My Best Vanilla Cake

Ingredients

• 2.75 cup cake flour
• 1.6666666667 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 0.75 tsp table salt
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter (Softened)
• 4 large egg whites (At room temperature)
• 1 large whole egg (At room temperature)
• 1 cup buttermilk (At room temperature)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp almond extract
• cake flour for flouring pans (Use as needed to flour the two cake pans)
• grease for cake pans (Use as needed; the source does not specify the type)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.

2. 2

   Place the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and table salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix the dry ingredients on low speed.

3. 3

   Add the softened butter gradually, 1–2 tablespoons at a time, while mixing on low. Continue mixing until the dry ingredients resemble fine sand, with no large uneven pieces of butter, and the mixture clumps easily when pressed in your hand.

4. 4

   Add the room-temperature egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. 5

   Add the room-temperature whole egg and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

6. 6

   In a separate bowl, mix together the room-temperature buttermilk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

7. 7

   Slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the stand-mixer bowl. Mix just until no dry streaks remain. Begin the mixing in the stand mixer if desired, then finish by hand to avoid overmixing.

8. 8

   Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.

9. 9

   Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes.

Notes

The author describes this as slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour's Tender White Cake. Suggested variations include adding lemon zest and blueberries, or using vanilla beans instead of almond extract for a crème brûlée cake. The source does not specify a doneness test or cooling instructions.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cake
• baked
• vanilla
• layer-cake
• vegetarian