Best Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, softened
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Butter Cream Frosting

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup milk (more or less)
• Red food colour gel (or whatever colour you like)

Directions

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Butter three 8-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and flour the pans, tapping out the excess.
3. In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the milk with the egg whites and vanilla extract.
4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of milk. Beat at low speed until blended, then beat at medium speed until smooth, 1 minute.
5. Beat in the egg white mixture in 3 batches.
6. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form.
7. Stir one-third of the whipped cream into the batter, then fold in the rest. Divide the batter between the pans and smooth the tops.
8. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Unmold the cakes and peel off the parchment. Invert the cakes and let cool completely.

Butter Cream Frosting

1. Divide the butter into 4 pieces and put them into a mixing bowl.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
3. Add the vanilla and beat in.
4. Add the confectioners' sugar and continue beating until the mixture is fully combined and creamy.
5. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time. Use only what is need to get the desired consistency.
6. You can add adjust the consistency of this butter icing by adding more or less milk and icing sugar. The frosting is now ready to use.
7. This frosting spreads easily or you can put it into a piping bag. If it seems a bit soft when you are piping, just put the piping bag into the refrigerator for 10 minutes or so.

Assembly

1. Frost in between layers of cake and on top and sides. To do duel color piping, take a bit of icing in a small bowl and mix some red food color.
2. Place some white icing in a piping bag and only filling one half of it. Place some red icing on top of the white, and pipe your designs.