Classic Vanilla Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Whisk 3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined. Beat 2 sticks butter and the sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. (The mixture may look separated at this point.) Beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 195C/fan 175C/gas 3.5
• Cream the butter and sugar together until it becomes a pale yellow/white colour.
• Sift in the flour and baking powder. Then add the eggs and vanilla essence. Fold together until it is all combined.
• Place the mixture in to greased tins or cupcake cases.
• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and springs back when gently pressed. Once baked leave to cool for 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 and line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• In a bowl mix together cake flour, flour, sugar, and baking powder. Make sure these are combined well. With an electric mixer on medium speed, add butter. It will be easier to cut the butter into small squares at room temperature. Don't just add the whole stick.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, yogurt and vanilla extract. Add this to the dry vanilla cupcake ingredients and beat until combined but don't over beat!
• With the vanilla cupcakes batter, fill lined cupcake tins until about 2/3 full. Bake for about 15-20 minutes (give or take a few). You will know your vanilla cupcakes are done when you pat on the tops and they spring back up at you. If they sink then the vanilla cupcakes need more time. If this is too confusing, you can always use the old toothpick in the center trick and that should do it.
• As far as frosting the vanilla cupcakes goes, I would suggest using the buttercream frosting recipe. Decorate your vanilla cupcakes with colored sprinkles, sugar candies or fruit.

Steps:

• Make the elderflower syrup: In a heavy saucepan, combine water and sugar and bring to a simmer over high heat, stirring occasionally until simple syrup is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Remove the elderflower heads from their stems, discarding stems and placing heads in a large heat-safe bowl. Add lemon skin and juice to bowl and pour simple syrup into bowl, stirring to combine.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 2 days and up to 4 days. Strain syrup through a cheesecloth-lined sieve and discard solids. Syrup can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a fine sieve, sift together flour and 3/4 cups sugar four times.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed, beat together egg whites and water until foamy. Add salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium-high and sprinkle in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff but not dry.
• Transfer to a large bowl. In six additions, sift dry ingredients over meringue, folding in quickly but gently.
• Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom. Smooth top with an offset spatula. Run a knife through batter to release air bubbles. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and springy to touch.
• Invert pan on its legs or over the neck of a glass bottle and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Carefully run a long offset spatula or knife around the inner and outer perimeter of the pan to release cake. Place on a plate, bottom side up; cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.
• Serve each slice with some elderflower syrup poured around the base and whipped cream and berries on top.

Steps:

• Butter two 9-inch diameter by 1 1/2-inch deep layer pans or 1 (13 by 9 by 2-inch) pan.
• Lined bottoms with parchment or waxed paper.
• Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
• Set aside.
• Combine egg whites, milk and vanilla extract.
• Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to butter mixture then add half the milk mixture.
• Continue to alternate beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Scrape bowl and beater often.
• Pour batter into prepared pan (s) and smooth top with a metal spatula.
• Bake cake (s) about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
• Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, remove paper and let cool completely.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
• Beat sugar, butter, and oil together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy and well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl. Alternate mixing flour mixture and buttermilk gently into the butter mixture with a spatula, mixing until just combined after each addition; the batter should be smooth and completely combined but avoid overmixing. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the surface springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter, 30 to 35 minutes.