Archive for the ‘cake’ Category

Cook’s Illustrated White Layer Cake

Buttercup Golden Layer Cake - ButtercupSome years ago I wanted to make a white layer cake for my wife’s birthday. I came across this recipe and found it excellent. The cake is light and moist, and has a delicious nutty, almond flavor.

Note that this recipe is for the cake only–not icing.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Baking Time: 25 minutes
  • Cooling Time (before icing): 90 minutes
  • Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups cake flour (9 ounces), plus more for dusting the pans
  • 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • 6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool

Directions

  1. Set oven rack in middle position. (If oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions.) Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray the paper rounds, dust the pans with flour, and invert pans and rap sharply to remove excess flour.
  3. Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended.
  4. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.
  5. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.
  6. Divide batter evenly between two prepared cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops.
  7. Arrange pans at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion to allow for air circulation.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.
  8. Let cakes rest in pans for 3 minutes. Loosen from sides of pans with a knife, if necessary, and invert onto wire racks. Reinvert onto additional wire racks. Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preparation/Baking Notes

  • If you have forgotten to bring the milk and egg white mixture to room temperature, set the bottom of the glass measure containing it in a sink of hot water and stir until the mixture feels cool rather than cold, around 65 degrees.
  • Cake layers can be wrapped and stored for one day.
  • Once assembled, the cake should be covered with an inverted bowl or cake cover and refrigerated.