Three Layer White Velvet Cake With Optional White Frosting Food

THREE LAYER WHITE VELVET CAKE (WITH OPTIONAL WHITE FROSTING)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease three cake pans (reviewers have stated it works better if you flour the pans as well).
• In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together.
• Mix in egg yolks, then eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Measure the buttermilk into a 2-cup measuring cup/bowl and stir in the baking soda and vanilla.
• Blend buttermilk and the flour alternately into the mixture in the large bowl.
• Pour batter into the greased cake pans.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Let cool before frosting.
• OPTIONAL ICING: Beat the egg whites to a stiff froth.
• Beat in the powdered 10x sugar and vanilla extract.
• Frost between layers.
• Refrigerate leftovers.

WHITE VELVET BUTTERMILK CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• NOTE: It is SUPER IMPORTANT that all the room temperature ingredients listed above are room temperature and measured by weight so that the ingredients mix and incorporate correctly. Heat oven to 335º F/168º C - 350º F/177º C. I tend to use lower setting to prevent my cakes from getting too dark on the outside before the inside is done baking.
• Prepare two 8"x2" (or three 6") cake pans (with a little leftover batter) with cake goop or preferred pan spray. Fill your pans about 3/4 of the way full of batter.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of .a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Mix 10 seconds to combine.
• Combine 1/2 cup of the milk and the oil together and set aside.
• Combine the remaining milk, egg whites and vanilla together, whisk to break up the eggs and set aside.
• Add your softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until mixture resembles a coarse sand (about 30 seconds). Add in your milk/oil mixture and let mix until dry ingredients are moistened and then bump up to med (setting 4 on my kitchenaid) and let mix for 2 minutes to develop the cakes structure. If you don't let your cake mix on this step your cake could collapse.
• Scrape your bowl and then reduce speed to low. Add in your egg white mixture in three batches, letting the batter mix for 15 seconds between additions.
• Scrape down the sides again to make sure everything has incorporated then pour into prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly but the cake has not begun to shrink yet from the sides of the pan. IMMEDIATELY TAP PAN FIRMLY on countertop once to release the steam from the cake. This stops the cake from shrinking.
• Let cakes cool for 10 minutes inside the pan before flipping them out. The cake will shrink a bit and that is normal. Flip onto a cooling rack and let cool fully. I chill my cakes before handling or you can wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them to trap moisture in the cake. Thaw on the countertop while still wrapped before frosting.

RED VELVET CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING BY PAM®

Steps:

• Prepare Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray; set aside.
• Combine oil and granulated sugar in large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed. Blend in vinegar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add red food coloring; beat until combined.
• Combine flour, cocoa powder and baking soda in medium bowl. Add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk. Beat on low speed until blended after each addition. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
• Prepare Frosting: Place cream cheese and butter in medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; blend until smooth.
• Assemble cake by placing one cake layer onto cake plate or cardboard cake round. Spread with some of the frosting. Place second and third cake layers over first with more frosting between layers. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with pecans, if desired.

THREE-LAYER CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Beat in mayonnaise, coffee and vanilla. Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For filling, in a small heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely. In a large bowl, cream butter. Gradually beat in cooled mixture. Stir in chocolate chips., For ganache, place chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate, covered, until cold. Beat ganache just until soft peaks form, 15-30 seconds (do not overbeat)., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with ganache. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate, cream and butter. Microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes or until smooth, stirring twice. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over cake, allowing some to flow over sides. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

PINK VELVET BUTTERMILK CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• NOTE: It is SUPER IMPORTANT that all the room temperature ingredients listed above are room temperature and measured by weight so that the ingredients mix and incorporate correctly. Heat oven to 335º F/168º C - 350º F/177º C. I tend to use lower setting to prevent my cakes from getting too dark on the outside before the inside is done baking.
• Prepare two three 6"x2" cake pans with cake goop or another preferred pan spray. Fill your pans about 3/4 of the way full of batter.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix 10 seconds to combine.
• Combine 1/2 cup of the milk and the oil together and set aside.
• Combine the remaining milk, egg whites, pink food coloring and vanilla together, whisk to break up the eggs and set aside.
• Add your softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until mixture resembles a coarse sand (about 30 seconds). Add in your milk/oil mixture and let mix until dry ingredients are moistened and then bump up to med (setting 4 on my kitchenaid) and let mix for 2 minutes to develop the cakes structure. If you don't let your cake mix on this step your cake could collapse.
• Scrape your bowl and then reduce speed to low. Add in your egg white mixture in three batches, letting the batter mix for 15 seconds between additions.
• Scrape down the sides again to make sure everything has incorporated then pour into prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly but the cake has not begun to shrink yet from the sides of the pan. IMMEDIATELY TAP PAN FIRMLY on countertop once to release the steam from the cake. This stops the cake from shrinking.
• Let cakes cool for 10 minutes inside the pan before flipping them out. The cake will shrink a bit and that is normal. Flip onto a cooling rack and let cool fully. I chill my cakes before handling or you can wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them to trap moisture in the cake. Thaw on the countertop while still wrapped before frosting.

ALMOND LAYER CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Pulse 2 cups flour, the baking powder, salt and almonds in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground into a powder, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the egg whites, milk, and vanilla and almond extracts in a medium bowl until combined.
• Beat 1 stick butter and the granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, until just combined.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool in the pans. (The cakes can be frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 weeks. Unwrap and thaw at room temperature.)
• Make the frosting: Microwave the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring, until melted; set aside. Beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 4 minutes. Gently fold in the melted white chocolate with a rubber spatula. (The frosting can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days. Beat with a mixer to soften just before frosting the cake.)
• Assemble the cake: Loosen the edges of the cakes with a knife, then invert 1 layer onto a platter and peel off the parchment. Spread 1 to 1 1/2 cups frosting on top. Remove the other layer from the pan, peel off the parchment and carefully place on top of the first layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting (this is the "crumb coat"; it doesn't have to be perfect). Chill 15 minutes, then cover with the remaining frosting and decorate with nonpareils.

WHITE VELVET CAKE WITH CHEESECAKE FILLING AND SILKY MARSHMALLOW BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F (177 C). Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with Baker's Joy or grease and flour.
• Beat butter, oil and sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat until incorporated. Add buttermilk, sour cream, vinegar and vanilla and mix to blend.
• Sprinkle in flours, baking soda and salt; beat for 1 minute.
• Pour into prepared pans and bake for about 25-30 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan and then turn out to a cooling rack. Cool completely if using immediately, or wrap in two layers of plastic wrap if using later. Frost the cooled cake with your buttercream of choice.
• *Cake flour substitute: Use 137 grams all-purpose plain flour and 19 grams cornstarch or potato starch in place of cake flour.
• In a small bowl combine sugar, flour and salt and stir to blend. Whisk in eggs.
• Place softened cream cheese in a medium bowl and whisk in 1/3 of the egg mixture. Add remaining egg mixture in two batches whisking after each addition. Whisk in vanilla and sour cream.
• Pour the cheesecake mixture into the top of a double boiler and place over simmering water. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture is very thick. About 10 minutes. Scrape the corners and edges frequently. When it is the consistency of peanut butter remove from the heat.
• Pour the cheesecake mixture into an 8-inch cake pan and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap or wax paper. Place in the freezer to cool for 30 minutes or until chilled.
• Use to fill cakes, to layer in parfaits or to eat by the spoonful.
• Place marshmallows, corn syrup, sugar and water in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes until the marshmallows are melted and the sugar is dissolved; stir after one minute and then at 20 second intervals. Scrape into a mixer bowl and place in freezer for about 20 minutes or until cool to the touch.
• When cool, add the butter to the mixer bowl and beat on medium-high for 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and pour in the cold egg whites; beat on medium-high for 1 minute.
• Add the confectioner's sugar and vanilla to the marshmallow-butter mix and beat to combine.
• Use immediately or store at room temperature for 2 days, in the refrigerator, tightly sealed, for 2 weeks or in the freezer for 2 months.
• Makes about 5 ½ cups

BASIC WHITE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper; butter paper, and dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Set aside.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl, and set aside. Combine milk and vanilla in another bowl, and set aside. Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and creamy. Add sugar in a steady stream, and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the milk mixture and starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Be careful to avoid overbeating. Set aside.
• In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a third of the whites into batter until combined. Fold in remaining whites in 2 batches.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top with a metal spatula. Bake until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to wire rack; cool 15 minutes before unmolding. Butter wire rack. Loosen cake sides with a paring knife, and invert cake onto greased rack. Reinvert to prevent it from splitting. Cool completely before using or storing in the freezer.

WHITE LAYER CAKE WITH LEMON CURD FILLING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside.
• Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk and beginning and ending with flour; beat until just combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; set aside.
• In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes. Do not overbeat. Gently fold a third of the egg-white mixture into the butter-flour mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining whites.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off parchment. Reinvert cakes, and let them cool completely, top sides up.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cake layers to make level. Place one layer on a serving plate, cut side up. Using a pastry bag fitted with a coupler, pipe frosting around the perimeter. This dam will prevent the lemon curd filling from seeping out. Fill cake with lemon curd. Place other cake layer on top, cut side down. Spread entire cake with frosting, swirling to cover.

BASIC WHITE TWO-LAYER CAKE AND WHITE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and make sure that the rack is in the center of your oven. Spray two 8" round cake pans very generously with non-stick cooking spray (I used Baker's Joy ).
• In a large bowl, mix together cake flour, salt, and baking powder; set bowl aside.
• In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until it's light and fluffy (you can use a standing mixer or an electric hand mixer).
• In a large measuring cup, combine the milk, vanilla, and almond extract.
• Now it's time to add them all together! Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend on a low speed for about 30 seconds. Add about 1/2 of the milk mixture and blend again. Add in half of what's left of the flour mixture and blend again. Add in the rest of the milk mixture, blend for a couple of seconds, then the remaining flour mixture and blend at a low speed until the ingredients are barely mixed together (don't over mix!).
• In a separate bowl (or in your stand mixer using the whisk attachment), beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they reach "firm peak stage" (a.k.a. when the whisk is held sideways, the peaks will hold and the ridges will be distinct - this took about five minutes of whisking for me!). Fold the egg whites into the cake batter.
• Pour the cake batter evenly into the two prepared pans and bake them for 20-26 minutes (mine were done at 25), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cakes and let them finish cooling on wire racks.
• Combine the shortening, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl (you can use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer). Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with the milk or heavy cream, and mix it together until you have used it all. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk. If the frosting is too thin, add more sugar.
• Place one of your cooled, leveled cake layers on your cake stand . Using an offset spatula, place about 1/2 cup of frosting in the middle of the cake. Using your spatula, push the frosting out to the edges until the frosting is about 1/4"-1/2" thick (if you have a rotating cake stand, this step is really easy, but you can do it without it).
• Place the second layer of cake on top. You will now create the crumb coat (a thin layer of frosting that seals in all the crumbs to make it easy to decorate). Using the offset spatula, spread the frosting that has spilled out from between the layers smoothly over the surface. Add more frosting as needed, just keep the layer thin and smooth.
• Place about 1/2 cup of frosting on the top of the cake, pushing the frosting out to the edges until it's a smooth, flat surface.
• Now place the spatula against the edges of the cake and smooth out the excess frosting pushed over from the top of the cake.
• To help the cake firm up, stick it in the freezer for about 1-2 hours.
• From here, drop 1/2 cup frosting on the center of the cake and push it out to the edges as you did before, making the surface nice and smooth.
• Continue adding frosting to the top and edges of the cake until it's the smoothness and thickness you want. (Amanda says that the best way to get smooth frosting is to practice!)
• From there, continue to add more frosting to the top and sides of the cake until it's completely covered. I topped mine off with sprinkles, but you could get fancy and add some frosting decorations

RED VELVET CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the Red Velvet Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 3 (9-inch) round cake pans then line bottom of each with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment, set aside.
• Add flour, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl. Sift in cocoa powder then whisk mixture 20 seconds, set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together sugar and butter until pale and fluffy (this will take several minutes whipping on high speed). Mix in vegetable oil. Scrape down bowl.
• Blend in eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined after each addition. Mix in egg yolks then red food coloring. Scrape down bowl.
• In a liquid measuring cup, measure out buttermilk then whisk in vanilla extract and vinegar. Working in three separate, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture alternating with 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture and mixing just until combined after each addition.
• Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and gently fold batter just to ensure it's evenly incorporated.
• Divide mixture evenly among three prepared baking pans. Spread into an even layer and bake in preheated oven 26 - 30 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
• Cool in cake pan 10 minutes then run knife around edges of cake to loosen and invert onto wire racks to cool completely. Once cool, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Store cake in an airtight container in refrigerator.
• For the Cream Cheese Frosting: Mix cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer until smooth and fluffy (or alternately use stand mixer).
• Mix in vanilla and powdered sugar and whip until light and fluffy*. Spread over cooled cake.

BAKERY THREE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease three 9-inch round cake pans (if desired line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper).
• In a bowl combine the buttermilk with baking soda; let stand while preparing the next steps.
• In a large bowl cream sugar with butter, oil and shortening until well combined (no sugar granules should remain).
• Add in egg yolks, almond extract and vanilla; beat until well combined.
• Add in the buttermilk mixture alternately with the flour into the creamed mixture.
• In a large glass or stainless steel mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Fold 1/3 of the whites into the creamed batter until blended, then fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
• Divide the batter between the three pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cakes test done.
• Cool in pans for 15 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.

BASIC WHITE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Spread evenly into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Spread frosting between layers and over the top and sides of cake.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING FOR RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Combine the cream cheese and butter on medium speed, just until blended, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined. With the speed on low, add the powdered sugar in 4 batches, beating until smooth between each addition. Refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

RED VELVET OREO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F / 175 C and grease and line three 6-inch, or three 7-inch cake pans.
• In a large bowl sift together 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking soda. Set aside.
• In another large bowl, cream together 3/4 cup unsalted butter and 2 cups granulated sugar. Mix on a high speed with a whisk attachment or hand mixer for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture becomes lighter in color.
• Next mix in 2 large eggs, one at a time on a medium speed.
• Mix in 1/2 cup of vegetable oil on a medium speed.
• Add in half of the sifted dry ingredients and mix on a low speed until just incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix!
• Pour in 1 cup of buttermilk, 2 tsp white vinegar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and a generous squirt of red gel food coloring. Mix on a low speed until combined and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
• Mix in the remaining dry ingredients on a low speed until they're just incorporated and there are no visible streaks of flour.
• Fold in 1 cup of roughly chopped Oreos.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 28-32 minutes.
• Remove pans from oven and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
• Carefully flip the layers out of the pans, and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Level the cake tops with a serrated knife once they're fully cooled and place them in a small bowl.
• Use a fork to crumble the cake tops, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside.
• Beat 1 1/2 cups of butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.
• Add in 1 Tbsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp salt. Beat on low until combined.
• Slowly mix in 7 cups powdered sugar on a very low speed. About halfway through add in 3 Tbsp of heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
• Mix until the frosting reaches the right consistency. If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time).
• If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
• Next mix in 1/2 cup of Oreos crumbs on a low speed, mixing just until they're evenly distributed throughout the frosting. If you mix the Oreos in for too long, it can make your frosting look kind of grey.
• Cover the Oreo cream cheese frosting with a piece of plastic wrap, to prevent a crust from forming until you're ready to use it.
• Stack and frost the red velvet Oreo cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
• Add an even layer of Oreo cream cheese buttercream between each cake layer, and top with 1/4 cup of chopped Oreos.
• Add a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
• Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper.
• Carefully press the reserved red velvet crumbs and remaining chopped Oreos along the base of the cake with you hand.
• Place the remaining cream cheese buttercream into a frosting bag fit with a small French frosting tip.
• Pipe a border around the top of the cake, add mini Oreos, and enjoy!

WHITE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Butter two 9-inch cake pans (8-inch would work too) that are at least 2-inch high, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another medium bowl combine sour cream and milk. Set bowls aside.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add egg whites and vanilla extract and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture and beat until combined. Add milk mixture and beat until combined. Add the other half of the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Do not over mix - the less you mix, the lighter the cake will be.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes, then gently remove from pan and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and salt on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase speed to high and beat for 2 minutes. Beat in more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin.
• Assembly: If the cakes rose too much, cut their rounded top with a knife to make them flat. Set one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Evenly spread a thick layer of the frosting over the cake to the edge. Top with the second cake layer. Spread frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Cake should be kept in the fridge, but bring it to room temperature before serving.

VELVETY SOFT WHITE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 8" cake pans (don't use non-stick pans) with a circle of parchment paper or butter and flour the bottom of pans only. Do not butter and flour the sides of the pan.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with 1 cup granulated sugar. Mix the dry ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds to distribute the leavening. With the mixer on low speed, add half the sour cream and toss in the butter a tablespoon at a time.
• Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer running on low speed, add the remaining sour cream and vanilla.
• Increase the speed to medium and beat about 3-4 minutes until the batter lightens in texture and becomes aerated. If your using a hand mixer this may take an extra minute or two. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there are no pockets of unmixed batter.
• In another bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium high until they form soft peaks. Turn the mixer to medium low and slowly add the other 1/2 cup sugar. Turn the mixer to medium and whip the whites to full peak.
• Fold the whites into the base in 3 parts, folding just until there are no streaks of egg white. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and spread so it's level.
• Bake 25-30 minutes until the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Cool at least 20 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a cooling rack.
• Trim the brown edges off the cake, split each cake into two layers
• Fill and ice with vanilla Italian Meringue Buttercream or your favorite icing.

RED VELVET LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla; stir in red food coloring. Spoon cake batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.
• Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and let cool 1 hour or until completely cool.
• Spread 5-Cup Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.