Moist and Tender No-Butter Vanilla Pound Cake
Moist and Tender No-Butter Vanilla Pound Cake
Super Easy No-Butter Vanilla Pound Cake Recipe (One-Bowl Baking)
Introducing a vanilla pound cake that’s incredibly moist and tender, even more so than recipes using meringue! Thanks to the ‘one-mix method,’ you can achieve this with just one bowl, minimizing cleanup. It’s a simple, fundamental vanilla pound cake recipe perfect for beginners. Once you’ve mastered this base, feel free to get creative! You can add fruit purees or jams for unique flavors, or load it with nuts and dried fruits for delightful texture. Infusing it with Earl Grey tea leaves or matcha powder can also create special aromatic profiles. Since this is a no-butter recipe, I’ve used vegetable oil, but substituting it with melted butter would yield an even richer and more flavorful pound cake. Let’s make this easy, one-bowl, no-butter vanilla pound cake together!
Tools and Ingredients- 1 Pound Cake Pan (approx. 18 x 8.5 x 6 cm or 16 x 6 x 7 cm)
- 1 Fresh Egg
- 70g Granulated Sugar
- 70g Grapeseed Oil (or melted unsalted butter)
- 30g Plain Yogurt (or plain sour cream)
- 30g Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 120g Cake Flour (or All-Purpose Flour)
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
In a large mixing bowl, crack the fresh egg and add all the granulated sugar. Whisk them together until well combined and the mixture is a pale ivory color. Next, add the plain yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk again until all the liquid ingredients are smoothly incorporated into the egg mixture.
Step 2
Pour in the grapeseed oil (or melted butter) and whisk until it’s fully blended with the wet ingredients. Now, prepare the dry ingredients. Sift the cake flour and baking powder together directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients. This helps prevent lumps and ensures an even texture. Start by gently mixing with the whisk until the flour is just incorporated, then switch to a spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure no dry flour remains, and mix until the batter is smooth. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour to keep the cake tender.
Step 3
Line your pound cake pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Pour the prepared batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until the top is a beautiful golden brown. To check for doneness, insert a skewer or toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready. If any batter clings to the skewer, bake for an additional 2-3 minutes.
