Vanilla layer cake with American vanilla buttercream
Preppy Kitchen · ♥ 6.8K likes · 277.3K views · 20 min video
Read about layer cakes in the BrightCulinary Book
Timestamp
Ingredients
Method
Techniques
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 2¼ tsp baking powder
- salt
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Weigh the flour, or fluff it, sprinkle it into the cup and level it off -- scooping packs in too much.
- 170 g unsalted butter
Beat the room temperature butter on medium until smooth, 30 to 40 seconds.
- 333 g granulated sugar
Add the granulated sugar and beat on high two to three minutes until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl once.
- 3 whole eggs
On medium, add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each.
Adding eggs one at a time
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Add the vanilla extract and beat on high about a minute until light and fluffy.
Vanilla extract, and making your own
- 1 cup buttermilk
On low, add the flour in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, finishing with flour.
Alternating flour and buttermilk
Stop the mixer and fold the last of the flour in by hand with a spatula, scraping the sides and bottom; do not overmix.
Divide the batter equally between the two pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula.
Dividing and levelling the batter
Soak the cake strips, wring them out and wrap them around the outside of each pan so the cakes bake flat instead of doming.
Bake at 350F about 30 minutes, until the edge pulls away from the pan and the centre springs back or a skewer comes out clean.
- 1½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp salt
- 600 g powdered sugar
For the buttercream, cream the room temperature butter with the salt on medium about 30 seconds.
- ¼ cup cream
Add the sifted powdered sugar about a cup at a time on low, drizzling in cream between additions until all the sugar and cream are in.
Spread about a cup of buttercream on the first layer, set the second layer on, and coat the top and sides.
Filling and stacking the layers
Variation: fill between the layers with salted caramel, custard or lemon curd; or reserve about three quarters of a cup of buttercream for dollops on top.
Smooth the sides with a bench scraper, pulling in and cleaning the scraper each pass.