Rich and Tender Yellow Cake

Rich and Tender Yellow Cake 

This is simplified from Cook's Illustrated Best Recipe cookbook, page 471.

4 large eggs, room temp
1/2 C whole milk, room temp
2 tsp vanilla 
2 1/4 C cake flour
1 1/2 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 sticks butter, softened, each stick cut into 8 pieces

1.  Preheat oven 350.  Grease 2 9" cake pans with Crisco, and cover the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.  Grease the paper, dust pans with flour, and tap out excess.  (This is tedious but important!).  If making mini cupcakes, just swirl a little butter or Crisco into each cup.

2.  Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla with a fork in a large pyrex ball.   

3.  In mixer, combine dry ingredients.  With mixer running low, add the butter one piece at a time to "cut in" the butter.  Mix about 30 seconds after all butter has been added, until the mixture looks "sandy and pebbly."

Add the egg mixture, all but about 1/2 C, and mix on low til incorporated.  Then increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.   Scrape sides and bottom of bowl.  Add remaining egg mixture in slow steady stream.  Scrape sides of bowl, beat again briefly until batter is thoroughly combined.  Mixture may look curdled and this is OK.  

4.  Divide batter into pans and smooth out with spatula. Bake until light golden and skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.   Cool on rack 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges to loosen cake.  Invert cake onto cooling rack.  Cool completely and then frost and enjoy!