Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

For Cake:

3 cups- All-purpose flour

1 tbsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 cup- Unsalted Butter

1 3/4 cups- Granulated Sugar

4- Eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 cup- Milk

For Frosting:

4 cups- Icing sugar

1 cup- Unsalted Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

2-4 tbsp. Light cream

Assorted food colors

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) with rack in center of oven. Spray with a non-stick vegetable spray, two 9-inches x 2 inch (23 x 5 cm) cake pans. Then line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper and then spray the paper.

2. In a bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment beat the butter until soft and creamy.

4. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture (in three additions) and milk (in two additions), beginning and ending with the flour.  

5. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans, smoothing the tops with the back of a spoon. Bake 27 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in center.  

6. Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool, in their pans, for about 10 minutes. Then invert the cakes onto a greased rack. Remove the parchment paper and re-invert cakes so that tops are right side up. Cool completely before frosting.

7. For frosting: In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. 

8. Add cream and beat to combine. Then, on high speed, beat frosting until it is light and fluffy. Color the frosting with food color.

9. Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread with about 3/4 cup of frosting. 

10. Place the other cake layer on top of the frosting and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Can place some of the frosting in a piping bag and pipe a decorative border around the top of the cake.