Classic White Cake layers & Sweet American Buttercream
About This Cake:
- makes three 9 inch cakes * I have cut off the golden edges around the cake (optional step)*
- American buttercream: consists of unsalted butter, icing sugar, milk, and vanilla extract
- American buttercream is very sweet! Swiss buttercream could be made alternatively
- light and fluffy cake
- no butter cake! only a flour mixture with eggs, oil , and milk
- truly just like a copycat box mix recipe
Method: the truly copycat “box mix” cakes
the cakes are a simple dry mixture of; cake flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar combined with a wet mixture of; eggs, milk or water and oil. Therefore, it is truly a copycat box mix recipe from scratch. Perfect for those who love the light fluffy cakes they produce!
Step 1)
In a medium bowl the cake flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar get whisked together and set aside. So simple!
Step 2)
I n a large bowl or a large glass measuring cup the wet mixture in made by whisking 3 eggs, about a cup of milk, and 1/3 cup of oil with vanilla extract fro flavour.
Step 4)
the large bowl now makes sense, as the dry ingredients get folded into the wet about 1/3 of the mixture at one time. Once fully smooth a semi thick batter should appear.
Step 5)
the oven in preheated to 350 Degrees F for 9 inch cakes or 325 for cupcakes or smaller cakes. The cake pans get gently greased and a parchment circe for the base is measured and placed.
Now the batter can be poured about half way and baked for ~25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly.
Step 6)
Once the cakes are out they can be set to cool on a cooling rack ( or in the pan) and once fully cool can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen overnight. ( see notes for freezing)
THE BUTTERCREAM
step 1)
make sure the unsalted butter in softened to room temp. before starting. IF it is too soft, do not worry, it can firm up in the fridge after a few minutes.
firstly, cream the butter until it looked like whipped butter without chunks. sift in the powdered sugar and use an electric mixer on low to do this. once half the powdered sugar has been added, pour in the milk and continue with both the electric mixer and powdered sugar. lastly add the vanilla and it’s all done! store in the fridge until the cakes are ready to be assembled.
Notes for Success
1)freezing the cakes: these can easily be made before hand and frozen. Be sure to let them cool completely before freezing or else moisture will form and make them soggy. Be sure to wrap them tightly, and let them thaw in room temp before assembling.
2)Buttercream may melt in room temp. if it’s a warmer day, so keep it in the fridge or use the fridge to firm it up is it was on the softer side.
3)Cake flour works best for producing light cakes, but all-purpose flour can work just as well for this recipe.
4)line the cake pans with both oil spray, butter, and a parchment circle for the base. Otherwise the cake may stick!
The Recipe
| prep time | bake time |
| 15 mins | 25-30 mins |
Vanilla Layer Cake
Ingredients:
cake:
- 2/3 cup canola oil
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
buttercream:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4-5 cups confections sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ~1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F and grease your 9 inch cake pans as well as line them with parchment the size of the diameter and placed on the base. Set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt. Set aside. Now in a large bowl ,using an electric mixer on low, combine the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract.
In thirds, pour the dry mixture in the wet and simultaneously keep mixing with the electric mixer on low. Once a smooth batter rid of any lumps appears, the batter is complete!
Pour the batter into each pan evenly at about half way up the pan and bake for ~25-30 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.
Once out of the oven let the cake cool completely before decorating or freezing.
The Buttercream:
In a large bowl cream the unsalted butter until it looks whipped and air incorporated. Sift in the powdered sugar and simultaneously keep mixing with the electric mixture on low. Once half the powdered sugar has been added, pour in the milk. Continue with the powdered sugar and finally the vanilla until it is complete! assemble and decorate the cake or set in the fridge until you are ready to assemble.
