Basic One Layer White Cake Recipes

SIMPLE WHITE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.

WHITE LAYER CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9" round layer cake pans with unsalted butter or solid shortening, and line the bottoms with waxed paper; set aside.
• Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixer bowl. Add the butter, milk and vanilla.
• Beat the mixture on slow speed until blended. Then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula or a large spoon.
• Add unbeaten egg whites and beat the batter for two minutes longer at medium speed.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake at 350 F for 20 to 30 minutes or until cake is light golden brown and is just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.
• Cool the cake 15 minutes in the pans, then carefully remove the layers from the pans and cool them completely on wire racks.
• Fill and frost with your favorite 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.

CLASSIC WHITE CAKE

Steps:

• The fine moist crumb of this cake complements any type of filling and frosting -- the perfect celebratory cake.
• 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.
• Variation:
• CLASSIC YELLOW CAKE Substitute 3 large eggs and 1 egg yolk for all of the egg whites above.
• 2 (9-inch) diameter by 1 1/2-inch deep layer pans or 1 (13 by 9 by 2-inch) pan, buttered and bottoms lined with parchment or waxed paper.

BASIC SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Grease only the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan and cover with a circle of parchment paper. Do not grease the sides of the pan.
• In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until light, gradually adding in the sugar. Add in vanilla and lemon and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy, about 1 minute at high speed, then beat in the salt and cream of tartar. Continue beating until the eggs reach soft peaks. Fold egg whites, working in 3 or 4 batches, into the yolk mixture.
• Sift the flour over the egg mixture, again working in 3 or 4 batches, and gently fold it inches When the batter is uniform, pour into prepared cake pan and bake unil a tester comes out dry and the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed, about 35-45 minutes.
• Allow cake to cool in the pan before cutting around the sides with a sharp knife and turning it out.
• Slice the cake into 2 or 3 layers (or squares) and fill as desired.

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

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.

CLASSIC WHITE CAKE LAYERS

Steps:

• 1 Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
• 2 Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, mixing well.
• 3 Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until very soft and light. Beat in the vanilla.
• 4 Whisk together the egg whites and milk by hand in a medium mixing bowl until just combined.
• 5 Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in one-quarter of the flour mixture, then one-third of the milk mixture, stopping and scraping down the bowl and beater after each addition. Beat in another quarter of the flour, then another third of the milk mixture. Scrape again. Repeat with another quarter of the flour and the remaining milk mixture; scrape. Finally, beat in the remaining flour mixture.
• 6 Scrape the bowl well with a large rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
• 7 Bake the layers for about 30 to 35 minutes, until they are well risen and firm and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool the layers in the pans on racks for 5 minutes, then unmold onto racks to finish cooling right side up.

ULTIMATE BASIC BIRTHDAY YELLOW CAKE (1 - LAYER)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Cut wax paper to fit the bottom of a 9 x 1 1/2-inch round pan. Spray the pan with cooking spray, place the wax paper in the pan and spray the paper.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, mixing well.
• Combine milk with vegetable oil and stir thoroughly.
• Add the milk/vegetable oil mixture, butter and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
• Add the eggs and continue beating an additional 2 minutes. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center of cake comes out clean, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center.
• Cool cakes on wire racks for 15 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.
• Frost as desired.

SIMPLE LAYER CAKE WITH VANILLA FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment as well. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat well, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined. Add milk and vanilla and beat until just combined.
• Divide batter between pans; smooth tops with an offset spatula. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 33 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks to cool completely.
• Beat together butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium. Add confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add salt, milk, and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. If not using immediately, cover surface of frosting with plastic wrap. Frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week. Before using, bring to room temperature, then beat on low speed until smooth.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate and spread 1 cup frosting on top. Place remaining cake layer on top. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting, swirling to coat in a decorative fashion. (If frosting becomes too soft, refrigerate to firm up.) Cake can be covered with a cake dome and refrigerated overnight. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.