Baking Project #3: Basketweave Cake

Life is all about choices.  Variety is the name of the game.

I already have my go to recipe for yellow cake, but I would never pass up a chance to try a new recipe if it sounds promising. I was cleaning my drawer the other day and when I got to the bottom I found copies of cake recipes that I printed a year ago. I read everything and decided to try the yellow cake for our anniversary. Julius and I became together officially on August 10 and because it fell on a Sunday this year, I already made my decision to make a cake and also try the basketweave frosting idea. I did both and I was really happy with the result. After I finished with the frosting, I excitedly showed it to Ate Janet and she was pleased with it too. I couldn't find a flat tip from the store despite checking every week so I used a small sized open star tip. And I do think that it was even better. As for the cake, it's my brother's opinion that I always ask, and my question is always like this: "Is it good? Should I make it again?" And if he says yes, then I'm fine with doing it again. And in case you're wondering, he said yes yesterday.

Ingredients:

     4 cups plus 2 Tbsp cake flour, sifted

     2 tsp baking powder

     1 1/2 tsp baking soda

     1 tsp salt

     1 cup unsalted butter ( 2 sticks), softened

     2 cups granulated sugar

     2 tsp vanilla extract

     4 large eggs, room temperature

     2 cups buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (175 deg C). Grease 2 8-inch round pans. Grease also parchment papers and place at the bottom of the pans.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and set aside. 
3. In the bowl of your mixer, mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add egg and beat well after each addition. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. In a low speed, mix buttermilk just until incorporated. Add flour in three batches and mix just until incorporated.
4. Divide batter into pans and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then run a knife around the edges and invert into racks. Remove parchment paper and allow to cool before frosting. 

For the frosting recipe, click here:

Note: Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen.