I have a rare disease, it's called "cakeitis" and it hits randomly. The first symptom is a feeling of unease followed by lots of agitation and finally ends with a full blown cake attack! At these moments, I...must...have...cake...
It hit last night around 7:30 and I began scurrying around the kitchen gathering ingredients (a well stocked pantry is a must in these cases). My husband had just helped me clean up after dinner and looked at me and said "WHAT are you doing???" to which I replied "Cake attack". He nodded and cleared out. It's really not such a bad deal for him, after all.
I browsed my books a bit and settled on this Yellow Cake recipe from Cook's Illustrated. If you have an opportunity to purchase these cookbooks, you will not be disappointed. I have a collection of about 6 of them and they are my go-to cookbooks. NOTHING you make will ever turn out less than perfect. I speak the truth.
Rich and Tender Yellow Cake
Cook's Illustrated, The Best Recipes Cookbook
4 large eggs, room temp.
1/2 cup whole milk, room temp.
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cup sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into 8 pieces each
Preheat 350 degrees, grease two 9 inch pans and cover bottoms with parchment.
Mix eggs, milk, and vanilla in small bowl. Measure out 1 cup and set aside.
In mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low 30 sec. With mixer running, add butter one piece at a time. Mix until it begins to clump together and looks sandy and pebbly.
Add the 1 cup of milk/egg mixture on lowest speed and mix until incorporated, 10 sec.
Increase speed to med-hi and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 min. Then add remaining milk/egg mixture in a slow steady stream. Beat about 15 seconds longer.
Divide batter into pans and bake until golden brown 20-25 minutes.
Frost with your fave frosting and EAT!!! Make sure you follow through with a cake breakfast the next morning. This is medicinal, after all.
You know this trick, right? Place strips of parchment or foil under the edges of your cake before you frost to catch the mess. Then slip them out and you have a neat cake plate with no frosting smears. In the words of Martha, "it's a good thing"
