My mother made this Vanilla Cream Cake recipe at least once a month, always with Sunday visitors in mind — what we called visitas. The smell of it baking was the smell of weekends growing up. I had the joy of making this one with my dear friend Jeremiah Duarte Bills, and it came out just as beautiful as I remembered.
What is Vanilla Cream Cake?
This Vanilla Cream Cake is a light, tender Portuguese-style cake made with heavy cream and pure vanilla — no butter required. It’s the kind of simple, humble dessert that has been passed down through generations in Portuguese homes. Traditionally baked in a bundt pan and finished with a lemon glaze or a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar, it’s as elegant as it is easy. In our home, this cake meant Sunday afternoon guests were coming — and everyone was happy about it.
How to Make This Recipe
Making this Vanilla Cream Cake recipe is straightforward for any home baker. You’ll whisk the dry ingredients together, cream the eggs with sugar, then fold in the heavy cream and vanilla. The batter comes together quickly and pours beautifully into a greased and floured bundt pan. It bakes at 350°F for 45–50 minutes — a clean toothpick tells you it’s done. For the glaze, mix confectioners’ sugar, milk, and fresh lemon zest until smooth, then pour it over the cooled cake. Simple, and absolutely delicious.
Tips for the Best Vanilla Cream Cake
- Grease and flour every ridge of the bundt pan — if you miss a spot, the cake won’t release cleanly.
- Don’t skip the lemon zest in the glaze. It’s what gives this cake its brightness and that distinctly Portuguese character.
- Check for doneness at 45 minutes. Ovens vary, and overbaking will dry it out.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before turning it out so it holds its shape.
- Heavy cream is non-negotiable — it’s what makes this cake rich and tender without being heavy.
- Orange zest works beautifully as a glaze variation. My mother used both, depending on what she had.
- If you skip the glaze entirely, a dusting of confectioners’ sugar right before serving is the traditional alternative — and just as pretty.
For the best results, you need a bundt pan that releases cleanly and bakes evenly. I use the Nordic Ware Heritage Bundt Pan — it’s the one I reach for every time I make this cake.
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Serving and Storing
Serve this Vanilla Cream Cake at room temperature — it’s at its best the day it’s made but stays good for two to three days covered on the counter. For longer storage, wrap it well and refrigerate, then bring it back to room temperature before serving. A fresh dusting of confectioners’ sugar right before you put it on the table keeps it looking like you just made it.
PrintVanilla Cream Cake
This recipe was my mother’s, who made it at least one Saturday a month in anticipation of having “visitas” or “visitors” stopping by on Sunday afternoon. I loved making this with my friend Jeremiah Duarte Bills, who’s such a talented baker!
- Category: Baked Goods
Ingredients
Ingredients for cake:
1 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 +1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
Ingredients for glaze:
3 cups of Confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons of Milk
Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
Preparations for Cake: Preheat oven at 350 F
Grease a small pan/ or a small bunt pan and dust with flour and leave aside.
1. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and leave aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the eggs with sugar.
3. Add in the vanilla to the egg and sugar mixture, and then combine the remaining ingredients until everything is well mixed together. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake about 45-50 minutes (depending on your oven) – check with a toothpick, if clean when inserted: it’s done!
Let it cool another 10-15 minutes before glazing…but if you don’t want a glaze you can always dust the cake with confectioners sugar instead.
Preparation for Glaze:
In a small bowl mix together the confectioners sugar and milk. You can always adjust the thickness of the glaze by adding more or less milk. Then add the lemon zest and mix well together. Pour the glaze on top of the cake and watch everyone enjoy each bite!!
Besides eating it plain, dusted, or with lemon zest… my mom would sometimes use orange zest to glaze the cake too. No matter, it was a cake we always looked forward to.
featured in Maria’s Portuguese Table Season 1 Episode 6
