After last week's discussion of cooking compromises, we felt honor-bound to share the recipe that makes us choose baking cakes from scratch over using a mix.
This one-bowl recipe can be mixed up in under 10 minutes, and it turns out a reliably light golden cake with a moist crumb. It's solid with flavor and the taste of butter, unlike the over-heightened, additive-ridden cake mix products, which usually taste overwhelmingly of sugar and not much else.
It's a plain, fast cake, and ideal when slathered with thick fudgy frosting. I also like to layer it with warmed jam and powder the top with confectioners sugar.
The most time-consuming part is preparing the cake pans, and you are going to have to do that whether you use a boxed mix or not. It really does come together in a few minutes, and in spite of the quick one-bowl method it has always given me reliable and consistent results. Cakes have a reputation for trickiness, but this recipe simply doesn't support that.
The recipe is pretty much straight out of the old reliable Betty Crocker. I use whole milk, since I think it adds just a little more richness, and I do not make the original recipe's allowance for margarine in place of butter. For a cake, only real butter will do!
Quick Yellow Cake
makes one 9x13 or two 9-inch cakes
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Take the butter out of the fridge to soften and preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare one 9x13 pan or two 9-inch round pans by greasing them thoroughly with butter or non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening. You can also flour them, if you want, although this isn't strictly necessary. Sprinkle a little flour over them, tilt and shake to distribute evenly, then tap out the excess over the sink.
Mix the ingredients together in the order they're listed - creaming the softened butter and sugar first, then adding the eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, and finally the liquids. Using an electric beater, beat everything together on low for 30 seconds, then high for 3 minutes.
Immediately pour into the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops spring back slightly when pressed.
Let cool on wire racks for at least 15 minutes, then flip each pan over onto the rack and tap gently all over. Lift the pan slightly. If the cake doesn't feel like it's falling out smoothly, lay a slightly damp kitchen towel over the pan and tap again. If necessary, let the cakes cool more. If they have been baked thoroughly, however, they should fall right out of the pans once they've cooled a little and the sides of the cake have shrunk back from the pan.
Cool completely then frost and eat!
(Image: Faith Hopler)
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Nigella Lawson's sponge recipe is my go-to white cake--similar in that it's a one-bowl, ten-minute process that yields a very light and yummy cake. And it's a great base for anything from Boston cream pie to strawberry shortcake.
Faith: This is timely, as I am hoping to bake my first ever cake for my husband's birthday this week. But can I do this without an electric beater? Will my stick blender work? Thanks.
Lesley, that's great! I hope this works well for you. A stick blender should do fine, I think, as long as you cream the butter and sugar well and whip everything for a full three or four minutes after that. Let us know how it turns out!!
the question of greatest, most earth-shattering importance to me is: how would you make a chocolate version? cocoa or chopped baking chocolate? and how much?
:)
Thanks, Faith. I will let you know how it goes! First, though, I need to buy some 9 inch cake pans. Any tips on what I should get? I've got a Sur La Table nearby.
Lesley, I would buy them from anywhere, the last cake pans I bought were from the grocery store and they work great and were a fraction of what you would pay in Sur La Table. I just wouldn't buy any disposable kinds;)
I concur with Sarah on the pans... I have pretty basic ones and they work fine. In general, heavier=better, and I would pick light colored ones over dark black, but that's all not going to make a huge difference with this recipe, at least.
And liz - I probably wouldn't try to convert this to a chocolate cake - I do have a good chocolate cake recipe, though - I'll post it soon! I'm sure others would have great suggestions too...
hello, I am wondering, if I would use a springform pan, do i have to use 2 of them to make this recipe? thank you:)
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I wouldn't try the springform pans. The batter is likely to leak right out the bottom. They're meant for cheesecakes, which have a thicker consistency and usually a crust.
I love Wilton pans. I believe I bought them at Wal-Mart, or a local craft place like AC Moore or Michaels, which sells cake decorating supplies. They are relatively inexpensive, but you'll still be using them in 20 years.
I also believe the dark pans, with this recipe, would brown the cake too much, as well as cause the cake to dome. (By cooking the outside too fast.)
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I want to make this cake but I also need a recipe for fudgey chocolate frosting. If you have one readily available i'd appreciate it.
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Does this recipe work for a 12x18 sheet? thank you
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