VANILLA WAFER CAKE
Vanilla wafer cake is an old-fashioned classic cake that has been around for many years. I used to make it back in the seventies when my children were small and we lived on the farm. I have been going through some of my old recipes and came across this one and decided to make it to post on the website. You can serve it plain or with caramel sauce. This cake is great with coffee or as a dessert anytime. Take it to any gathering or make it for any holiday and you won’t bring any back home.
Vanilla wafer cake ingredients needed:
Butter
White Sugar
Eggs
Evaporated milk (can use regular milk)
Box of vanilla wafers
Shredded coconut
Lemon extract
Chopped nuts of your choice
You can add a caramel sauce if you desire, we personally love it with just powdered sugar sprinkled on top. This cake is really good and the flavor is so different. If you have never tried this one.. you really should.
Optional Caramel Sauce Ingredients:
White sugar
Brown sugar
Butter or margarine
Corn syrup
Vanilla extract
Milk
I definitely let this cake really cool before removing it from the pan. It takes it a while to cool and you don’t want it to stick. It needs to pull away from the pan when it cools.
RECIPE FEEDBACK
“I made this today. It is delicious! I used vanilla extract instead of the lemon. I could eat the whole cake! Yummy!” – Arlene
“I just made two of these for a High School Reunion. They turned out wonderfully. I had many compliments. It’s delicious with or without the caramel sauce. One if the easiest cakes I’ve ever attempted.” – Mary Kay
“I made this on Sunday…and it didn’t even last 24 hours. It is so good, as well as the Carmel Sauce to serve with it.” – Barb
“The cake took longer than 20 minutes to unloosen itself but the end result is delicious. I didn’t flour the pan. I haven’t iced it yet but I will. Thank you for a luscious cake recipe that is oh so easy and delicious (I’ve been eating the crumbs). I thought that it would be interesting not to use flour, but it worked.” – Jackie
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Vanilla Wafer Cake
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter or margarine or 1 cup
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk (can use regular milk)
- 11 ounce box of vanilla wafers, crushed (Put in plastic bag and crush with rolling pin)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 cup of chopped nuts of your choice
Caramel Sauce (this is optional, it's good with our without it):
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and continue mixing. Add milk, vanilla wafers and coconut along with lemon extract using mixer until well blended. Fold in nuts.
- Pour into sprayed bundt pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes until center is done. Cool for 15 to 20 minutes and remove from pan.
Caramel Sauce Instructions
- Bring to boil on top of stove and let boil for one minute.
- Remove from stove and add vanilla.
- Let cool to the consistency you like. It will harden as it cools.
Be sure and PIN Vanilla Wafer Cake for later:
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I made the vanilla wafer cake and it didn’t last long at our house! Wonderful moist amd yummy! I left out the coconut and lemon and added vanilla. I just made it again with ginger snap cookies-added 1-T molasses amd vanilla amd it’s oh so good! It’s our family-me and my husbands-favorite of all time!
I made this Nilla Wafer Cake for my neighbors. They told me it was a big hit and the family was fighting over it!
So glad it was a hit! We love this one too, such a classic.
I am making it again!
Question actually……boxes of vanilla wafers vary in weight….. how many ounces are in the box of wafers for this LUCIOUS sounding cake??
The recipe states to use an 11-ounce box of Vanilla wafers.
Do you chopped the nuts?
What kind of nuts do you use?
Yes, I use chopped nuts. You can add whatever nuts you like. I’ve made it with walnuts and pecans.
Would it be the same if I omit the coconut? My husband is allergic
I’ve never omitted the coconut so I can’t advise. You’re welcome to give it a try!
Tell me about the caramel sauce. Does it stay runny? Do you typically just ladle it on right when you’re serving, or put it on like frosting?
When we use the caramel sauce we just drizzle it over a piece or the entire cake. Whichever you like!
I just made the cake. I had to leave out the nuts and the coconut. Per my daughter’s request. I am serving it tomorrow night. I will let you know!
If you bake this cake until you see the sides pull away from the pan-I’ll assure you it will fall out Super easy! I take my plate and put on top of the the Bundt pan and flip it. To Be on the safe side I occasionally take a butter knife and run it along the edges. I make 3-4 Bundt cakes a month-So Don’t get discouraged…
Made this today for a family reunion. Moist and so good. My sisters want the recipe. Non to carry home.
So glad the family enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for letting me know Tracy. Have a wonderful week 🙂
I just made this cake yesterday and was sharing the recipe with my mom and she said it sounded like an old recipe she had… Surely enough she went to her recipe box and it was her recipe for Oleo Cake!!!! I just received a history lesson on margarine, or the likes there of!!!
How neat! Thank you for sharing!
Should this vanilla wafer cake be stored in an air tight container and/or should it be refridgerated?
You could do either. I would keep it in a cool place even if it is out of the frig.
Years ago my Mom had a recipe for a fruit cake that used Vanilla Wafers for the cake portion. In her many moves she misplaced the recipe. Could this be modified to make a fruit cake?
I guess you could add fruit to it. I never have though.
I made this today. It is delicious! I used vanilla extract instead of the lemon. I could eat the whole cake! Yummy!
I just made two of these for a High School Reunion. They turned out wonderfully. I had many compliments. It’s delicious with or without the caramel sauce. One if the easiest cakes I’ve ever attempted.
So happy everyone liked the cake, Mary! Happy to have you on the site. Have a great week.
Can you use vanilla extract and also do you think it would be ok to make this in a 13×9 pan
Yes, that might work, Patricia.
OMG just made this cake it is sooo good ,,,
But I mixed powered sugar and milk for the frosting it is my new favorite cake …, thank you for sharing
So happy you like this cake recipe, Eulonda! Enjoy!
I said this before, this “cake” is GOOD regardless of what criticisms are out there about it…
I made this on Sunday…and it didn’t even last 24 hours. It is so good, as well as the Carmel Sauce to serve with it.
I agree Barb. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit. I’ll definately make it again.
Hi, I took everyone’s suggestions to heart but followed the directions as listed. The cake took longer than 20 minutes to unloosen itself but the end result is delicious. I didn’t flour the pan. I haven’t iced it yet but I will. Thank you for a luscious cake recipe that is oh so easy and delicious (I’ve been eating the crumbs). I thought that it would be interesting not to use flour, but it worked.
You don’t have to use nuts.
Crushing the vanilla wafers should thdg be kinda chunky or really fine
I do mine kind of like coarse crumbs, not powdery but not in chunks
Desicated coconut or fresh grated coconut?
I use the bagged coconut from the grocery. I have never tried it with fresh.
I have made this cake but have never put icing/frosting on it. It is a delicious cake, without either.
ps someone used bananas instead of coconut be we have someone allergic to bananas so am hoping something else works in place of coconut and bananas….
Yes,actually I substituted bananas
A tube pan is better so you can slide your knife around the edges to make sure it does not stick. Cream cheese icing works well it also
Also we moved to Germany a year ago and I still haven’t found my bundt pan so I put it in a 9×13
Can this be made in a 9 x 13 pan?
Yes, I think you could make it in a 9 x 13 pan.
Should we use Nilla wafers or the actual wafers that are layered and flakey?
I use Nilla Wafers.
Cant wait to try it! Sounds so YUMMY!!
I have not tried it that way. I think you could but I don’t think they would be as good.
Another wonderful recipe!! Made another sourdough pizza crust with your starter. You have made my life so much easier with your starter and wonderful crockpot recipes. Thank you, thank you!!
Judy, this cake is fantastic and so moist. I didn’t even have to lift a finger to make it. Shared your recipe with my sister and wha-la she did all the work. Thanks Judy this one is a keeper! And so is my sister…Lol
Soon as I saw this I had to pin it. I love recipes like this.
I’ve made this cake many times but I use vanilla extract. This cake is so moist & tastes great. The recipe I use doesn’t have the caramel sauce.
Oh Judy! This looks divine. I have an old recipe for this cake in my files somewhere from years ago too, but mine didn’t have the sauce to top it off. Love that – pinning this!