Vanilla Cake
December 11, 2016
Are you ready for Christmas? It's starting to feel and look more like Christmas in Oregon. We just had our first snow storm a few days ago with freezing rain and skin-tearing wind that sent chills down your spine, which has marked the beginning of this year winter. It is considerably early for us to have snow this time of the year. I had to leave work early to make it home before the horrible icy rain hits the roads. Fortunately, everyone in my family made it home safely that night. After dinner, we gathered around the fireplace and watched a family movie together. Surrounded us were with the freshness smell of our newly cut Christmas tree, the sound of the burning woods crackling from our fireplace along with the warm taste of chocolate milk and marshmallows melting in our mouths—a pleasantly peaceful night. And suddenly, I started to crave for some cakes…
It was the perfect night to bake. I have been wanting to modify the vanilla cake recipe and this is the best opportunity. I have the dry ingredients prepared a few weeks ago, so all I had to do was to turn the oven on and get to work. With my husband's slight encouragement, I finally got to master my white cake recipe that night. Yep, even with the kids at home!
It was the perfect night to bake. I have been wanting to modify the vanilla cake recipe and this is the best opportunity. I have the dry ingredients prepared a few weeks ago, so all I had to do was to turn the oven on and get to work. With my husband's slight encouragement, I finally got to master my white cake recipe that night. Yep, even with the kids at home!
PREPARING INGREDIENTS
Before starting, I make sure all of my ingredients are at room temperature to ensure the best cake result possible. In a clean mixing bowl, I add egg whites, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and whisk all of the ingredients together until combined (Photo 1). I set this “wet ingredients” aside.
I weigh all of the dry ingredients in another mixing bowl (Photo 2). With a paddle attached, I set my Kitchenaid standmixer on low speed and let it run while I prepare the rest of the ingredients. I cut the butter in to cubes and slowly add them into the dry ingredients, still keeping the standmixer at the lowest speed (Photo 3). I allow this mixture to beat for about 1-2 minutes (Photo 4) and until the flour can hold its shape when pinched (Photo 5).
Next, I pour a third of the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 1 minutes (Photo 6). Once the batter is light and fluffy, I add half of the leftover wet ingredients and continue to speed for 4 minutes at medium speed (Photo 7). Finally, I add all of the wet ingredients to the batter and beat for another 5 minutes (Photo 8).
BAKING THE CAKE
Once batter is a well-mixed, I pour it into the prepared pans lined with the parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees F for about 50-55 minutes. The cake is ready when the top has a slight yellow color and the sides pull away from the pan. I remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes (Photo 9).
I had some extra batter which I made a single 6-inch layer cake for a "test taste." The cake comes out moist, soft, fluffy and sweet enough for the kids to enjoy (Photo 10).
Do not hesitate to try baking this cake. It is pretty simple and tastes delicious. I am planning on using this recipe for one of the cakes I'd be making for an upcoming Christmas party. Stay tuned and I promise I'll share the final product with you real soon.
Vanilla Cake Recipe
Make: one 6-inch cake
Total time: 75 minutes
Ingredients
226 g of all-purpose flour
300 g of granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
4 egg whites, room temperature
2 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
134 ml (6 oz) of milk, room temperature
15 ml (1/2 oz) of vegetable oil
4 oz (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
*This recipe is adapted from Kara's Couture Cakes.
Total time: 75 minutes
Ingredients
226 g of all-purpose flour
300 g of granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
4 egg whites, room temperature
2 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
134 ml (6 oz) of milk, room temperature
15 ml (1/2 oz) of vegetable oil
4 oz (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a 6-inch baking pan with parchment paper and slightly grease the sides of the pan.
- In a clean mixing bowl, whisk white eggs, vegetable oil, milk and vanilla extract together and set aside.
- In a standmixer with a paddle, beat the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt on low speed for about 1-2 minutes. This is to replace sifting.
- Add softened, cubed butter slowly, one at a time, and continue to beat at low speed until the flour mixture holds its shape when pinched.
- Pour 1/3 of wet ingredients into the flour mixture and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute. Then pour 1/2 of the leftover wet ingredients and continue to beat for 4 minutes on medium speed. Stop to scrape down the sides if needed. Finally, pour the rest of the wet ingredients and beat for another 5 minutes.
- Pour the well-mixed batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until cake looks golden.
- Cool the cake for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and then frosted as desired.
*This recipe is adapted from Kara's Couture Cakes.
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