Servings: 1 cake Prep: 20 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes
Very Vanilla Layer Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 tsp. Cook’s Pure Vanilla Powder
3 cups sifted flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup milk
Vanilla Creme:
1 1/2 cups milk
1 Cook’s Gourmet Madagascar Vanilla Bean
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup flour
Vanilla Butter Frosting:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
6 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tsp. Cook’s Pure Vanilla Powder
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
Directions
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.