Simple Yellow Cake
Adapted from Laurie Colwin’s More Home Cooking
Preparation Time: minutes.
Baking time: 25-30 minutes
Oven temperature: 350F/180C
Cake pan size: Simple Yellow Cake can be baked in a 7-inch/17 cm round pan, an 8-inch/20cm square pan, 8-inch/20cm round pan, or a 9-inch/22cm Pyrex glass pie plate.
1 stick/4 ounces/113 grams room temperature sweet butter
1 cup/227 grams sugar
2 room temperatue large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup/227 grams all purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C
If using a baking pan, butter and flour it. If using a glass pie plate, you can butter and sugar it.
In a large bowl, blend the butter and sugar with your very clean fingers, a whisk, or a large spoon.
Once the sugar and butter are blended, add the eggs and whisk until ingredients are airy and mixture has lightened, 3-5 minutes.
Add the vanilla.
Switch to a large spoon and gently fold in the flour. Stir until just blended. Do not overmix, or cake will be heavy.
Pour batter into pan.
Bake cake 25-30 minutes. Cake is done when tester comes out clean and cake edges are browned and pulling away from sides of pan.
Cool cake on a rack before turning out. Serve with fresh or canned fruit, ice cream, powdered sugar, or by itself.
Simple Yellow Cake is not the best keeper. Well-wrapped, it stays fresh at room temperature for about two days. After that, refrigerate it. Happily, Simple Yellow Cake freezes beautifully for up to three months.
Notes:
Simple Yellow Cake may be baked using electric beaters or a mixer. If you opt to go this route, the baking powder is optional.
Colwin gives readers the option of using one whole egg and one egg white. As eggs are the leavening power in the cake (with an assist from the baking powder) I prefer using whole eggs.
If you are baking the cake in a Pyrex pie plate, don’t try turning the cake out. Instead, butter and lightly sugar the plate instead of flouring. Serve directly from the pan.
Simple Yellow Cake is best varied by its accompaniments. Serve it with whatever fruit is in season, your favorite ice creams, sorbets, or a spoonful of whipped cream. Frosted, it makes a a perfect birthday or other special occasion cake.
Having said the above, you can bake a Simple Chocolate Cake by replacing 1/4 cup/22grams flour with unsweetened cocoa powder. You can also vary the extracts: I like hazelnut, coffee, almond, and chocolate. Liqueurs are nice, too: Cointreau, Kahlua, and Calvados spring to mind. Cherry liqueurs are available at a number of price points, from the inexpensive Heerings to the more luxurious Luxardo.