Wednesday, October 16, 2013

vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream

The reason for making this cake was because a friend needed a cake for a birthday celebration - nothing fancy, just a tasty yellow cake with some frosting.

So I made her this.


It is a simple, fuss-free cake. But just because it is s simple does not mean that it cannot look beautiful. I played around with colour combinations and settled on a blue-green and pink ombre cake.


To make the cake, I started by creaming the butter and sugar.


Until it became light and fluffy.

Then I added the eggs, one at a time, and beat each egg into the mixture before adding the next one.


Finally, I added the sifted dry ingredients and the buttermilk in the sequence flour-buttermilk-flour-buttermilk-flour.


Finally, I added vanilla extract and once mixed, the batter is done.


I divided the batter among three 8-inch round baking pans which had been greased and lined. Then they were baked.


Once cooled, I trimmed the cakes and assembled the layers.

I placed a layer of vanilla buttercream between each layer and a thin layer on the top and sides of the cake.


Finally I frosted the cake.


And sprinkled the top with pink sugar and some edible pearls.


It is one yummy cake.

Try making it one day. :)


Cake, anyone?



RECIPE
Classic Yellow Cake (Serves 10-12)
Adapted from Smittenkitchen

Ingredients:
480 grams cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
225 grams unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken

Method:
Preheat oven to 170C. Butter two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans and line with circles of parchment paper, then butter parchment. (Alternately, you can use a cooking spray, either with just butter or butter and flour to speed this process up.)

NOTE: I adjusted the recipe to yield enough batter to make 3 8-inch cakes.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just Incorporated.

Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. (I like to drop mine a few times from two inches up, making a great big noisy fuss.) Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.

Vanilla Buttercream (
Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Author: Savory Sweet Life
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time:  2 mins Cook time:  3 mins Total time:  5 mins
Serves: 2.5 cups

Classic American Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from savorysweetlife

Ingredients:
225g unsalted butter softened (but not melted!)
3-4 cups icing sugar, SIFTED
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Method:
Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed  until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.


new button

2 comments: