Cooks Illustrated White Layer Cake Recipes

BEST CLASSIC WHITE LAYER CAKE WITH RASPBERRY-ALMOND FILLING

Steps:

• For the Cake: Set oven rack in middle position. (If oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray the paper rounds, dust the pans with flour, and invert pans and rap sharply to remove excess flour.
• Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended.
• Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.
• Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.
• Divide batter evenly between two prepared cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops. Arrange pans at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion to allow for air circulation.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.
• Let cakes rest in pans for 3 minutes. Loosen from sides of pans with a knife, if necessary, and invert onto wire racks. Reinvert onto additional wire racks. Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
• For the Frosting: Beat butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, milk, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed until sugar is moistened. Increase speed to medium-high (high if using handheld mixer); beat, stopping twice to scrape down bowl, until creamy and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Avoid overbeating, or frosting will be too soft to pipe.
• For the Filling: Before assembling cake, set aside 3/4 cup of the frosting for decoration. Spread small dab of frosting in center of cake plate to anchor cake, and set down one cake layer. Combine 1/2 cup of remaining frosting with almonds in small bowl and spread over first layer. Carefully spread jam on top, then cover with second cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of assembled cake. Pipe reserved frosting around perimeter of cake at the base and the top. Cut the cake into slices and serve.

ULTIMATE LEMON LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Filling: Measure 1 tablespoon lemon juice into a small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over the top.
• Heat remaining lemon juice, sugar, and salt in medium non-reactive sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot, but not boiling.
• Whisk eggs and yolks in a large non-reactive bowl.
• Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot lemon-sugar mixture into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches 170° and is thick enought to leave a trail when a spatula is scraped along the bottom of the pan, about 4-6 minutes.
• Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Stir in frozen butter until incorporated.
• Pour filling through a fine-meshed strainer into a bowl.
• Cover surface with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm enough to spread, about 4 hours.
• Cake: Preheat oven to 350°.
• Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg milk, egg whites and vanilla.
• In a mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix at slow speed.
• Add butter one piece at a time, continue to beat until mixture resembles moist crumbs and no visible butter chunks.
• Add all but 1 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• With mixer running, add remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture, beat 1 mintute more.
• Divide batter evenly between cake pans.
• Bake 23-25 minutes or until toothpick in center of cakes comes out clean.
• Loosen cakes from side of pan with a small knife, cool in pan 10 minutes then remove from pan onto greased wire rack, remove parchment paper, invert again and cool completely.
• Icing: Combine all ingredients in a mixer bowl or heatproof bowl.
• Set over medium saucepan filled with 1-inch of simmering water.
• Cook stirring constantly until mixture reaches 160°, 5-10 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to mixer bowl (if needed) and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat until mixture has cooled to room temperature and stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes longer.
• Assembly: Cut each layer in half horizontally.
• Spread 1 cup of lemon filling evenly on each cake, (except the top layer) leaving 1/2-inch border around cake.
• Place top layer on cakes, smooth out any filling that may have leaked from the layers.
• Refrigerate while you make the icing.
• Spread icing on cake.

DOUBLE-LAYER VANILLA-BUTTERMILK CAKE WITH RASPBERRIES AND ORANGE CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Bake the Buttermilk Cake:
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°F. Lightly coat cake pans with nonstick spray and line bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 3/4 cup butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add 4 egg yolks in 2 additions, scraping down bowl after each. Beat in 1 tsp. vanilla.
• Reduce mixer speed to low, then add dry ingredients in 2 additions alternately with 1 cup buttermilk in 2 additions, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat 4 egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Slowly add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 3 minutes more. Fold half of the egg whites into flour mixture, then gently fold in remaining egg whites.
• Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth surface. Bake, rotating pan halfway through and covering with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking, until golden brown, firm to the touch, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool.
• Repeat steps with second prepared pan and remaining cake ingredients to bake the second layer.
• Make the Vanilla Syrup:
• Combine granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Scrape in vanilla seeds, add pod, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and steep at least 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Discard pod before using.
• Make the Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting:
• Using electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to medium and beat in powdered sugar, scraping down bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
• Assemble the cake:
• Spread 1 Tbsp. frosting in the center of a platter. Place 1 cake layer, top side down, in the center. Using a pastry brush, brush 3 Tbsp. vanilla syrup over top of cake. Using an offset spatula, spread 1 cup frosting evenly over top. Arrange 6 oz. raspberries in a ring around perimeter of cake, pressing to adhere. Fill interior of ring with 6 oz. raspberries. Spread 1 cup frosting over raspberries inside of ring (do not frost raspberries at the perimeter).
• Carefully place second cake layer, top side down, on frosted raspberries, gently pressing down to secure. Brush 3 Tbsp. syrup over top of cake with pastry brush. Spread 2 1/2 cups frosting evenly over top and sides, carefully covering raspberries. Chill at least 30 minutes to let frosting set.
• Remove cake from refrigerator. Frost top and sides, swirling decoratively, making sure to cover bottom of platter; reserve remaining frosting for another use. Chill at least 30 minutes or up to overnight to let frosting set. Before serving, top cake with remaining 3 oz. raspberries and edible flowers, if using.
• Do Ahead
• Cake can be made 3 days ahead; wrap tightly in plastic and chill, or freeze up to 2 weeks. Syrup can be made 5 days ahead; store in an airtight container and chill. Frosting can be made 3 days ahead; cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on surface, and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.

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.