One-Bowl Hand-Mixed Vanilla Cake with Melted Butter
A simple, moist vanilla cake made in one bowl with melted butter and a tender crumb, perfect for quick celebrations. This American-inspired recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
- Step 2: Add 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 3/4 cup whole milk to the dry ingredients.
- Step 3: Using a hand whisk or spatula, mix everything gently by hand until batter is smooth and fully combined, about 2-3 minutes.
- Step 4: Pour batter into a greased 8-inch round cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
- Step 5: Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.








