Vanilla Cake Recipe Natashas Kitchen Food

BASIC VANILLA CAKE

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.

THE BEST VANILLA CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds; lightly coat the paper with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl until combined. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, oil and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl until the batter is completely combined, smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
• Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake, rotating the pans from left to right halfway through, until the cakes are a light golden brown and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until completely smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: Place one cake, domed-side down, on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting evenly over the top. Place the remaining cake, domed-side up, on top. Spread the top with 1 1/2 cups of the frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with 1 1/2 cups of the frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat. (It's ok if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides, smoothing it out.

NATASHA'S CHOCOLATE CAKESICLES

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and dust with flour. Sift the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla and mix until combined.
• Dissolve the espresso powder in the boiling water in a mug, then pour into the batter and mix until well combined.
• Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove them to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Beat the confectioners' sugar and egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add in the butter, a tablespoon or two at a time, and continue mixing. Once combined, increase the speed to high and beat until smooth. If the frosting looks curdled and separated, remove one-quarter of it to a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave for about 10 seconds, then pour back into the rest of the frosting and whip on high. This should bring the frosting together; if not, repeat this process again. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
• Add the chocolate-hazelnut spread to the frosting and beat until combined. (This step is optional - you can just keep the frosting vanilla if you'd like.)
• Crumble up the cakes in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup frosting and mix with your hands. You should be able to form the mixture into a ball but it shouldn't be too soft.
• Make the topping: Melt the colored candy melts in the microwave as directed. Assemble the cakesicles in batches: Add a little (about 1 tablespoon) melted candy melts to each pop mold (see box below). Brush the candy around the mold to cover completely. Slide a pop stick into each mold and chill until the candy hardens, about 10 minutes. Add a second coating of melted candy melts if needed.
• Form 3 to 4 tablespoons of the crumbled cake mixture into a ball, then press into one of the molds, adding more cake mixture as needed to fill. Repeat to fill all the molds, then spread a layer of melted candy melts on top to seal it all in. Refrigerate until set, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove each cakesicle from the mold and repeat with the remaining cake mixture and colored candy melts (remelt them if needed).
• Melt the white candy melts in the microwave, then drizzle on the cakesicles. Decorate with sprinkles.

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.

VANILLA WACKY CAKE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with vegetable oil.
• Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt through a fine-mesh strainer directly into the prepared baking pan. Stir together with a fork (or a silicone whisk if using a nonstick baking pan). Add the oil, vinegar, vanilla and 1 cup water; stir with the fork until fully incorporated. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Frost the top of the cake with the frosting, if using. Cut into 9 squares and serve each with a dollop of whipped cream, if using.