Yellow Butter Cake
by Martha Stewart on Apr 4, 2013
This is the kind of classic, all-American layer cake that birthday memories are made of. It's guaranteed to please a crowd. To make an 8-inch layer cake, as featured on "Martha Bakes," finish with chocolate frosting.
- Servings
- Makes two 9-inch cake layers
- Course
- Dessert
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
- 1 ½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1⁄4 cups milk
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla.
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With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition.
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Divide batter between the prepared pans, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment.
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Reinvert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
