Fluffy Light Butter Cake (BAKING)

By hmp13

Makes 2 round layer cakes (9 by 1 inch), or 1 round layer cake (9 by 2 inches)

Ingredients

• Butter and flour for the cake pans
• 1 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of cream of tartar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour one or two 9 inch cake pans.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine.

Cream the butter and the ¾ cup sugar using a heavy wooden spoon, a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. When the butter softens, switch to the whisk. Continue whisking, for about 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk and vanilla, then the flour mixture, ½ cup at a time. Don’t overwork. Transfer the egg mixture to a large bowl to make folding easier.

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar for about 2 minutes, until soft peaks form, then beat in the remaining sugar for about 2 minutes, until medium peaks form.

Whisk one fourth of the egg mixture into the butter mixture to lighten it. Fold in the rest of the egg white mixture with a rubber spatula. Spread the batter in the cake pans. Bake 1 inch thick cakes for about 30 minutes or a 2 inch thick cake for about 40 minutes, or until the cakes bounce back to the tough or until a knife or a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the cake pans and then turn out onto a cake rack.