anniversary cake

happy 20th anniversary to my aunt sandy & uncle jim!

Yellow Cake

(modified from Smitten Kitchen)

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk (I used 2 cups skim milk mixed with 2 tablespoons white vinegar.  Just let it sit for 5 minutes before adding it to the batter)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cooking spray with flour into two 9-inch round cake pans.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.

Spread batter evenly in cake pans, then tap pan on counter several times to settle batter and eliminate air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

(modified from the Food Network website’s version)

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup unsalted butter 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

4 tablespoons skim milk

With an electric mixer, whisk together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. Add vanilla and milk and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more milk if needed for spreading consistency.