Small But Mighty!
Sometimes I have a very real need for frosted cake, but don’t want the excess of an entire sheet or multiple layers. I’m sure you’ve been there. Enter the 8×8-inch baking pan. This is just enough to beautifully end a nice meal, but you won’t have to deal with lots of leftovers after your dinner guests have departed. I love the versatility of white cake. You can change the extract and instantly change the flavor. You can serve it frosted or topped with seasonal fresh fruit. In this case, I tinted Buttercream frosting pink in honor of the little girl puppy my husband and I will be raising for the Seeing Eye Dog Program. However you serve it, you’ve got delicious cake that is easy to transport and just enough to handle a sweet craving.
Just Enough White Cake
Yield: 9 pieces
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 egg whites, room temperature
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8×8-inch baking dish and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter for 2 minutes on medium speed. Gradually add the sugar, beating another 3 minutes until light and fluffy. In the measuring cup with the milk, stir in the vanilla extract and almond extract. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Beginning with the flour mixture, alternately add to the butter mixing bowl with the milk mixture. Beat on low speed and end with the flour. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter and transfer to the prepared pan. Bake 35-37 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
Yield: Enough to generously frost an 8×8-inch cake
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
2-3 cups powdered sugar (I like frostings that are not as sweet, but feel free to use more)
1-2 tablespoons milk
Cream the butter on medium-high speed of an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. With the mixer speed on low, gradually add the powdered sugar. Add the milk and increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Whip for 3 minutes. Feel free to add more milk if the frosting is too thick.
Haute Flavor 