Classic Yellow Butter Cake
This is the baseline cake for birthdays and celebrations. It holds its structure under heavy frosting but stays moist enough to be eaten plain.
Temperature is your only constraint
Ensure your butter, eggs, and milk are at room temperature. If they are cold, the emulsion will break and the cake will come out dense.
- two 9-inch round cake pans
- stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- rubber spatula
- wire cooling rack
What goes in.
- 2 1/4 cupscake flour
- 1 1/2 tspbaking powder
- 1/2 tspfine sea salt
- 3/4 cupunsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cupsgranulated sugar
- 3large eggs
- 1 tbspvanilla extract
- 3/4 cupwhole milk
Aerating the butter
Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for at least five minutes. You are looking for a pale yellow, whipped consistency that holds its shape.
The method.
Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease your pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper to ensure an easy release.
Sift
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Cream
Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate the fats.
Combine
Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk in two parts, starting and ending with the flour. Mix only until the streaks of flour disappear.
Bake
Divide the batter evenly into your pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched lightly.
Cool
Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Other turns to take.
Cupcake Batch
Divide into muffin tins and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Citrus Infusion
Add the zest of one lemon or orange to the sugar before creaming.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a scale to weigh your flour for consistent results.
Do not overmix once the flour is added, or the cake will become tough.
If the butter feels oily, it is too warm; chill the bowl for five minutes.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use all-purpose flour?
Yes, but your cake will have a tighter, heavier crumb than if you use cake flour.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
Usually, this means the oven was opened too early or the leavening agent was expired.
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