Vanilla Cake with German Buttercream Frosting

With that buttercream frosting as the star of the show, this cake recipe is beyond your wildest dreams good.

It’s perfectly sweet, able to be topped with your favorite fruit, or left plain, and a great crowd pleaser at any family + friends event.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time:  10 minutes 

Bake Time: 25-30 minutes 

Yield: One 9 x 13- inch cake, 24 servings

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Butter Cake 

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled 

4 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon fine sea salt 

8 ounces (1 stick)  Zeal Creamery Unsalted Butter, room temperature 

1 ½ cups granulated sugar 

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds removed 

4 large eggs, room temperature 

1 ½ cups Zeal Creamery Whole Milk, room temperature 



For the German Buttercream Frosting 

2 cups Zeal Creamery Whole Milk

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise 

1 cup granulated sugar, divided 

4 large egg yolks 

2 whole large eggs

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons cornstarch 

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

16 ounces (2 sticks) Zeal Creamery Unsalted butter, room temperature 

For Finishing 

8 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled & quartered 

6 ounces fresh raspberries

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Make the pastry cream for the German buttercream: To a medium saucepan add the whole milk, vanilla bean, and ½ cup of the sugar. Set aside. 

  • To a medium mixing bowl add the remaining ½ cup sugar, egg yolks, whole eggs, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside. 

  • Place the saucepan over a stove set to medium heat. Whisk frequently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the vanilla pod.  

  • Pour half of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking as you stream in the milk (this will keep the eggs from scrambling).

  • Pour the mixture back into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan. Whisk until smooth.

  • Place the saucepan back onto the stove and turn to medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and starts to bubble, 4-5 minutes. As soon as the custard begins to bubble, continue to cook for one more minute to cook off the starch. (Note: cooked pastry cream should read 200°F on a dyer thermometer). 

  • Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. 

  • Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer into a medium, shallow container (to help speed the cooling process) and place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pastry cream to prevent it from forming a skin. Place in the fridge until the pastry cream has thickened and cooled to room temperature, 1-2 hours. 

  • Make the vanilla butter cake: Position one oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line the base with parchment paper. Set aside.

  • To a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside. 

  • To a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds.

  • Turn to medium-high and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed to ensure even mixing. 

  • Reduce speed to medium- low and add the eggs one at a time, letting each egg fully incorporate before adding the next.

  • Add a third of the flour mixture, followed by a third of the milk. Repeat the process, alternating the flour and milk until just incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. The batter should be thick and smooth. 

  • Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan. Place in the oven and bake until light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. 

  • Remove from the oven and place on a baking rack. Let  cool to room temperature before frosting. 

  • Make the German buttercream: Once the pastry cream has cooled to room temperature, remove from the fridge and set aside. 

  • To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter. Turn to medium-high speed and beat until the butter is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 

  • While mixing, add the pastry cream a tablespoon at a time until the buttercream is light, creamy, and soft, 5-7 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing.  

  • Spread the buttercream over the cooled cake. Top with fresh fruit, slice, and serve! 

NOTES

  • To scrape a vanilla bean, put the bean on a cutting surface. Using the tip of the paring knife, cut the bean lengthwise. Then, using the flat edge of the knife, scrape the seeds loose from the pod and add to your recipe.

  • To achieve a light texture for the buttercream, the butter and pastry cream must be the same temperature. 

  • If the mixture starts to curdle and look wet, it means the buttercream is too cold. Take 3-4 tablespoons of the buttercream out and microwave it until melted. Add back into the buttercream and continue to mix until it comes together. 

  • If the mixture turns to soup, the buttercream is too warm. Place in the refrigerator in 15 minute increments until the mixture comes together. 

  • The buttercream can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, or can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. Simply bring back to room temperature and re-whip in the mixer until light and fluffy before using.





Mickayla Wawrousek