Vanilla Cake
This is a traditional yellow cake. Pair it with Vanilla Icing (page 136), and that’s about as basic as you can get, but you’ll be surprised at what a buttery vanilla flavor it packs. For that reason, the Vanilla Cake/Icing combo is a favorite among both kids and adults. This cake is also a classic match for the Chocolate Icing (page 148), as well as for bolder variations, such as in the following recipes in this chapter.
Recipe information
Yield
makes enough for one 3-layer 8-inch cake, one 2-layer 9-inch cake, or about 3 dozen cupcakes
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans with butter or nonstick cooking spray and set aside. (Alternatively, you can use two 9-inch round pans, or prepare cupcake pans, as directed.)
Step 2
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl and set aside.
Step 3
Beat the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at high speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Step 4
Add the sugar and mix on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula halfway through to ensure that the butter and sugar are well mixed.
Step 5
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Again, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure that the ingredients are fully combined.
Step 6
Add approximately half the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until the flour is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and buttermilk and mix until combined, about 15 seconds.
Step 7
Add the remaining flour and mix until combined, about 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure that the flour is fully incorporated.
Step 8
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. The batter should come about halfway up the sides of the pans.
Step 9
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pans once halfway through.
Step 10
When the centers of the cakes spring back to the touch, remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 to 10 minutes in their pans. (You can also test for doneness by inserting a toothpick or fork into the center of the cake and checking that it comes out clean.) Run an offset spatula or dull knife between the sides of the cakes and the pans, and transfer the cakes right side up to a wire rack to bring them to room temperature.
Step 11
Once the cakes are at room temperature, ice as desired (see Icing a Cake, page 14). Uniced cakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days before icing and serving, or frozen for up to 2 weeks. (Trim the layers flat before freezing them. Once frozen, the layers need to sit at room temperature for only 15 minutes before you start icing them, but allow 2 hours at room temperature for the cake to thaw fully before serving it.)
