VANILLA VELVET CAKE

This moist Vanilla Velvet Cake is rich, creamy, and delicious. The cream cheese in the cake batter along with the buttermilk make for an ultra tender, velvety soft cake. You will love the vanilla flavor as well!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (8oz)(226g) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ sticks (¾c)(168g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups (400g) sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups (342g) cake flour- see Notes for substitution
• 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
• ½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
• ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
• 1 cup (242g) buttermilk – See Notes for substitution
• ¼ cup (54g) vegetable oil (we used canola oil)
• 1 Tablespoon (12g) vanilla extract

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

• 3 sticks (339g) unsalted butter, slightly softened but cool to the touch and holding it’s shape
• 7 cups (690-805 grams) powdered sugar (depending on desired consistency).
• 2 tsp. vanilla (8 grams), use clear imitation vanilla if you like a whiter frosting
• ⅓ cup (72g) whole milk or cream, more if needed
• ½ teaspoon salt (3g) to cut the sweetness (preferably fine grain or popcorn salt). Adjust to taste.

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8 inch pans, adding a circle of parchment or wax paper to the bottom of each pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds and set aside.

In another bowl, add the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and cream cheese and mix at medium speed until smooth.

Gradually add the sugar and mix at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.

Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (We did 3 additions of the dry mixture, 2 additions of wet)

Mix the batter just until well combined- be careful not to over-mix. Divide the batter between the three pans.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pans on a wire rack before turning out.

This recipe makes 7 ½ cups of batter. Works for cupcakes also (although there will be little to no dome).

FOR THE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Cream the (slightly softened) butter until smooth. Blend in the vanilla.

Add half of the powdered sugar and most of the milk. Beat at medium speed until the powdered sugar is incorporated.

Add remaining powdered sugar and milk and mix at medium speed another 3 to 4 minutes scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. I slow down the mixer to very slow. (#2 on the Kitchenaid) for 1 to 2 minutes. This will help eliminate air pockets in the buttercream. The texture will become very smooth.

This recipe can be doubled or halved.

Yields approximately 4 ½-5 cups of frosting. Enough to frost a 3 layer 8 or two layer 9 inch cake.

If your buttercream is too thin, add more sugar. If the consistency is too thick, add a bit more milk.