Very Vanilla Layer Cake

Cake:

• Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans, preheat oven to 350ºF
• Blend butter, sugar, and eggs, beat for 5 minutes at high speed
• Sift Cook’s Pure Vanilla Powder, flour, baking powder, and salt together
• Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, starting and ending with dry ingredients, beating between each addition
• After last addition, beat on low speed just until smooth
• Divide batter evenly between three prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes
• Cake should spring back when touched lightly, allow to cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes
• Remove cake from pans
• To assemble cake, place one layer on plate, top side up: Spread with half of vanilla creme (recipe below)
• Place next layer on filling, top side down: spread with remaining filling
• Position final later top side up: if layers seem to slide, refrigerate briefly to set filling
• Apply a thin layer of vanilla butter frosting (recipe below) to sides of cake
• Frost a second time with a slightly thicker layer, swirling frosting
• Frost top of cake last, creating decorative swirls

Vanilla Creme:

• Scald milk with Cook’s Gourmet Madagascar Vanilla Bean. In a saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and 4 egg yolks until creamy and light. Add 1/4 cup flour, mixing just to blend. Add the scalded milk gradually, stirring until well combined.
• Cook over low heat, stirring with a whisk until cream comes to the boiling point. Remove from heat; remove the vanilla bean. Allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Vanilla Butter Frosting:

• Blend butter and egg. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and Cook’s Pure Vanilla Powder. Add cream, stirring until thoroughly combined.