Private - Corporate Grand Cake Challenge & Nailed It

Vanilla Cake Recipe used during class:

Ingredients:

• 320g or 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp of baking powder
• ½ tsp of salt
• 4 Eggs room temperature
• 240ml or 1 cup of oil
• 300g or 1 ½ cup of granulated sugar
• 3 tsp of vanilla extract
• 300ml or 1 ⅓ cup of milk at room temperature

Instructions:

1. Using the cake pan, trace the bottom onto parchment. Cut 2 parchment circles. Place circles in the pan so that it lines the bottom. Using 1 teaspoon of butter, grease the sides of the pan.
2. Move the rack into the middle position of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt, mix together with a whisk and set aside.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the oil and sugar until it is well combined.
5. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
6. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk, folding together with a spatula between each addition. Mix the batter until combined. Be careful not to over mix, which will lead to a tough dense cake.
7. Bake the cake for approximately 20-25 minutes. Each oven at home is different. Use your oven light to check in on the cake, instead of opening and closing your over door.
8. Cakes are done when you test your cake with a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on the counter in their pans. Once fully cool, you can remove them from the cake pans, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer. Do not stack soft cakes.

American Buttercream used in class:

YIELDS: yields enough buttercream to stack and mask a 6” round cake

INGREDIENTS:

• 900g butter (room temperature)
  • 480g icing sugar (sifted)
  • upto 250g whole milk(room temperature)

METHOD:

1. Mix the room temperature butter using an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and fluffy
2. Add sifted icing sugar in 2-3 parts. Mix each time starting on low speed and mix until the mixture is homogeneous, light and fluffy.
3. Add milk a little at a time on low speed, thoroughly incorporating any liquid before the addition of more milk and scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time. You can add more milk for a looser texture or less milk for a firmer texture.
4. Use buttercream to decorate on the same day or transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to one week or the freezer for up to three months. LET’S BAKE!

TIPS AND TRICKS:

• you can heat up your milk to room temperature in the microwave or in a saucepan
• icing sugar is also called “powdered” or “confectioner’s sugar” in some countries
• granulated sugar can be used in place of icing sugar, but the frosting will be a little bit granular in texture from the sugar crystals
• pair bold flavours which go well with butter for an ‘American’ buttercream