So good. So so good and full of warm vanilla flavor. This was perfect in the middle of January and the freezing cold. Coming home to a piece of pretty cake, light and airy and bright. Made me think of Spring (until I put all the white snowflakes on it!) Anyway, I love, love, love vanilla. I really do. I’m aware that some people think bland or boring, but really, it isn’t those things. So try again. Not much else to say to be honest. Oh, this is a quickie. Just plop most ingredients into into a food processor and you are all set.
The icing recipe is at the bottom of the recipe. You can frost, or simply sprinkle on some confectioners’ sugar.
I do like to double this and make two rounds (freeze one for later!)
very vanilla cake (from Alice Medrich’s Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts):
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6.125 ounces) sugar
1 cup (4.5 ounces) flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt)
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and hot
3 large eggs (room temp)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 2 inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment. Grease that too.
Add the sugar, flour, salt and baking powder to the food processor and pulse to mix.
Add the cream and melted butter and pulse quickly – just 8-10 times until the ingredients blend together. Add the eggs and vanilla and pulst 5-6 more times until incorporated.
Scrape down the sides of the food processor – and pulse again so that the ingredients are all blended and smooth (but no more after that).
Pour batter into prepped pans and bake 30-35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out just clean. Remember all ovens are different and many are not accurate, so bake until your cake is done. Not what the recipe says.
Let cool.
frosing–
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (less if using table salt)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, slightly softened, cut into chunks
Mix together the cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and mix a bit to incorporate the sugar. Cover the pan – and set on medium heat – heat until mixture is bubbling all over. Uncover and and adjust the heat so that the mixture boils actively (but not crazy). Cook, without stirring for a minute. Then pour mixture into a stainless steel bowl and let cool – until barely luke warm – about 45m.
Place the cooled mixture into another (bigger) bowl filled with lots of ice and a some water. Add the vanilla to the icing. Then, pour all ingredients into electric mixer bowl and with beater attachment on med high, add the butter slowly and in chunks.
Beat until smooth and fluffy.
If it is not thick or stiff enough – place in fridge for 10-15 min and beat again.
Alternately, if the icing is too stiff or cold, place the bowl in a larger bowl of hot water – until the frosting starts to meld around the bottom…then beat or stir briskly to reach desired consistency.
