This recipe was developed and handed down from my Mom, It’s a cross between a chiffon and a yellow cake, its light and sturdy and can be filled and frosted with whatever you like, fruit, berries, buttercream, pastry cream, whipped cream, the possibilities are many. This recipe calls for oil instead of butter, you can use vegetable, canola, avocado all work well. This is a basic no frills yellow cake recipe, its simple to make and baking a cake from scratch ensures you know everything going into it, try it! Here’s how to make it:

Vanilla cake

Makes three 8 inch or two 9 inch layers, 24 cupcakes or a 9×13 sheet cake

3 large eggs separated

1 1/2 c sugar divided

2 1/4 c cake flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 c whole milk or half and half at room temperature

1/3 c +1 tbs neutral oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat the egg whites with 1/2 c of the sugar until glossy and stiff, set aside. Prepare your baking pans, line with parchment round grease/butter and flour. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour, remaining 1 c sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk the egg yolks, milk, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Fold in the egg whites (gently) and divide evenly between the cake pans.

Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans and then transfer to cooling rack. Frost immediately once completely cooled.

I recommend brushing each layer with a soaking syrup using a pastry brush, bring equal amount water and sugar to a boil, let cook until sugar is completely dissolved, cool and then refrigerate until ready to use. You can flavor with vanilla, lemon, elderflower liquor or rum.

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