Favorite Yellow Cake Food

YELLOW BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds (see #6 in Cake Baking Tips), then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. I recommend using nonstick spray for greasing.
• Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed for 3 full minutes. The creamed butter and sugar will be extra creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Turn the mixer down to medium-high speed and beat in the 4 egg yolks one at a time, letting each egg yolk fully mix into the batter before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract until combined.
• Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/2 of the buttermilk and beat on low speed until combined. Add 1/3 more of the dry ingredients and the rest of the buttermilk and beat on low speed until combined. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. The batter is very thick. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high speed until fluffy peaks form, about 3 minutes. See photo and video above for a visual. Slowly and gently fold the egg whites into the thick cake batter. Avoid over-mixing as you don't want to deflate the egg whites.
• Pour/spoon batter evenly into cake pans.
• Bake for around 27-31 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. After about 18 minutes, tent the cakes with aluminum foil to prevent the tops and sides from over-browning. To test the cakes for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. The cakes may look a little spongey on top as a result of the whipped egg whites. (That's normal!)
• Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
• With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Do not over-whip. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or 1-2 more Tablespoons of cream if frosting is too thick. (I usually add 1 more.) Taste. Add another pinch of salt if desired.
• If cooled cakes are domed on top, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops to create a flat surface. This is called "leveling" the cakes. Discard or crumble over finished cake (or on ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer. (If desired, if the edges seem extra crumbly, apply a crumb coat which is a thin layer of frosting all over the cake. You can see I did this in the video tutorial above. Refrigerate the crumb coated cake for 15 minutes before adding the rest of the frosting.) Spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I always use an icing spatula and/or a bench scraper for the frosting. Garnish with sprinkles, if desired.
• For extra neat slices, refrigerate cake for 30-60 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

FAVORITE YELLOW CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease 13x9 pan well.
• Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy and lightened in texture. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
• Add salt and baking powder, mixing well. Add 1 cup flour and stir gently.
• Add half the milk, as well as vanilla and almond extract. Mix with spatula until incorporated, stirring from the bottom to the top.
• Add another cup flour, stirring again. Add remaining milk, stir. Add the last flour and stir until just combined.
• Pour batter into your prepared pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-33 minutes, until cake tester comes out with just a few crumbs.
• Let cool for ten minutes in pan, then turn out to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. Frost as desired and eat within a day or two. Alternatively, frost in the pan once completely cooled.

BASIC HOMEMADE YELLOW CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and set aside.
• Cream together the sugar and margarine.
• Beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time.
• Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk until well blended.
• Spread batter evenly into greased and floured cake pans.
• Bake for 27 to 35 minutes on middle rack, until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes in pans before removing to wire rack.
• Cool completely and frost or fill as desired.
• Cake can also be baked in a 13 x 9 inch or Bundt pan.
• For orange marble cake: reserve 1 cup of the batter add to it 2 to 3 squares melted and cooled semi-sweet chocolate, add orange zest to remaining yellow batter and swirl chocolate batter through orange batter for marbled effect.

YELLOW CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour 13 x 9-inch pan.
• Beat all ingredients on low speed, scraping sides, 30 seconds.
• Beat on high 3 minutes.
• Pour into pans.
• Bake for 40- 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes, remove from pan; cool completely.

BEST YELLOW CAKE EVER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease two 9-inch x 1 1/2 inch cake plans line bottoms with parchment paper grease bottom and flour entire pan.
• In a medium bowl lightly combine the yolks, 1/4 cup milk, and vanilla.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend.
• Add the butter and remaining 3/4 cup milk.
• Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Beat for 90 seconds at medium speed to develop cake structure.
• Stop mixer, scrape down the sides.
• Gradually add the egg/milk/vanilla mixture in 3 batches, beating 20 seconds after each addition.
• Stop mixer, scrape down the sides and give it a final mix by hand.
• Pour the batter in the prepared pans and smooth surface.
• (Pans will be half full.) Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in center.
• (The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of pans after taking them out of the oven.) Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a buttered rack.
• Reinvert cakes so that tops are right side up.
• Cool to room temperature and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.

CLASSIC YELLOW CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Stir to combine.
• Add oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionaly.
• Pour batter Into prepared pans and if necessary spread evenly. Bake at 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool in pan 10 minutes. Then turn onto wire rack to cool completely.