I like to keep a few well-loved recipes in my repertoire to make time and time again, and birthday cake is something that I find myself happily making several times a year. I typically turn to a very rich chocolate cake from Ina Garten or a simple vanilla cake from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook. I've noticed, however, that yellow cake is a favorite of many, but until now I'd never thought to make it from scratch.
Adapted from Bakerella
Moist Yellow Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
2 sticks of butter, room temperature
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
3 cups of self-rising flour, sifted
1 cup of whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring
For the frosting:
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound powdered sugar
1 to 3 teaspoons milk, half and half, or cream
Icing colors
Directions
This recipe calls for three eight-inch cake pans, but I used two seven-inch pans and had leftover batter for cupcakes.
- For the cake: Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Grease and flour 3 8-inch cake pans.
- Using a mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream for about 7 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg is added.
- Alternate adding flour and milk to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
- Add vanilla and butter flavoring to mix, until just mixed.
- Divide batter equally into 3 cake pans.
- Hold each layer about 3 inches above your counter and carefully drop the pans flat onto counter several times to ensure release of any air bubbles. This will help you have a more level cake.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (depending on your oven) until done.
- Cool in pans for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and immediately wrap each layer in plastic wrap to seal in moisture. Cool completely on wire racks.
- Once cooled, you are ready to assemble your cake.
- For the frosting: Using a mixer, cream softened butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Add sugar gradually, allowing butter and sugar to cream together before adding more.
- If you want your frosting a little creamier, add a teaspoon of milk at a time and beat on high until you get the right texture.
- Use icing colors to tint the frosting the color of your choice.
Makes 1 cake.
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