Chestnut Sand Cake

By norsegal8

Chestnut flour gives this cake its lovely hue and fine, moist texture. In combination with bread flour, it produces a tender layer cake with unusual, subtle chestnut flavor and a suggestion of spiciness. I fill and frost this cake with Chestnut Buttercream and call it 'Le Marron', which in French means "chestnut".

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon sifted bread flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablspoons unsalted butter, softened`

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper and then grease again and flour.

In a medium bowl, lightly combine the eggs, 1/4 cup milk and vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and remaining 3/4 cup milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to aerate and develope the cake's structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with a spatula. The pans will be about 1/2 full. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. The cakes should start to shrink away from the sides of the pan only after removal from the oven.

Let the cakes cool in the pans on racks for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula and invert onto greased wire racks. To prevent splitting, reinvert so that the tops are up and cool completely before wrapping airtight.