Golden Butter Cake

From King Arthur Flour

Filled with a thin layer of marmalade, it can be covered with buttercream; or simply serve it single-layer style, topped with chocolate or caramel sauce.

Our thanks to renowned pastry chef/teacher En-Ming Hsu and to King Arthur Flour baking instructor Amber Eisler, who combined to come up with this recipe for a class at our Baking Education Center.

Yield: Two 8" round cake layers.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour Blend
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy or whipping cream, preferably 35% fat (5g fat/tablespoon)*
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup + 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, fine sea salt preferred
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, cracked, yolks and whites whisked to combine; + an additional 1/2 a large egg
• *Avoid ultra-pasteurized cream, if possible; plain pasteurized cream whips up better.

Instructions

• Note: Before you begin, have all ingredients (except the cream) at room temperature (about 68°F-70°F).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter (or spray with pan spray) two 8" round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment and butter the paper. Dust with flour and set aside.
• Blend together the flour and baking powder, and sift them. Set the mixture aside.
• Whip the cold heavy or whipping cream until soft peaks form. Set it aside.
• Beat the butter until it's smooth; a stand mixer makes this task easy.
• Gradually add the sugar, salt, and vanilla, beating for about 5 minutes once everything has been added. The mixture will lighten in color and become fluffy.
• Crack the eggs into a bowl, and whisk them to blend whites with yolks.
• With the mixer going, gradually add the eggs to the butter mixture, adding 3 to 4 tablespoons of the sifted flour mixture towards the end of adding the eggs if the mixture starts to separate/curdle.
• Add the flour mixture, beating briefly to combine.
• Using a spatula, fold in the whipped cream by hand.
• Divide the stiff batter between the two cake pans, leveling the surface. Tap the pans 3 or 4 times on the table to expel any large bubbles.
• Bake the cakes for 20 to 24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before loosening the edges and inverting them onto a rack. Cool completely.
• The cakes are best finished and eaten on the same day, but they hold up very well for up to 2 days at room temperature, well-wrapped. The cakes may be stored frozen, well wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 1 month.
• When ready to serve, frost/finish as desired.

See More At: King Arthur Flour