“Grandma’s Cake” can mean a lot of things depending on the family — it might be a warm spice cake, a classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting, or something like a Southern-style buttermilk or dump cake. But here’s a nostalgic, all-purpose version that feels like something Grandma might’ve pulled from the oven on a Sunday afternoon — soft, buttery, and perfect with coffee or cold milk.
🍰 Grandma’s Classic Butter Cake with Old-Fashioned Frosting
📝 Cake Ingredients:
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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
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2 cups granulated sugar
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4 large eggs
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1 tbsp vanilla extract
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3 cups all-purpose flour
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1 tbsp baking powder
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½ tsp salt
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1 cup whole milk (room temp)
👩🍳 Cake Instructions:
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Prep oven and pans:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (or a 9×13″). -
Cream butter and sugar:
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (3–5 min). -
Add eggs and vanilla:
Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla. -
Mix dry and wet:
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with milk. Begin and end with flour. -
Bake:
Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30–35 minutes (round pans) or 40–45 min (9×13″), or until a toothpick comes out clean. -
Cool completely before frosting.
🍦 Old-Fashioned Boiled Milk Frosting (Flour Buttercream)
This is the kind of creamy, fluffy frosting Grandma might have made from scratch — not too sweet but totally delicious.
📝 Frosting Ingredients:
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5 tbsp flour
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1 cup whole milk
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1 cup unsalted butter, softened
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1 cup granulated sugar (not powdered!)
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1 tsp vanilla extract
👩🍳 Frosting Instructions:
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Cook flour and milk:
In a small saucepan, whisk flour and milk together. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick like pudding. Let cool completely. -
Cream sugar and butter:
In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until very fluffy, 3–5 minutes. -
Add cooled milk mixture:
Add the cooled flour-milk paste and vanilla to the butter/sugar. Beat until light, fluffy, and silky — like whipped cream.
🧁 Optional Variations:
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Lemon Grandma’s Cake: Add 1 tbsp lemon zest to the batter and frost with lemon glaze.
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Chocolate Version: Use ¾ cup cocoa powder in the dry ingredients and add 2 tbsp milk.
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Coconut or nut topping: Sprinkle toasted coconut or chopped pecans on top for Grandma flair.