Thursday, August 14, 2008

Food: Cake or Death



Howdy,

I know I have been out of communication for a while. Well, I just finished my desktop publishing class. I am now well versed in the ways of InDesign and I know 5 times as much about Photoshop. My final project was a dessert cookbook with some of my favorites in it. And since I used my own photos for the book, the one I didn't have was my yellow cake and chocolate frosting so I made a cake for the last class.

Here is the cake recipe: (I don't share the icing recipe it is my secret weapon)


2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup of milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1cup butter (at room temperature)
1 ½ cups sugar
4 large eggs (at room temperature)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside. IN a small bowl, combine the milk and vanilla extract, set aside. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and lightly separate with a fork set aside. Using a stand mixer, beat the butter with the paddle on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar, beating until pale and fluffy. Drizzle in the eggs, beating each addition until incorporated before continuing. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the dry ingredients in three additions alternately with the milk mixture in two additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and spread it evenly. Bake until the cakes are puffed and a skewer inserted into the centers comes out clean. 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Run a table knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto a platter.


This cake is also great for cupcakes or a layer cake it is completely versitile.