Seven Layer Cake

By michaelmeiner

Ingredients

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine -- softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar -- divided
• 4 large eggs -- separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of an 11 1/2 x 17 1/2 inch jelly roll pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar; increase the speed to high and beat until well blended and light, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three additions, alternately with the milk in two additions. Mix until just blended and remove the bowl from the mixer.

In a clean mixing bowl, using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites at medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat at medium-high speed until the whites begin to form soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat at high speed until the whites form stiff, glossy peaks. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold 1/4 of the beaten whites into the batter. Fold in the remaining whites in two additions. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.

Bake the cake for 18-22 minutes, until golden and springs back lightly when touched. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert the pan onto a rack which has been covered in parchment paper and greased, peel the paper off the cake, and let cool completely.

Using a long serrated knife, trim about 1/8 inch off each side of the cake. Cut the cake crosswise into four equal strips, each measuring about 3 3/4 x 11 inches. Cut each strip lengthwise in half to form eight very thin strips. If the frosting is not ready yet, stack the strips and cover with plastic wrap or foil.

Place one of the cake strips on a long serving platter. Spread it with a thin layer of frosting (a scant 1/4 cup). Top with another strip and continue layering the strips with frosting until they are all used. Spread the sides and top of the cake with frosting, reserving 1/2 cup if possible. Use that to pipe shells down the center of the cake.