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This Ridiculously Easy Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake is tender, moist, and full of vanilla-almond flavor! Made in one bowl, no mixer needed! After baking, it's brushed with a simple glaze that adds a crisp, shiny finish.
The first time I took a bite of this Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake, I'm pretty sure my eyes got very wide. I looked at Scott and said, "Oh. My. Goodness! This is unbelievable!" He took a bite and wholeheartedly agreed.
I couldn't resist sharing it, so I sent a few slices down our little mountain road to a neighbor. Not too long after, I received this text:
"OMG that is absolutely delicious!! It is so light. Absolutely perfect 🧑🍳 I'm going to need that recipe!"
Guess what? You're going to need this recipe too! Why? It's everything a good cake should be... moist, tender, full of rich vanilla flavor plus a little kiss of almond. Even better, it's ridiculously easy to make. No mixer, no fussy steps, just one bowl and a few simple ingredients.
The crowning glory? A two-ingredient glaze that seals in moisture and leaves the cake with a crisp, shiny finish that's just as beautiful as it is delicious. Have I sold you? No? Well, maybe this will:
I love how Scott captured the crisp, shiny, golden-glazed exterior of this Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake and the zillions of speckles of vanilla bean flecks. Proof that simple can be stunning, right?
🦘Here's what you'll find in this post...
🪄Ridiculously Easy
If you've been a frequent flyer here at The Café for a while, you probably already know the magic behind our Ridiculously Easy collection of recipes. But if you're new to The Café, you might be wondering what exactly earns a recipe that playful little title.
Simply put, a Ridiculously Easy recipe has to check a few very specific boxes. It must be incredibly simple to make, with minimal hands-on time (we don't count things like baking, chilling, or rising). But just as importantly, it has to turn out consistently fabulous results... the kind that impress guests and make you look like a baking pro or a seasoned chef, even if you were just whisking things together in your comfy clothes.
These recipes are our go-to favorites for busy weekdays, last-minute dinner parties, or anytime we want something amazing without a lot of fuss. They're low on stress, high on wow factor and always dependable.
Bottom line? Ridiculously Easy means you can create something that tastes like it came from a fancy bakery or a fine restaurant… with a fraction of the effort. And we promise not to tell how easy it really was.
👩🍳 The Simple Steps to Make This Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake
You won't need a mixer for this recipe, just a bowl, a whisk, a spatula and a few pantry staples (which come together to create a show-stopping dessert). Here's how it works:
🔥 1. Prep: Start by melting your butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. While it cools slightly, line a sheet pan with foil (to catch any drips), prep your pan with baking spray, and preheat the oven to 325˚F.
🥄 2. Mix the batter (all in one bowl!): Start with the melted butter, oil and sugar and whisk until combined. Eggs come next, followed by the half and half, vanilla beans, a drizzle of almond extract, baking powder and salt. Lastly, use a spatula to stir in the flour and sour cream, yielding a silky, luscious batter.
⏲️ 3. Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared Bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick or (even better) an instant-read thermometer (a perfectly done cake will read 200-205˚F. or 93-96˚C).
🔁 4. Cool, flip, and glaze: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before flipping it out, then (the fun part) brush on the simple glaze. It will soak in a bit and dry to that beautiful, shiny, crisp finish.
😋 5. Enjoy: Pour yourself a cup of coffee, tea or a tall glass of cold milk, take a bite and say, "Oh. My. Goodness!!".
❓FAQ
Yes, although a vanilla bean (or paste) gives those beautiful flecks and a more intense flavor, pure vanilla extract will also work in this recipe. Be sure to use a high-quality extract for optimal results.
Bundt pans can be a little tricky, but this is my method and it works like a charm: spray the pan generously with baking spray, then use a paper towel to make sure all the nooks and crannies are coated. Give it one last light spray just before adding the batter.
Yes, this Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake tastes even better the next day. Just be sure to let the glaze set completely, then store the cake in an airtight container or under a cake dome at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Yes! Once the glaze has cooled and dried, freeze the cake for one hour without wrapping. Once it's frozen, wrap the cake in plastic or place it in an airtight container and return it to the freezer. The cake freezes beautifully for up to 2 months. Let it thaw at room temperature (unwrapped) before serving.
A 10 or 12-cup Bundt or tube pan works well. If you're unsure of your pan's size, you can fill it with water and measure how many cups it holds. Just don't overfill it, leave about 1 to 1½ inches of space at the top to allow for rising.
☕️ Serving suggestions
We hope this Ridiculously Easy Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake becomes a go-to favorite in your kitchen as it has in ours (I'm making another one today for a dinner with friends this evening). It's simple enough for an everyday treat, but elegant enough for entertaining. Here are a few ways to serve it:
- Serve it on its own - it's one of those cakes that's fabulous just as is.
- Pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of this Raspberry Coulis.
- Use it as a base for shortcake. Pair it with whatever fruit is in season (or in your freezer). Add a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of crème fraîche and you've got a fabulous dessert everyone will swoon over!
- Enjoy with coffee, tea or cold milk.
If you give it a try, we'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment and give it a star rating below. Your feedback means so much to us and helps others discover The Café, too! 💛
Thought for the Day:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k]neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38
What we're listening to for inspiration:
Enjoy!
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Ridiculously Easy Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the cake batter:
- ½ cup neutral flavored oil, avocado, sunflower, grapeseed, canola, or vegetable oil
- ½ cup soft butter, I use salted butter.
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup half and half or whole milk
- Scraped seeds from 1-2 vanilla bean pods, You can also use 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste OR 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sour cream
For the glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
For the prep:
- Read the Café Tips in the Notes section below this recipe for tips and tricks to ensure success.
- Place the butter in a medium-large microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high power for 60-90 seconds or until melted. Set aside to cool while you gather the ingredients and prepare the pan.
- Line a sheet pan with a large piece of aluminum foil. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Spray a 10-12 cup Bundt or tube pan generously with baking spray, then rub the interior with a small piece of paper towel to make sure all the crevices are coated. Spray lightly one more time. Place the Bundt pan on the prepared sheet pan. Set aside.
For the cake batter:
- Add the oil and sugar to the melted butter. Whisk together until well combined. The texture will be a little sandy at this point.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking for 30 seconds after each addition.
- Add the half-and-half (or milk) and vanilla. Stir until nice and creamy.
- Add the scraped vanilla beans, baking powder and salt, stirring until incorporated.
- Add the flour, and stir just until it starts to disappear. Lastly, add the sour cream and stir to create a nice smooth texture.
To finish and bake:
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes until the cake is nicely domed and the top is a beautiful golden brown. If you notice the top edges of the cake getting golden brown before the top, just pull up the foil around the edges of the pan for the last 5-10 minutes.
- You can use a toothpick to determine doneness (it should come out clean when inserted into the center of the cake), but the BEST way to test doneness is with an instant thermometer. The temperature will read 200-205˚F (93-96˚C)when perfectly done.
- When the cake is done, transfer it to a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Then flip it out onto a wire rack that has been placed on top of a piece of foil or parchment paper (to catch glaze drips).
For the glaze:
- While the cake is resting in the pan, make the glaze by combining the water, powdered sugar and almond extract in a medium microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Whisk until smooth. If there are stubborn lumps, microwave the mixture for 30 seconds then whisk again until smooth.
- Brush the glaze all over the warm cake. Keep going over the cake until you use it all. Allow the cake to come to room temperature undisturbed, then store under a cake dome or in a storage container. This cake freezes well!
Last Step:
- Please leave a comment and star rating letting us know how you liked the recipe - This helps others to find our recipes and helps us to continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you!
Notes
Café Tips for Making This Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake
One Bowl: This recipe was designed to be a one-bowl, no-mixer recipe. It comes together quickly with just a whisk and a spatula. That said, if you prefer using a mixer, go for it! Just be careful not to overmix. After adding the flour, only mix until the flour has disappeared. Same with the sour cream. Vanilla Beans: I love the little flecks of vanilla bean in this cake. However, vanilla beans can be pricey at the grocery store, so I purchase them online. Here's a great video demonstration on how to scrape the fabulous beans from a vanilla bean pod. Half and Half:If you live outside of the U.S or Canada, you might not be familiar with half and half. It's an American convenience product often used for coffee. It's simply a mixture of half milk and half cream. You can also use whole milk for this recipe. Options for baking pans:
This recipe is flexible! A 10-cup Bundt pan will give you a taller, more compact cake, while a traditional 12-cup Bundt pan results in a slightly shorter but wider cake. You can also bake this recipe in two 8-inch round pans, or even a 9x13-inch sheet cake pan. Keep an eye on the cake toward the end of the baking time and adjust as needed. Add a little floral flair:
Because this Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake has a simple, elegant look, we love dressing it up by tucking a small vase of fresh flowers into the center hole. It’s an easy way to create a showstopping (and cheerful!) presentation. See the photos above for inspiration! Almond or not? It’s up to you!
The almond extract adds a lovely, subtle European flair to the flavor, but if you’re not a fan, feel free to leave it out. The cake will still be absolutely delicious with just vanilla. Don’t overbake:
For the perfect moist crumb, keep an eye on the baking time. The best way to check for doneness is with an instant-read thermometer. The cake is ready when it registers 200–205˚F in the center. Switch up your tools:
I like to start out mixing the batter with a whisk, then once it’s time for the flour, switch to a silicone spatula. This gentle mixing method helps keep the crumb tender and prevents overmixing. Whisk, whisk whisk the eggs:
Don’t rush this step! Add the eggs one at a time and whisk for 30 seconds after each addition. This extra time adds air and structure, giving the cake that light, tender texture everyone loves.
Nutrition
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I'm not sure how your message ended up in my inbox, but I'm so happy it did! I love simple baking, and this cake turned out perfectly. I only had almond essence, so I used that instead. I also used milk because we don't have half-and-half in SA. I baked the cake in two smaller bundt pans for 30 minutes at 160 degrees. Used spray & cook to coat the pans. It turned out beautifully, and everyone loved it—even without the glaze! Thank you for the awesome recipe. You have a new fan!
Best regards,
Aliya
Hi Aliya and Welcome to the Café! Thank you for the excellent review and for sharing your experience with baking this cake. It's great to hear how well it turned out for you - we appreciate you taking the time to let us know! We hope you'll try other recipes from our website and we'd love to hear from you again if you do!
Will full fat buttermilk work in place of sour cream?
Hi Jody, yes that will work fine!
I really want to try this cake but I noticed you used salted butter and then added more salt. I only buy unsalted butter as most recipes call for that. How much salt should I use to make this cake? Thanks!
Hi Anne, To substitute unsalted butter for salted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt for 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi Chris, I needed to use up my sour cream, and this recipe fit the bill! I've been using the Wolf toaster oven a lot for many reasons. My baked goods turn out perfectly. This cake is so delicious. I used vanilla paste and milk. With the baking spray, it came out of the pan perfectly. The almond flavoring seems crucial. I wound up baking it for 60 minutes, and the temperature was 211-212 degrees. It was brown on the top, but barely brown when I took it out of the pan. I was determined not to overbake it. The glaze is shiny, and it has a crunch. We love it. Thank you very much for another great recipe!! Kathy
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Kathleen!
Very good! Moist, simple, tasty. Pound cake in a bundt pan. Using one bowl was great; I used whisk and spatula, like you said, and it was so easy. Glad you specified which oil can be used b/c I never know what's ok; I used avocado oil. I didn't have sour cream, so I used non-fat plain Greek yogurt. Used half and half and almond extract, and I made the glaze. Sprayed pan with olive oil spray, coated it with flour, and it popped right out cleanly. Nice recipe. Thank you!
Wonderful! Thank you for the review, Sandy!
Wow i Made the cake is fantastic??!!!!!!!!!!!! . I was wondering will it work in a very small muffin silicone tray? I want to make some coffee treats and I need something very moist and easy
Hi Angeliki, yes, I think that should work fine!
It was an easy recipe. Came out good except for the fact that it got stuck in to spots and didn't look
so nice. I used a lot of avocado oil spray and I followed directions exactly. Let it cool for 15 minutes. I think next time I will let it cool a bit more. I also added the almond flavoring.
Thank you
Thanks for the review, Joanna! Next time try the baking spray, it has flour in it and really helps prevent sticking!
This sounds delicious and I'm not a vanilla cake fan. But I'm making it for my neice's birthday. Do you think it would work as a layer cake? or better to stick with the bundt? Thanks!
Hi Tammy, yes, this recipe will work as a layer cake. I haven't tested it but I think 2 8-inch pans would work well with the amount of batter.
Thank you for another wonderful recipe! My husband is enjoying it right now with berries and ice cream. I love your ridiculously easy recipes because, I must admit, I’m usually ridiculously tired these days!
So glad to hear that, Marilyn!
Hey Chris, just made this for Eric's birthday, along with the raspberry coulis! Both were delish! Made the mistake of serving with vanilla bean ice cream- would have been great but we aren't eating ice cream as fast these days since we don't have kids in the house anymore! The ice cream (unfortunatley) had freezer burn lol. Oh well, the cake and sauce were delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipes! Hugs, Stacia
Oh, so nice to hear from you, Stacia! And how funny about the ice cream. I totally get that! Please say hello and a big hug to Eric!
Unfortunately, mine stuck to the pan (followed exact directions) so it was ruined. I'm going to try a spray & flour dusting if I try it again. It tasted great, though mine came out a bit more dense than the photos (must've overmixed at some point).
Oh gosh, I hate that, Jen! I made mine in 3 different pans while I was testing and it came out perfect every time. Is your Bundt pan old? I had an issue a while back with cakes sticking and it turned out to be an issue with the pan. Did you use baking spray (which has flour in it) or non-stick spray?
Non-stick spray. New pan as well.
There's a difference between non-stick spray and baking spray. If you used non-stick spray that might have been the problem, Jen. Baking spray (Baker's Joy and Pam Baking Spray are common ones here in the US) had flour and shortening in it which prevents baked goods like cakes and quick breads from sticking.
Made it again today with the nonstick spray and sprinkled flour- came out perfect!
Yay! That’s awesome, Jen! Thanks so much for sharing your review.
Hi Chris, I love your site and all of your recipes. I was wondering, could this cake be made in a loaf pan?
Hi Kirsten, I tried the recipe in a large loaf pan and it worked but the baking time was signiificanly longer and the crust got pretty brown even though I wrapped it in foil towards the end. I would suggest making it in two medium loaf pans for a shorter baking time and a light golden exterior. Nevertheless, it was delicious. I sliced it thickly and served it with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Thank you! I’m going to try it in the loaf pans, it sounds so delicious with strawberries and whipped cream!
Hi Chris - do you think I could substitute yogurt for the sour cream? Many thanks for all your fabulous recipes.
Hi Debbie, yes, yogurt will work. I would go with the whole milk version, if possible to give a smiliar texture as sour cream. Enjoy!
Is this a pound cake? On my email, it said pound cake but everywhere else here it just said bundt cake. I just wanted to make sure because I want an actual pound cake. This sounds like I'm trying to be contrary, but I'm not-I love your site and recipes 🙂 thanks!
Hi Brenda, that's a good question and the answer depends on your definition of "pound" cake, which, in its true sense, is a cake made from a pound of butter, a pound of flour and a pound of sugar. This is not a pound cake in that sense, but it is similar in flavor and texture to a traditional pound cake. I call it a pound cake made in a Bundt pan!
Sounds perfect! thanks 💜
Would the cake still come out nicely if I cut the sugar down a bit?
Maybe to 1 cup instead of 1 1/2 cups?
Thanks.
Hi Jody, the amount of sugar in this recipe is actually less than most pound/bundt cakes of this size. Sugar not only affects sweetness, it also affects the texture of the cake. You may be able to get away with reducing the sugar, but I'm afraid it would change the wonderful, moist texture - I would just cut the pieces small and enjoy the full effect!