed, and scrape down the sides and bottom as well.
16. Continue adding the flour in parts of 1/3. Mix on lowest or medium speed until well combined.
17. Add milk as needed in parts. Mix on a medium speed.
18. The cake batter is smooth, creamy, lump free and more importantly without any streaks of egg etc.
19. Transfer the batter to the greased tin. Even out the top to prevent uneven cake. and knock it to the kitchen counter few times to distribute the batter evenly. This is very important else the cake will raise unevenly.
20. Bake the cake at 180 c for 45 to 60 mins depending on the size of the pan. Details mentioned below. After 25 to 30 mins, cover the cake pan with a foil. Do not bring the cake out of the oven. Just place a foil over the tin in the oven directly. Take care, wear oven mitts and do it.
Timings for pan sizes:
45 mins for 8*8 square pan and loaf pan.
52 to 55 mins for 7 inch round pan, depth 4 inch.
These timings work well for me in my oven. Please check it about 5 mins earlier.
21. I baked for 55 mins. When the cake is done, a skewer inserted comes out clean.
22. Cool for about 5 to 10 mins and then invert it over a rack.
23. Cool it completely before frosting. I went ahead dusting powdered sugar and cocoa.
This cake stays good at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours depending on the temperature or climatic conditions. If you intend to frost it, you can leave it at room temperature and frost after few hours. This also freezes well. You can also refrigerate and heat up for 30 to 40 seconds in microwave.
For more Cake Recipes, you can check
Chocolate cake
Banana cake
Chocolate banana cake
Eggless chocolate banana cake
Butter cake recipe
Butter cake recipe | How to make butter cake | Soft light moist cake recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 200 grams plain flour (or maida, prefer organic)
- 250 grams butter (unsalted & soft)
- 2 tsp baking powder (prefer double action)
- 200 grams castor sugar (fine sugar)
- 4 eggs (about 55 to 60 gms net weight of each egg)
- 60 ml milk (use 80 ml milk if eggs are small)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 to 1¼ tbsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Butter must be soft and cold. Grease a pan and line with butter paper.
- Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes at 180 C. If using a fan forced oven set to 170 C.
- Break the eggs to a small bowl and set aside.
- Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Sieve and set aside.
- Cream sugar and butter on a low speed till well combined. Set to medium speed and beat until pale light and fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time and continue to beat after each addition until creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom while beating.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix.
- Divide the flour into 3 parts, add one part at a time and mix on lowest speed. Scrape down the sides. Continue to add & mix till the flour is used up.
- Pour milk little by little and mix after each addition.
- Transfer the batter to the greased pan. Even out the top with a spatula. Knock it to the counter few times to spread the batter evenly.
- Bake for 45 to 60 mins depending on the size of the pan. Check details at the end of this post. While baking thru after 25 to 30 mins, cover the tin with a foil. When the butter cake is done, skewer inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Remove the cake pan from the oven and leave it in the tin for 5 to 10 mins.
- Invert butter cake on to a wire rack. Leave it to cool completely. Slice with a segregated knife.
Notes
This cake freezes well. Warm up whenever desired and serve.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Hi swasti… can I do the same with wheat flour and without using hand beater? If I don’t use hand beater can I just mix all the ingredients with a whisk and proceed?
I have a food processor but the first step of beating sugar and butter is not working in it As probably the quantity is less… any suggestions please?
Thank you so much!!
Hi,
Yes you can do it without a hand beater. Use a whisk to cream the butter and sugar. It takes a lot of time to do it with whisk and the butter shouldn’t melt down. So keep moving it to the fridge if you can’t do it for too long or you see the butter melting. hope this helps
Ok thank you very much for the reply.
Sorry if am asking a silly question but is it ok if I mix it all well without creaming just like the 2nd option you have provided for beginners in your recipe in banana vanilla cake ? Because it turned out beautifully..
Another option I have is to add butter sugar and eggs one by one all in food processor and whisk it to get the cream, as then the quantity will be enough for my food processor to function, is it ok to do this?
No problem. Yes banana cake turns out good even without creaming because we add bananas there. I have tried this recipe in a few different ways but this is what worked out and the results are great. I don’t think you will get the same results without creaming butter and sugar. May be you can research a little bit on google regarding that second option you mentioned using food processor. It may work out.
Ok Thank you for the reply swasti !
I’m a bit confused by the butter needing to be soft but cold. How is this achieved without letting it get to room temperature?
Hi Nicole,
Just leave it out of the fridge and keep checking
What is the substitute for egg..? I tried to go through but couldn’t find.
Hi Darshana
You can use 1 cup homemade yogurt to substitute 4 eggs. Add 1/4 cup each time following the same recipe steps. Halve the recipe and try in a 6 inch pan. Bake for 28 to 32 mins. Adjust the timings. I have another eggless cake made with butter and that tastes similar to this butter cake. You may want to check it here – Tutti frutti cake. Hope this helps
Can i use brown sugar ?
I haven’t tried. I know the texture won’t be the same
Thanks ma’am….
Tried it and it turned out really well. Thank you
Welcome Preeta. Glad to know!
Awesome cake.. I tried it few days back. Again I m gonna make it for my kid birthday.
Thank you for wonderful recipe
Glad to know Seema!
You are welcome. Thank you!
Hi,
Can this cake be down without electric beater.
And if i’m reducing the cake quantity to half baking powder should also be reduced???
Yes it can be done with a whisk but is really tiring to beat the sugar and butter. You may try with half the quantities. Yes cut down everything to half. You have to adjust the baking time depending on your pan size.
Very interesting recipes. I love cooking. Always wanting veg. recipes. Thank you soo much for sharing your recipes.
Welcome Zohra
🙂
Swasthi, started recooking, after a 15 years of gap. The cook was there. I am enjoying cooking with your recipes, both veg and nonveg. Did pavbhaji, chicken biryani, butter chicken, poha, samosas and more. Thanks
Dr. Alka
You are welcome! Happy to hear you are enjoying!
Thank you so much!
🙂
With your recipe my my butter turned out really well, now I am trying to bake a banana cake using your recipe, hopefully it will turn out well too..
Glad to know Devi
Yes I am sure even that will turn out good.
Thanks much!
Perfect Recipe, thank you so much. It was very soft and moist. Tried it twice now.
Thank you for your easy to follow steps.
Hi,
You are welcome! Glad to know the cake turned out good. Thank you
Hi,
Could you please tell me the ingredients maida sugar and Butter in cup measurements…
And I have vanilla essence so can I substitute vanilla extract with essence if yes then how much teaspoon?
Hi Shamvi,
I suggest weighing the ingredients for this recipe. Cup measurements are not so accurate and may not work well in this recipe. If you still want to go ahead, please use a online conversion chart. A few drops of essence is good enough.
It turns awesome… tried 2 times..my family love it. Fluffy and moist tq for this recipe
You are welcome Sandy
Glad the cake turned out good. Thank you!
Does this cake layer well? I have a school project where I am making a model of the Taj Mahal out of cake and I just want to make sure it doesn’t fall!
Hi Natalie,
Yes you can use the recipe for layered cake. It is sturdy and good for layered cake and even for fondants.
Hi mam,
Thanks for the recepi. Do you have eggless butter cake recepi
Hi,
You are welcome! There is actually nothing called a eggless butter cake. You won’t get the flavors of a classic butter cake in an eggless version. If you want an eggless cake using butter then you can check these
Eggless Vanilla cake
Eggless Tutti frutti cake Hope this helps.
Hi there,
I’m just wondering what was the size of the pan you used in this recipe? Did it yield one 7inch cake? I am baking three 8 inch cakes and two 9 inch cakes. So wondering what my portions should be.
Looks yummy, Thank you so much for this cake.
Hi swasthi
I just love your recipes ? it’s my third time baking and your recipe as always was the best. For my first two attempts I followed other recipe and used folding method for mixing flour and I got large air bubbles in my cake and once the cake cooled down it . I don’t whether the mixing or covering with foil paper helped but it turned out really well. Except I got a little taste of egg. I think I overbeat it. Otherwise it was awesome dear ??
Thank you so much
Hi Lakshmi,
You are welcome. Thank you so much. Yes for this recipe mixing helps. Covering is only to stop the top from over baking and getting cracks. Just increase the vanilla to 1 tbsp to keep the egg flavor away. You will not feel it. I will update it.
Hi Swasthi, I have been following your beautiful blog for cooking regularly. I have newly entered the world of baking. Finding it difficult to prepare as well as consume 8 inch cake regularly while experimenting new recipes. How can I make a smaller version of each cake? I have a small rectangular tin of 5.5 inch by 4 inch. How do I reduce the quantities of ingredients to fit the tin? How long should I bake? Please do help.
Hi Tanusree
Thank you so much for following the blog! Most cake recipes on the blog are 6 inch cakes except the recipes with eggs. It depends some recipes can be easily halved and some don’t work especially if there is an odd number of eggs used. In such cases you can divide the recipe to 1/3. For this butter cake, you can halve the recipe and make it in a 5.5 inch square pan. Not sure about the timings as I have not baked in a 5.5 inch pan any time. 46 to 50 mins is my guess. Hope this helps.
Thanks a bunch Swasthi for your prompt reply. I have halved the butter cake recipe and noted down. I am planning to prepare today.
Dear Swasthi, the butter cake has turned so very soft and fluffy and too flavorful. I baked it in my small tin 5.5*4 inch rectangular tin. Took exactly 47 minutes as you mentioned in your reply. My children and husband loved it. Thanking you and passing all the appreciation I got from my family. I have been an excellent cook always but felt making cake isn’t a cakewalk. But you have made it happen today. Will try your other recipes for cakes soon.
Btw though I have never commented on your other recipes, I follow your other recipes keeping my eyes blindfolded too.
Keep up your good work.
Hi Tanusree,
You are most welcome. So glad your butter cake turned out good. Thanks much for following the recipes.
🙂
Is it important to use the clean foil? What if I don’t use it ? Will it alter the taste?
Hi, i tried this and it came out nice..i halved the qtty and also the baking time, came out perfect.
I have one question i added normal salted amul butter, so skipped salt altogether, the sweetness was just,if i increase the sugar by 2tbsp would the texture or the overall taste vary???
..i think people with sweet tooth would find it less sweet..thats why.
And its an awesome recipe, was looking for a simple butter cake recipe, this took me just 20 mins to gather all the ingredients and another hr to make it completely…thanku
Hi Sweta
You are welcome. Glad your cake turned out good. Yes it is such an easy recipe. I am not sure how it will turn out if you increase the sugar. If you want to increase 2 tbsps for the entire recipe then it should be fine. If you halve the recipe and increase by 2 tbsps it may be a lot. Thanks for rating the recipe.