Yellow Cake

Ok, so a yellow cake isn't that different from a basic white cake.  You just use more egg.  It's like the difference between white bread and challah.  It's more moist and has a stronger structure.  It also has a higher risk of drying out, so you need to ice or freeze it as soon as it's cooled.

I'm using a recipe from House of Nash Eats, which promised it was very moist.  It also has a chocolate frosting recipe, but I got lazy and bought a couple of cans.  More on that in the next post.

This is important with any cake, but especially with one you know might get dry: don't overbake it.  Start testing for doneness at the earliest time, and go back every 5 minutes.  Remember that a cake will continue to bake for several minutes in the pan once you take it out of the oven.  It's called carryover baking, and applies to pretty much any baked good made in the oven.  You always need to pull it out just a smidge less done than you want it.

I used baking strips, and these still cracked.  The doming and cracks are not that deep, just enough for snacks or cake pop trimmings.  Just a heads up.

2-1/4 C AP flour
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 C butter, room temperature
1-1/2 C sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 C milk

1.  Grease and line 2 8" or 3 6" cake pans.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Start soaking baking strips, if using.

2.  In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3.  In mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, allowing each to become fully incorporated before scraping down the sides and adding the next.  Beat in vanilla.  You're going to get something that already resembles a thick cake batter.

4.  Add flour mixture and milk in stages, mixing each in on low until just incorporated.  You're using regular flour, which has a higher gluten content than cake flour and can produce big holes in the cake if you overmix it.  Once everything is in, scrape down sides and beat on medium for just about 15-20 seconds, until the batter looks uniform.

5.  Portion batter into pans.  It's thick, so I recommend using a scale.  Smooth tops to distribute batter more evenly.  Bake for 30-35 minutes for 8", 25-30 for 6", 18+ for cupcakes... or until a toothpick comes out clean and not a moment longer.  Cool in pan until you can touch it bare-handed, then turn out and remove paper lining.  Cool on wire rack entirely before frosting or freezing for later.

Difficulty rating  π