Shelly's Recipe

Fine White Cake

Category: Cakes

Cake:
2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 cup milk
Choice of Frosting

Preheat oven to 350, placing the rack in the center of the oven. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, tapping out the excess flour.

In a medium bowl sift the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and egg whites and beat at high speed until light, about 2 minutes. Beat in half the dry ingredients, just until blended. Beat in all the mild and then the remaining dry ingredients. Beat for one minute and turn into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Smooth tops with spatula and firmly tap pans on surface to level. Bake on same shelf until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes and invert onto racks. Return one layer to an upright position and cool both layers to room temperature.

Place one layer bottom side up on a serving dish and spread with 1 cup of frosting. Add the second layer, right side up, over the frosting and spread top and sides with remaining frosting.

Chocolate Butter Frosting
5 oz (5 squares) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Melt chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water. Cool to room temperature.

Place butter in a large bowl and beat in a mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugar alternately with the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the cooled chocolate to make a frosting of good spreading consistency. Use at room temperature; the frosting will set if chilled.

Old-Fashioned Buttercream (Not an overly sweet frosting)
3 tbsp corn starch
1 cup cold milk
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Place the corn starch in a small heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth, then whisk in the yolks and 1 cups of the confectioner's sugar. Place over moderately low heat and cook until mixture becomes very thick and begins to boil, about 10 minutes. Turn this base into a shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface, and cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl combine butter and remaining 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar; beat until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Using an electric mixer, beat the buttercream base bit by bit, beating until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Use to frost cakes at room temperature; the frosting will set when chilled.

Orange Buttercream
Beat in 2 tsp grated orange zest and 2 tbsp orange liqueur.

I split each cake in half and frost the tops with the Buttercream frosting and then the sides with the Chocolate Butter Frosting.