A classic vanilla cake is without comparison a favourite among those young or old. This simple tea cake recipe works splendidly for leisurely afternoon teas, for birthdays where you may smother it with buttercream frosting or for some added indulgence when paired with vanilla infused compôtes made from fresh berries of the season. The creamy richness of a vine-ripened vanilla bean that has been well cured over months in our partner farm in Andapa will leave you spellbound when paired with the slightly tart strawberry compôte.

~ Gather Your Ingredients ~

FOR THE CAKE

1 & 1/2 cups Plain Flour

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Butter

3 Eggs

2 tbsp Vanilla Bean extract or 1/2 Andapa Vanilla Bean [Add to cart]

2 tsp Baking Powder

2 tbsp Milk

VANILLA BEAN INFUSED STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

250 g Fresh Strawberries

1/2 Andapa Vanilla Bean [Add to cart]

3 tbsp Sugar (or as desired)

2-3 tbsps Water (can replace with orange juice or a dash of red wine for flavour)

~ Preparation Instructions ~

1. Preheat the oven at 180°C as you prepare for the cake batter.

2. Powder the sugar in a mixer and keep aside. Melt the butter and allow it to cool down to room temperature. Whisk the eggs in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to whisk. Then add the melted butter, keep whisking until the 3 ingredients are blended together. 

3. Add the vanilla extract to the mixture or if using a whole bean, slit the bean open lengthwise, scrape out the seeds from half the bean and add to the mixture. Keep aside the remaining half. Add milk and whisk until all ingredients are mixed well.

4. In a separate bowl, sift the flour add the baking powder. Mix them well. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Using a spatula, fold the ingredients gently until the cake batter is mixed well, making sure there are no floury dry spots on the sides or bottom of the bowl.

5. Transfer the batter into a baking pan lined with parchment paper or greased with butter or oil. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

6. Bake for 35 minutes at 160°C, then reduce the heat to 110°C and bake for another 10 minutes.

7. You’ll know it’s done when it’s golden on top, and a skewer inserted into its side comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool. Meanwhile work on the compôte.

STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

1. Rinse the strawberries, pat them dry and remove the leaves on the top. Slice the large berries into halves or quarters, leaving very small ones whole.

2. Place the strawberries in a pan over medium heat. Add the sugar and water. Scrape out the vanilla seeds from the other half of the bean, add it to the simmering strawberries. Also throw in the whole scraped out vanilla bean to the strawberry compote. Stir together and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the strawberries are soft and just starting to fall apart and the liquid thickens.

3. Set aside and let it cool. Serve with slices of vanilla tea cake.