Cam wanted a vanilla cake for his birthday, so I set out upon a quest to make him the yummiest vanilla cake ever. "Would you like it to have a banana cream or coconut filling?" I ask. "Nope." "Can I make a flavored icing?" "Nope, just vanilla cake?" Should I make it two layers?" I try to give this cake just hint of character. "Nope, just square and plain cream cheese icing, please."
Finally, I relent and make a one layer vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting, he did allow almond flavored frosting though. It was after all, HIS birthday. As is the case many times, Cam's limitation for imagination in cooking won out and produced one of the simplest and yummiest cakes I have tasted in a very long time.
I hate to admit it, but Martha steps up to the plate again and we have a winner!
I appologize in advance for the lack luster appearance of the finished product, not much you can do with square and vanilla. I will include a "borrowed" image of Martha's much more exciting photo of the cake.
OBVIOUSLY MARTHA'S.
As always, I did add one little touch. I made a quick vanilla simple syrup and brushed it over the cake prior to icing the cake. The crumb of this cake was wonderful, dense yet light and very moist, must have been my syrup! : )
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
Cooking Spray
SIMPLE SYRUP:
1 C granulated sugar
1 C water
Stir together in a small sauce pan bring to a boil, stirring and allow to simmer until it thickens slightly. Approximately 5 minutes, cool slightly and brush over cake.
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans or one 10" square pan, tapping out excess flour. (I was SOOO tempted to line with parchment, because I ALWAYS line with parchment, but I listened to Martha and, she was right, the cake came out of the pan beautifully!) In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. The batter is very thick, so don't worry.
Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. While the cake is baking make your frosting. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let cool 5-10 minutes while you prepare the simple syrup. This is where my imagination wanted to run wild and create all kinds of crazy flavors with coconut, raspberry or butter pecan liquors I have in the cabinet, but Cam kept me grounded and I kept it plain and simple.
Allow the syrup to cool slightly and brush over the cake allowing it to soak in and brush again. I used approximately 1/4 C of the syrup.
Frost the cake with your desired type of frosting and flavor.
FROSTING:
1 Stick of butter, I use salted but unsalted is fine too, room temperature
1 8oz. block of cream cheese, room temperature
16oz. powdered sugar
1 tsp. flavoring, I use almond, but vanilla is fine
PREPARATION:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended and no lumps appear. Add flavoring. Add sugar in small batches on low, until combined.
My finished product:
