My Valentine's Day Cake

Back in January, I took a short (2-day) cake decorating class. We learned how to frost a cake smoothly, do borders, ruffles, bows, etc., and make roses. In the class, we used an icing made of shortening and powdered sugar. This type of icing is great for decorating, especially making roses, but not so great for eating. It tastes like gritty shortening- yuck. So I wanted to make an all-butter version. I did for my Valentine's Day cake. It was fine for doing everything but roses. It was too soft to do roses, and my roses came out all schlumpy and melty-looking. Then, I placed them akwardly on the cake; not close enough together, so that part was wierd. However, the cake tasted way better than the one I brought home from cake decorating class.

I used my fave yellow cake recipe and added the seeds from one vanilla bean to the batter- it was heavenly. I cut the cake recipe in half- this made a single-layer cake; double the recipe for an 8-inch, 2-layer cake. Using wax paper to line your cake pan is an easy way to make sure your cake doesn't stick to the pan. Take the cake pan you are going to use, and place it on a sheet of wax paper. Trace around the pan, and cut that shape out. Place in your greased and floured pan, and then grease the top of the wax paper.

Favorite Vanilla-Yellow Cake
adapted from Allrecipes

1/2 cup unslated butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour one 8-inch round pan, or a heart-shaped pan. Line bottom with waxed paper and butter the wax paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2.  In a large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat for 3-5 minutes to get a nice, light and fluffy cake. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and vanilla bean seeds. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap pan on countertop a few times to get rid of air bubbles.

3.  Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until top springs back when lightly tapped, or toothpick comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes before turning out onto cooling rack.

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