In an interview, Nagi Maehashi of RecipeTinEats said she tested this recipe 82 times! It’s a classic vanilla butter cake but has some Japanese techniques applied. The result in a soft and moist cake which will stay fresh for days. I decided it must be worth trying and I wasn’t disappointed.
Cake: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F ) for 20 minutes before starting the batter. Grease 2 x 20cm (8”) cake pans with butter, then line them with baking (parchment) paper. In a large bowl whisk 2 cups of plain flour with 2½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ of a teaspoon of salt and set aside. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, or another bowl, beat 4 large eggs for 30 seconds before slowly (over 45 seconds) pouring 1½ cups of caster sugar in, while still whisking. Beat on a fairly high speed for another 7 minutes until white and tripled in volume. While beating the eggs, place 115g (½ a cup) of unsalted butter and 1 cup full fat milk in a heatproof jug and microwave for 2 minutes. The milk should not bubble or boil and needs to be heated now so that it doesn’t cool. When the eggs are beaten, scatter ⅓ of a cup of the flour mix over the surface and beat on low speed for a few seconds before adding half of the remaining flour. Mix again before adding the rest. The flour should be just mixed in so stop as soon as it’s not visible. In the now empty flour bowl, pour the hot milk, 3 teaspoons of good quality vanilla extract and 3 teaspoons of vegetable oil. Add about 1½ cups of the egg batter into the milk mixture and whisk vigorously until smooth. Turn the mixer back on and pour the lightened milk mixture (over 15 seconds) into the rest of the egg batter. Scrape down the sides and base of the bowl and beat slowly for another 10 seconds or so. Pour this now smooth batter into the 2 cake tins and knock out any big bubbles by banging on the counter top 3 times. Bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the cakes are golden. Cool in the tins for 15 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack upside down – this will flatten the cakes for layering.
Filling: I chose a mixed berry filling and topping for my vanilla cake. Combine 2 cups of mixed frozen berries in a saucepan with ½ a cup of sugar and cook over gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved. Make a slurry of 2 tablespoons of tapioca starch and a little water. Tapioca is perfect for fruit fillings as it’s flavourless and will give the fruit and juices a glossy shine. Add the slurry to the fruit and continue to cook until thickened. Cool completely before using.
Frosting: I used another RecipeTinEats recipe for a less sweet, fluffy vanilla frosting. This old fashioned Ermine Frosting was traditionally used for Red Velvet Cake. It’s made without icing (powdered sugar), pipes well and is stable for days. In a saucepan over medium heat cook 5 tablespoons of plain flour and 1 cup of white sugar, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. While whisking, slowly pour in 1 cup of warmed full fat milk. Keep stirring as the mixture thickens to a texture like thick custard – a thicker texture will make the frosting sturdier with sharper edges when piping. Remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl. Cover with cling wrap pressed down onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let this mixture cool completely. If making ahead, you can refrigerate overnight and remove1 hour before using. When you’re ready to make the frosting, whisk (in a bowl or stand mixer) 1 cup of softened (not too soft) unsalted butter until it is smooth and changes from yellow to very pale yellow or white. On medium speed start whipping in the thickened roux one heaped tablespoon at a time, taking approximately 1 minute. Finally add 1½ teaspoons of good quality vanilla and a pinch of salt, then continue to whip until you have firm peaks. The frosting is now ready. I used mine around the outer edge of each cake to hold in the filling and frosted the outside edge of the entire cake as well.
michelle picker cooks 