Vanilla Cake With Cookie Butter Frosting
Published Dec. 5, 2024

- Total Time
- 55 minutes, plus cooling time
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 minutes, plus cooling time
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½cup/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- ¾packed cup/165 grams dark brown sugar
- 2large eggs
- ¾cup/180 grams sour cream
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1½teaspoons baking powder
- ½teaspoon baking soda
- 1½cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
- ½cup/113 grams unsalted butter, softened
- ½cup/150 grams speculoos cookie butter (creamy or chunky)
- ½cup/60 grams powdered sugar
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½teaspoon kosher salt
For the Cake
For the Frosting
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter an 8-by-8-inch metal baking pan. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over two of the sides.
- Step 2
In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Step 3
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next.
- Step 4
Add the sour cream, vanilla and salt and mix until well combined. Mix in the baking powder and baking soda, then add the flour and mix on low until just combined.
- Step 5
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.
- Step 6
Set the cake in the pan on a rack to cool completely. When the cake is cool, remove it from the pan using the parchment paper and set it on a serving plate; wiggle out and discard the parchment paper.
- Step 7
While the cake is cooling, make the frosting: In a medium bowl, combine the butter and cookie butter and beat on medium-high until thoroughly combined and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon and salt and mix on low until the sugar is moistened. Then, turn the mixer back up to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes more.
- Step 8
Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Keep the cake loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Private Notes
Comments
I'll admit, when I was mixing the ingredients I wasn't sure this wasn't going to work. The butter creamed with brown sugar looked OK, but when I added the eggs and sour cream, it looked grainy and separated. Thankfully, once I added the flour everything worked itself out. I baked in a 9" round because I was feeling lazy and have precut liners for that size and it took 40 minutes. The cake is good, but the frosting is the best part -- lightly spiced, fluffy, and the right ratio for the cake.
What in the world is speculoos cookie butter?
If you’re familiar with “Cookie Butter Ice Cream” from Trader Joe’s - they sell the cookie butter separately in a jar. That’s what you’re looking for here - I’ve never seen this ingredient anywhere else. Granted, I’ve never looked.
Did anyone else have trouble with the cake being flat? I followed the recipe exactly, used 9x13 metal pan, almost new baking powder and baking soda, but it turned out to be maybe an inch tall? Nowhere near the picture. I bake regularly and do not typically have this issue.
Fun, easy cake that you could make with children. I made it for my wife's birthday, celebrated at the end of a day of a travel, so we needed something simple and happy. The little cake fit the bill.
There are not enough stars for this cake. I have made it multiple times, for snacking on or to take to potlucks. People go crazy for it and I can understand why. The cake is delicious and moist with a nice crumb but the star is the icing. Cookie butter?! I need to make another one this minute!