Description
A tall, tender vanilla bean cake with a moist oil-based crumb, layered with lightly sweet mascarpone whipped cream and finished with a fragrant vanilla milk soak.
Ingredients
- 236 g all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 200 g cane sugar
- 25 g light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 120 ml avocado oil
- 13 g vanilla bean paste
- 13 g pure vanilla extract
- 240 ml whole milk, room temperature
- 50 g granulated sugar (for vanilla bean sugar)
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 120 ml whole milk (for vanilla milk soak)
- 350 ml heavy cream, cold
- 300 g mascarpone cheese, cold
- 60 g confectioners’ sugar
- 1–2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Large pinch flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Rub vanilla bean seeds into granulated sugar and reserve with pod.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch cake pan.
- Whisk flour and baking powder together.
- Beat eggs, cane sugar, and brown sugar until pale and thick.
- Whisk oil, vanilla paste, and vanilla extract, then slowly stream into eggs.
- Add milk on low speed, then gently fold in dry ingredients.
- Pour batter into pan and sprinkle with half the vanilla sugar.
- Bake 40–45 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
- Heat milk, remaining vanilla sugar, and pod until dissolved; steep 10 minutes.
- Whip cream, mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt to medium-stiff peaks.
- Slice cake into three layers, brush milk soak on bottom and middle layers.
- Assemble cake with mascarpone whip between layers.
Notes
- Oil-based cake stays soft even when chilled.
- Do not overmix to maintain airy texture.
- Mascarpone whip is less sweet than buttercream.
- Great base for adding fruit or flavored syrups.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
