Best Vanilla Wafer Cake

Vanilla Wafer Bundt Cake

by Alli

Vanilla Wafer Cake is a tender cake that is so delicious. Instead of flour, this tube cake calls for vanilla wafer crumbs. It reminds me of a pound cake coffee cake. 

This is one of those cakes that has been around forever. My husband says it tastes just like a really good coffee cake. I’ll have to agree.

The vanilla wafer cake doesn’t need icing. It’s moist and full of flavor. My oldest grandson loves coconut so you know he loves this one. After mixing the cake batter together, chopped pecans and coconut are added. 

Instead of flour, this cake calls for crushed vanilla wafers. To crush the wafers, you can place them in a food processor and crush the cookie wafers until they are fine crumbs.

Vanilla Wafer Crumbs

You can also place the wafers in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. It takes a little more work but you’ll get a good arm workout.

Box of Vanilla Wafers

This is an easy cake to make and includes chopped pecans and coconut. My husband says he doesn’t like coconut but he loves this cake. It’s moist and sturdy, like a pound cake.

Ingredients For Vanilla Wafer Cake (complete recipe card down below!)

  • butter
  • granulated sugar
  • eggs
  • 1 box (11 oz.) vanilla wafers, crushed
  • milk
  • sweetened flaked coconut
  • chopped pecans

How To Make Vanilla Wafer Cake

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Add crushed vanilla wafers and milk alternately, beating after each addition. Stir in coconut and pecans.

Stir in pecans and coconut - Vanilla Wafer Cake

Grease and flour a tube pan right before you add the cake batter. I use Baker’s Joy. You could also grease and sugar the pan with granulated sugar instead of flour. Either way is fine.

Vanilla Wafer Cake Ready to Bake

Bake at 350º for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely.

Vanilla Wafer Cake cooling on a wire rack with a red checked dish towel resting beside the cake

If the top of the cake turns brown before it’s done, just place a piece of foil over the top while it continues to bake. 

How to Keep Bundt/Tube Cakes From Sticking

Have you ever had a bundt cake stick to the pan? I have. I’m going to tell on myself. I made this cake twice before sharing the recipe. It stuck both times when I used a bundt pan. It doesn’t stick at all when I use my tube pan.

Frankly, I think it’s the type of bundt pan I have. So, I finally learned to make it in a tube pan. Even though my tube pan is bigger than I really need, it turns out perfectly every single time. (I have the exact tube pan I use linked in the recipe card below)

When I was younger I’d get so upset when a bundt cake stuck. I finally learned to go with the flow. When a cake sticks, make a berry trifle. It’s just a layer-cake in a bowl. 

If you’ve never had a bundt cake stick, then skip right over the next section because you’re the bomb! 

Tricks & Tips to Keep Bundt Cakes From Sticking

  • To help keep bundt cakes from sticking, don’t grease the cake pan until right before you bake the cake. I know – most cake recipes call for greasing and flouring the pan first thing. But with bundt cakes, I think it’s best to wait.
  • Use a non-stick pan that’s not scratched up or worn. 
  • If you have problems with cakes sticking, grease the pan thoroughly. Use melted shortening, not butter. The milk solids in butter can act like glue and keep your cake from releasing from the pan.
  • Use a pastry brush to grease the pan. Make sure to get the melted shortening in every nook and cranny. Don’t forget about the center tube.
  • Instead of sprinkling flour over the melted shortening in the bundt pan, use granulated sugar (or almond flour). Regular flour tends to get gunky. (If you do use flour and your bundt cake turns out perfectly every single time, keep on keeping on.)
  • When you remove the bundt cake from the oven, carefully loosen the outside of the cake with a plastic knife by sliding the knife gently down the sides of the pan. Don’t forget the center tube.
  • Let the cake rest right side up for 15 minutes on a wire rack. When you turn the cake out of the pan onto the wire rack,  let it rest upside down on the rack for five minutes if it doesn’t come out immediately. 
Yield: 16 servings

Vanilla Wafer Cake

Vanilla Wafer Cake on cake plate

Vanilla Wafer Bundt Cake is moist, tender and delicious.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 box (11 oz.) vanilla wafers, crushed
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 (7 oz.) package sweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
  2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
  3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each one.
  4. Add crushed vanilla wafers alternately with milk, beating after each addition.
  5. Stir in coconut and pecans.
  6. Grease tube or bundt pan with shortening and sprinkle with flour OR granulated sugar.
  7. Bake at 350º for one hour or until a toothpick inserted near the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  8. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Notes

I use Baker's Joy spray to grease the pan.

Nutrition Information

Yield

16

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 302Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 101mgSodium 138mgCarbohydrates 29gFiber 1gSugar 27gProtein 4g

Did you make this recipe?

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Have you ever had a Vanilla Wafer Cake? If not, you really need to make this one. It’s easy and so delicious. Plus, this is one cake my family asks for often. It’s that good. 

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