Kitchen Adventures 19.1

For the amount of baking I do, you would think that I make cakes from scratch all the time. However, you would be incorrect. If I need to make a cake for someone I normally just go get a box mix and whip that up. It's hard to beat those cakes, honestly. There are special occasions, though, where I do go above and beyond and make a cake from scratch.

My boyfriend requested cupcakes for his birthday, half white cake and half chocolate. After I made them he realized that he actually wanted yellow cake cupcakes, but he got white ones so he dealt with it. I used a white cake recipe and a chocolate cake recipe and made them into cupcakes. I then used chocolate store-bought frosting for the white cupcakes and vanilla store-bought frosting for the chocolate cupcakes. I ended up with far more white cupcakes than chocolate cupcakes. I should have divided the batter more with the chocolate cupcakes but I was lazy and wanted to fit them all in one pan. Splitting it up would have been a better idea, but they were still good. I divided the white batter more than I needed to so those cupcakes were tinier than they should have been, but oh well. They were all still delicious.

The white cake recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 14th edition. The chocolate cake recipe came form Every Day with Rachael Ray.

White Cake

Ingredients:

4 egg whites
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter or shortening, softened (1 stick)
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 c. buttermilk or sour milk

Directions:

1. Allow egg white to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the cake pans of your choosing: 2 9" or 8" rounds, one 9x13" rectangle, or cupcakes. Set the pan(s) aside . In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat batter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition, just until combined. Pour into prepared pan(s).
3. Bake 9" rounds for 20 to 25 minutes, 8" rounds 25 to 30 minutes, 9x13" pan for 30 to 35 minutes, and about 15 minutes for cupcakes. Check the cupcakes and add time as needed. A wooden toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. If using cake pans, cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool thoroughly on wire rack.The 9x13" pan can be cooled completely in the pan on the rack


Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1 c. flour
1 c. plus 2 T sugar
7 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 large eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 stick unsalted butter melted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan (or prepare cupcake pans).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and milk and whisk gently to make a thick batter. Whisk vigorously 30 to 40 strokes.. Whisk in the melted butter and vanilla just until smooth. Scrape into the prepared pan(s).
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes for the cake and about 20 minutes for the cupcakes. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake pan onto the rack. Remove the cake from the pan and invert again. Let cool completely. Dust with the confectioners' sugar to serve.