cake time!

This cake is buttery tasting and due to the whole eggs, a pretty pale yellow color. 

It goes well with a variety of fillings and frostings.

It does have a tendency to be a little dry so I add a simple moistening syrup just before I frost the cakes.

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YELLOW CAKE

Makes two 8x2 inch round cake layers:

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp cut into tablespoon sized pieces

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs, at room temp

3/4 cup whole milk, at room temp

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray two 8x2 inch round pans with nonstick spray, line with parchment, then give the parchment a quick spray as well.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3. Beat the butter using the flat beater attachment until soft and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar gradually and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once or twice, and then beat in the vanilla.

4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down after each addition, allowing each egg to be absorbed before continuing. Add the flour mixture in 4 additions, alternately with the milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture and beat briefly until smooth on low-medium speed after each addition.

5. Divide batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Bake for about 23 minutes, or until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs. The cake will be tinged with light golden brown around the edges and top and will have begun to come away from the sides of the pan.

6. Cool on racks in pans for 8 minutes. Unmold directly onto racks, peel off parchment, and allow cakes to cool completely. 

MOISTENING SYRUP

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and stir to wet the sugar. Add the split vanilla bean and all the seeds, if using. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 1 minute. Make sure all sugar is dissolved.

3. remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. (Whisk in vanilla extract, if using, at this point.) Remove the vanilla bean and seeds and refrigerate in an airtight container.

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And here is the final product.

I used hydrangeas to decorate the cake because that is what J will be carrying in her bridal bouquet.

It was a big hit at the shower! 

It was a labor of love and took me a few late nights to finish it.

But J loved it and that was my goal!