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Basic White Cake

Source of Recipe


From "The Joy of Cooking"






List of Ingredients



• 3-1/2 cups sifted cake flour
  
• 3 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 2 cups granulated sugar
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 8 large egg whites, at room temperature
  






Instructions



1. Preheat oven to 375º F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans and set aside. Re-sift cake flour with baking powder and salt; set aside.
   
   
2. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until light in color. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk. Beat until smooth after each addition. Beat in vanilla just to blend.
   
   
3. With a clean bowl and beaters, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold about a third into the cake batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites.
   
   
4. Transfer to cake pans and bake about 25 minutes, rotating the pans once during baking. Test by inserting a toothpick into the centers of the cakes, which should come out with just a few crumbs attached.
   
   
5. Let the cakes cool in the pans 5 minutes before unmolding onto wire cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting.
   
   Serves 20
   
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   NOTE: The cakes can be made a month in advance when well wrapped and frozen.