Vanilla Cake With Buttercream Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a rack in the center. Spray an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper to cover the bottom and longest sides. Lightly spray the parchment. Set aside.
• Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in the oil, vanilla, sour cream and warm water then set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Blend on low speed for 30 seconds to combine.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the butter, a few pieces at a time. Mix until the butter has disappeared into the dry ingredients and the mixture looks like cornmeal, about 2 minutes. Add half of the liquid ingredients and blend on low speed to combine. Raise the mixer to high speed and beat for 30 seconds. Stop and scrape the bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula and blend again on high speed for a few seconds. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the remaining liquid ingredients and mix until smooth. Scrape the bowl and then add the remaining liquids and blend on low speed just until combined. Give the batter a few folds with the rubber spatula then scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
• Tap the pan on the counter a few times, place it on a sheet tray and bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs, 68 to 70 minutes.
• Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes then use an offset spatula to loosen the edges of the cake from the pan. Using the parchment handles, pull the cake out of the pan onto a wire rack and let cool 20 minutes more. Remove the parchment paper and discard. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap while still warm and let cool completely, preferably overnight for the best texture and flavor (see Cook's Note). Meanwhile, thoroughly wash and dry the stand mixer bowl and paddle attachment.
• For the buttercream: Beat the butter on medium speed in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth and shiny, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar, blend on low speed to combine then beat on medium speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl and paddle. Add the remaining ingredients and mix on low speed. Scrape the bowl then mix on high speed for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and mix again on high speed for another few seconds.
• Trim a bit of the cracked crown off the top of the cooled cake, if desired, and then frost the top of the cake with buttercream. Store in a covered cake dome for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk.
• Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar. Frosts 13x9-inch cake generously, or fills and frosts an 8- or 9-inch two-layer cake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl until well combined.
• Cream together white sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in egg yolks and beat until incorporated. Add in whole eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat mixture on medium-high speed until very fluffy, and mixture has lightened in color, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Use the back of a knife to scrape seeds out of both halves, and add seeds to the butter mixture. Set vanilla bean pod aside to use for the frosting. Mix vanilla bean seeds into the butter mixture on low speed until incorporated.
• Add vanilla and almond extracts to the batter and mix on low speed until incorporated. Pour in half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add milk and sour cream and mix until combined. Pour in remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly between the cake pans and smooth into even layers.
• Place pans into the preheated oven and bake until centers of the cakes spring back lightly when touched, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool in pans for 15 minutes before running a knife carefully around the edges of the pans to loosen. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
• While cakes are in the oven, begin making the frosting. Add reserved vanilla bean pod to a small saucepan and pour in heavy cream. Place pan over low heat and cook until mixture is just warm, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before placing into the refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes more.
• When heavy cream mixture is chilled, finish the frosting. Place 1 cup butter into a large bowl and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Mix in powdered sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Remove vanilla bean pod from chilled heavy cream. Discard vanilla bean pod. Pour heavy cream into the butter-powdered sugar mixture. Add in vanilla extract and salt. Beat mixture on low speed until cream is incorporated, then turn mixer speed up to medium-high and continue to beat until frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Pipe a layer of frosting to the top of one of the cakes and set 2nd cake on top. Frost cake as desired with remaining frosting.

Steps:

• For the vanilla cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat three 6-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper; spray the parchment and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Whisk the baking powder, salt and 3 cups flour together in a bowl until combined. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium, then 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 and ending with the flour, until just smooth.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the middles comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment.
• For the buttercream: Mix together the confectioners' sugar and butter in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low speed until well blended, then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
• Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.
• Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired. Spread frosting on each layer, stack layers and cover with frosting.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess. Sift cocoa over a medium bowl; whisk in boiling coffee and milk. Let cool; set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt into another medium bowl; set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix butter using a rubber spatula until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pour in cooled cocoa mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
• Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pans (about 4 cups in each pan). Bake for 20 minutes, rotate pans, and bake until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into center of cake, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove cakes from oven, and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes. Carefully run a small offset spatula around edge of cakes to loosen from pan. Invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let cook completely, about 1 hour.
• To assemble, using a serrated knife, level the top surface of each cake layer. Place four strips of parchment paper around the perimeter of the lazy susan. Place the first layer on the lazy susan. Spread with 3/4 cup buttercream. Top with the remaining layer, bottom-side up. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top and sides of cake, called a crumb coat. Chill until the buttercream is set, at least 30 minutes.
• Apply the final coat of buttercream. Smooth the sides with a bench scraper or large offset spatula held steady at a 45-degree angle while turning the lazy susan.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency.