Yellow Cake & Buttercream Icing

I've recently been asked to bake a large birthday cake for Jay's boss.  I poured over multiple recipe books and blogs to find the perfect, fluffy and tasty cake for them.  I found great success with this recipe from Baking Bites.  The guys and gals at Jay's work had asked for a marble cake. So I simply made one recipe as is and another batch wherein I subbed 1/2 cup of flour for 1/2 cup of dark cocoa powder.  

 Photo by JayDi Photography

 

 Turns out it was a big hit!  There were no leftovers.

  

Yellow Sheet Cake 

Yield: Serves 16 (or 12 birthday-sized pieces)

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×13 inch sheet pan with parchment paper, or lightly grease it with shortening or oil (butter will produce a harder “crust”).
2. Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar and, using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed to blend. Cut butter into 4 or 5 chunks and drop into the bowl with the flour. Blend on low speed until mixture looks sandy and no large chunks of butter remain, 1-2 minutes.
3. In a large measuring cup, combine eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat lightly with a fork until combined. With the mixer on low, pour 1 cup of the egg mixture into the bowl. Turn speed up to medium and beat for 1 ½ minutes. Reduce speed back to low and pour in the rest of the egg mixture. Continue to beat at low speed for an additional 30 seconds, until liquid is fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for a few more seconds, if necessary.
4. Pour into prepared 9×13 pan and spread batter evenly with a spatula. Tap gently a few times to eliminate any bubbles.
5. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes, until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let cool for 30 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a rack to cool completely. You can leave it in the pan if you’re serving it casually.

Buttercream Icing

Yield: 2 1/4 cups icing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened

1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)

2 tablespoons milk 

Instructions

1.  In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. 
2. Beat in vanilla.Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
3. Gradually add milk; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. 

• For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk. 
  For Pure White Icing (stiff consistency), omit butter; substitute an additional 1/2 cup shortening for butter and add 1/2 teaspoon No-Color Butter Flavor. Add up to 4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk to thin for icing cakes.  
  

  Hints 

  Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
  If using a hand mixer, beat shortening, butter, if used, and liquid first, then add sugar, as above. It may be necessary to add additional sugar for the correct consistency.