Martha Stewart's Vanilla Cake

Versatile vanilla cake
Martha Stewart
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
Whipped frosting
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.

Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Place one cake, bottom side up, on a cake stand. Tuck strips of parchment paper underneath (see page 119). Using an offset-spatula or table knife, spread top with Whipped Frosting. Top with remaining cake; frost top, then sides. (Store unfrosted cakes at room temperature up to 1 day. Once frosted, serve within a few hours.)

Frosting: In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, combine 3 large egg whites, 3/4 cup sugar, a pinch salt and 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved (or mixture registers 150 on an instant-read thermometer), 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high until glossy, stiff peaks form (do not overbeat), about 3 minutes; reduce speed to low, add 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and beat just until combined. Use immediately.

TIP

Chocolate variation: In step 1, reduce flour to 2 cups and add ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Top frosted cake with shaved dark chocolate.

Lemon variation: In step 1, add 1 tablespoon lemon zest to flour mixture. In step 2, omit vanilla extract and beat in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice with buttermilk.

While cakes are baking, bring ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1 thinly sliced and seeded lemon and simmer 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lemon slices to waxed-paper-lined plate. Stir ¼ cup fresh lemon juice into syrup.

Using a toothpick, poke holes in warm cakes on rack. Brush with lemon syrup. For frosting, substitute 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for vanilla extract. Frost cooled cakes and top with candied lemon slices.

Featured on The Today Show 6th May 09

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• martha stewart
• today show
• vanilla cake
• chocolate cake
• lemon cake
• recipes

[RiskyRussian]

God on Martha's show, she talks over all HER guests,and now that she's the guest, these people keep talking over HER

[brotherjupiter]

Wow! Martha's quite the control freak.

[Rocker2170]

wow. using the spatula wrong -.- smh

[thanhpi1607]

you know someone doesn't bake a lot when they use a spatula upside down.

[brodygohabsgo]

I made vanilla cake using marthas recipe, oh it was so moist and fluffy and delicious! Only thing i added different was instead of AP flour i used cake and pastry flour! Came out light and fluffy and i used buttercream to top er off!

[Ladyluliluluth]

5:08 no i wana take that home sting white bitch

[HollandAmericalover]

Meredith sucks at frosting.

Dan's a bit better, but still needs improvement.hahaha

[Treas0007]

meredith is a egg hehehe i think she finds martha intimidating hehehe

[19KRIS89]

God I had a teacher just like her. I hated that class

[arashiloverstorm5]

question! does it have to b low fat buttermilk?

[caille101]

They're all blabbering at the same time! Can't understand so well. :/