The Good Housekeeping Cookbook Yellow Cake

 

I recently wanted a single layer cake, but I remembered that the Dinette Cake from The Betty Crocker Cookbook, while a favorite is a bit coarse and dense.  Perfect for a Strawberry Shortcake, or a coffee cake like cake with a Broiled frosting but not light and airy like the cake I wanted.  

Since The Good Housekeeping Cookbook was right beside my chair it was easy to find a new recipe to try.  I've linked this cookbook and the other one, too, for those of you interested in checking them out on Amazon.

This recipe is different than most cake recipes.  First there is the question of what fat you will use.  The recipe says that butter will give you a rich flavor, while shortening will give you a more delicate flavor and crumb.  I'd be very curious what coconut fat might do for the cake.  I didn't have any on hand, so I subbed in the butter with a bit of shortening to make the full half cup fat required.

Then there is the question of temperatures. * If using two 8-inch rounds or you want to make 24 21/2-inch cupcakes, then 350F is the suggested temperature.  If using the 9-inch square, then the directions say to temperature should be 325F.

Whatever pan size you choose, do be sure to grease and flour the pan(s) or line with paper cupcake liners.

Yellow Cake

 2 cups flour

2 tsps. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup room temp fat (butter or shortening)

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup milk

Preheat oven.  See notes above * to determine temperature.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

Beat fat with sugar for five minutes on medium speed.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  

Lower speed to the lowest setting.  Alternate flour mixture with the milk, beating well after each addition.

Pour into greased floured pan(s).

Bake at 350F (8-inch rounds or cupcake pans) or 325F (9-inch square).   8-inch pans bake for 30 minutes (mine took 35 minutes), cupcakes bake for 20-25 minutes and 9-inch square bakes for 40-45 minutes.  

Cool in pan(s) on wire racks for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.

I was so pleased at how silky this batter turned out.  The layers are tender and lovely.  I planned to freeze one layer, but it was truly a smaller cake than I'd thought it might be.  

I've debated the difference in baking times, and I'll bet that the longer slower bake time in the 9-inch pan will get you a slightly heavier cake with a consistency closer to a moist pound cake.  I plan to test that theory out one day soon.

I made mine lemon by using lemon extract in the batter for a subtle delicate lemon flavor and iced with a half recipe of buttercream frosting that I flavored with pure lemon juice.  I used only the half recipe of frosting because I didn't want a very rich cake overall, just something with subtle sweetness.