STEMS & FORKS

Beautiful musings of flora and fare.

White Cake with White Buttercream Icing

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 For children, birthdays are up there on the list of favourite occasions with Christmas and Halloween. Aside from the gifts, they get tons of attention and feel wonderful to be more “grown up”. It’s  also the only day of the year I see my kids’ faces light up with wonder when it’s time to blow out the candles. That moment when they get to make a wish. A wish that cannot be shared with anyone or it won’t come true. 
 
“All grown-ups were once children… but only few of them remember it.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Le Petit Prince
 
I remember the feeling of aging began on my 35th birthday. In my head I multiplied 35 by 2 and I came up with 70. Was I halfway through my life? What have I done for society so far? Why am I here? Well thankfully I was too busy with my floral business and a young child I didn’t have time to analyze my existential questions. I had weddings and diapers to deal with. Those questions would be dealt with at a later time,  I had told myself.
 

Six years later and I still don’t have time to ask nor analyze those questions. I still have diapers, flowers and now flour to deal with! What I do know is when you have children, birthday celebrations deserve all the fussing and grandiosty you can muster up. Keep that beautiful sense of wonderment alive in your little ones for as long as you can. Children’s birthday celebrations are mini miracles as it marks a milestone. Even for the parents. Its a time to revel in the fact that we’ve ‘made it’ one more year. A time to acknowledge your existence and to share that by celebrating with those you love. 

In my household, my husband and I treat our birthdays as if they are our children’s birthdays. We usually let them blow out our candles and make a wish on our behalf. Because really, my wish every year is for my children to be healthy and happy. 

Happy birthday to all the Capricorns out there. Enjoy the cake below. Its an excellent classic white cake that’s light and moist.

Bon app!

 

White Cake with White Buttercream Icing
Serves 8
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
25 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
25 min
CAKE INGREDIENTS
  1. 9 ounces/2 1/4 cup cake flour
  2. 1 cup milk room temperature
  3. 6 large egg whites 3/4 cup room temperature
  4. 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
  5. 12.25 oz/ 1 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
  6. 4 teaspoons baking powder
  7. 1 teaspoon salt
  8. 6 oz/3/4 cup butter (if cold cut into cubes so it can soften)
ICING INGREDIENTS
  1. 3 oz/6 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  2. 2.2 oz/1/3 cup vegetable shortening
  3. 1/8 teaspoon salt
  4. 17 oz/4 cups confectioners/icing sugar sifted
  5. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  6. 2 oz/1/4 cup milk or cream
FOR THE CAKE
  1. Place oven rack in middle and preheat oven to 350F
  2. Grease three 6 inch pans with butter or non stick cooking spray and line bottoms with parchment paper or two 9 inch round cake pans
  3. In a bowl mix the milk, vanilla extract and egg whites together and set aside
  4. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and mix in stand mixer with paddle attachment on low speed.
  5. Add the butter cubes on slow speed and mix until the mixture looks like moist crumbs
  6. Add half of the milk/egg mixture in on medium speed and beat for about 1 1/2 minutes.
  7. Pour in the remaining mixture of milk/egg and beat on high for about half a minute
  8. Scrape bottom and sides and beat again for half a minute
  9. Divide batter into the pans evenly
  10. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
  11. Let cakes cool a few minutes before inverting onto cooling racks.
  12. Cool completely before icing
WHITE BUTTERCREAM ICING
  1. In stand mixer or large bowl, beat the butter and shortening, vanilla and salt until fluffy about 4-5 minutes
  2. Add about half the icing sugar and beat on slow until thoroughly blended
  3. Add about half the milk/cream and beat until fluffy
  4. Alternate between the milk and sugar until both have been incorporated and beat until the icing is light and fluffy
ASSEMBLING CAKE
  1. Lay first layer of cake and pipe icing like a continuous circular kaleidoscope. spread with off set spatula
  2. Lay second layer then third layer and repeat the icing
  3. Smooth icing around cake with your off set spatula
  4. Garnish or decorate with confetti or candy or serve as is
Notes
  1. I decorated my cake with meringue kisses and confetti however feel free to garnish with whatever you desire.
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated (cake) King Arthur Flour (Icing)
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated (cake) King Arthur Flour (Icing)
STEMS & FORKS https://www.stemsandforks.com/

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