"Let them eat Cake"

This recipe is a new favorite of mine and after three successful cakes I feel confident enough to share it with all of you. I like to find simple recipes that can be modified relatively easily. This white cake is flavored with Vanilla, but could easily be replaced with lemon, orange or any other flavor you may fancy. If you don't have extracts you can use lemon, lime or any citrus zest for a nice flavor (I feel zest has a fresher flavor). 

 If using a powder flavoring agent like Macha add about a tablespoon or less to your flour mixture ( you can do a test cupcake and always add Macha if needed) .

If you are planning to dissolve a powder like instant coffee, do this with the milk already in the recipe. Use about a tablespoon of the one cup milk (in the recipe) and warm it, add your instant coffee (mix well), incorporate it into your wet ingredients. Have fun and don't be scared to experiment with flavors.

For a more colorful cake try adding food coloring. Sometimes cake tastes better if it matches the flavor. For example you are making a cake with lime zest or Macha add a bit of green gel food coloring to get a soft green.

Part of a great tasting cake is the frosting. This in my opinion can make or break a cake. The worst thing is having a super sweet frosting that overpowers the flavor of the cake. I highly recommend making your own frosting. Don't be afraid. 

 I made a layer cake the other day and used a thin layer of strawberry preserve in the center with whipped cream cheese frosting, but light on the sweetness. I then mixed another batch of cream cheese frosting with a bit of strawberry preserve and red gel coloring for the all over frosting. After chilling the frosting I applied it to the cake surface and refrigerated. While this pink cake was chilling I made an icing for piping decorations with powdered sugar, vanilla, a pad of butter, and a bit of milk. 

Over all the sweetness was moderate and the cake  had a freshness to it that surprised me. Next time I plan to add fresh strawberries in the center to perfect this spring inspired cake.

Have fun !

White Cake!  

2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1 1/4 cups white sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup milk

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour cake or cupcake pans.
In bowl #One- mix together with a spoon flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In bowl #Two- using electric mixer - combine the butter and sugar until fluffy & mix in eggs one at a time and vanilla.  Scrape the sides of your bowl don't worry about over mixing.
3. Add bowl #One ingredients into bowl #Two mixing alternately with cup of milk. I like to put a lot of air into the batter in this stage so mix away! When the Batter is light and fluffy your done mixing. You may wonder what is light and fluffy? When you take a spoon full of batter it should feel like a spoon full of air.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. If doing cupcakes check after 20min. Make sure to do the toothpick test into the center of the cake(s). Allow to cool before decorating.

Sorry, no picture of my last cake. Don't worry I plan on making cupcakes soon. Expect good things!