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Perfect Vanilla Cake Base

The search is absolutely OVER! Join me in this vanilla cake base recipe and discover a base that can easily handle mix-ins, stacks great, has a perfect crumb and is not overly sweet. This recipe makes 4 - 6" layers or 2 - 8" layers.

Cake shown is made with GERMAN BUTTERCREAM.


CAKE FORMULA

  • Flour - 440 grams

  • Sugar - 550 grams

  • Large Egg Whites - 3 (room temp)

  • Large Eggs - 3 (room temp)

  • Unsalted Butter - 232 grams (2 sticks) softened

  • Buttermilk - 220 grams (Yes, use the buttermilk) room temp

  • Baking Powder - 2 tsp

  • Salt - 1 tsp

  • Vanilla - 2 tsp

CAKE DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F and prepare your baking pans.

  2. Sift the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of your stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment

  3. Cut the butter in to 1/2 inch chunks. The butter should be soft enough to leave an indent when pressed on.

  4. Turn the mixer on low and mix the dry ingredients for a few seconds.

  5. Add in the butter by the chunk.

  6. Let the butter mix in on low/med speed for about 3-5 minutes. It should look crumbly but fully incorporated when it's done.

  7. In the meantime, separate the egg whites in to a small bowl and then add the whole eggs in the same bowl.

  8. Once the butter is done, add in the eggs in 3 increments. Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed.

  9. Once all the eggs are incorporated, add in the buttermilk and vanilla in 2 increments. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed.

  10. Once all ingredients are in the bowl, run the mixer on low speed for 1 minute.

  11. Divide the batter evenly among the pans. For 6" pans, it should be roughly 330-350 grams. For 8" - 660-700 grams.

  12. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-35 minutes. Check on them at 25 minutes and adjust as needed for your oven.

  13. Once a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the pan, remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes in the pan. Turn them out and let cool to lukewarm. Level and saran wrap for the freezer until needed.

VOILA!



NOTES:

You can add any extract or mix in to this! I used this base for my pebbles and milk cake and mixed in crushed fruity pebbles cereal.

IDEAS:

You could also mix in 1/4-1/2 cup of freeze dried fruit powder or 1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips coated in flour.

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