Valas Basic Cake Recipes

CLASSIC VANILLA CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans; dust with flour, and tap out the excess.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Beat the butter, sugar and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla until combined.
• Alternate folding the flour mixture and the milk into the batter with a spatula, adding the flour in three additions and the milk in two, starting and ending with the flour, until just smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake the cakes on the same oven rack until golden on top and the centers spring back to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Rotate the pans about halfway through if they seem to be browning unevenly. Let cool in the pans about 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks and let cool completely.
• For the frosting: While the cakes cool, beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Once it's all been added, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until white and fluffy. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk, and beat to incorporate. Beat in the remaining milk, one tablespoon at a time (the frosting will be spreadable but not runny).
• To assemble: Place 1 cake layer right-side up on a cake plate or stand, and spread with 1 cup of the frosting. Top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

SIMPLE VANILLA CAKE (ONE BOWL & NO ELECTRIC MIXER)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F (fan/convection) or 180°C / 355°F (standard). Grease and line a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin with baking paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together plain flour and baking powder. Whisk in sugar. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Add melted butter, milk and vanilla essence. Whisk altogether until well combined (the butter may solidify and make the batter a bit lumpy - this is okay).
• Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

EASY VANILLA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch cake tin with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
• Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt together in a bowl. Add eggs, milk, and vegetable oil. Mix by hand or use an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add more flour if batter is too runny. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and let cool, 15 to 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill slightly, 15 to 30 minutes more. Slice the cooled cake through the middle to make 2 layers.

VALA'S BASIC CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F and position a rack in the center.
• Use a baking spray with flour to grease a 9 inch round cake pan. You can use unsalted butter and flour as a substitute.
• Combine the flour and baking powder in a large bowl and set aside.
• Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. As soon as the butter is melted remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Set aside.
• Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar on high speed for 3 minutes. The mixture will triple in volume and turn a very pale yellow.
• Reduce the speed to medium and continue whipping for 3 minutes. The mixture will continue to increase in volume and thicken.
• With the mixer on the lowest speed, slowly sprinkle ¼ cup of the flour mixture over the eggs and mix until no trace of white remains. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture in 2 additions; reserve the empty flour bowl.
• When the flour is fully incorporated, the batter will be thick and stiff. If you let it pour off the whist into the bowl, it will fall back on itself like a ribbon.
• Pour half of the batter into the empty flour bowl.
• Pour the warm milk mixture into the batter and stir gently to combine.
• Slowly pour the milk/batter mixture back into the mixing bowl, and using a rubber spatula, fold the mixtures together quickly but gently until fully blended. You will see tiny air bubbles appear on the surface; work quickly to prevent too much air from escaping.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place on the center rack of the oven.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the edges pull back from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Set the cake on a rack to cool.
• When the cake is cool, run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn the cake out onto a plate.