Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tsp vegetable or canola oil
• For the frosting: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-4 tbsp milk, as needed

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Beat the eggs on medium-high speed for about 1 minute until foamy, then add the sugar gradually and beat for 7 minutes until thick, pale, and tripled in volume.
4. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, folding gently with a spatula after each until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Heat the milk and cubed butter in a saucepan until the butter just melts and the milk is hot but not boiling. Stir in the vanilla and oil.
6. Pour about 1 cup of batter into the hot milk mixture and whisk to lighten it, then pour it all back into the remaining batter and fold gently until smooth.
7. Divide between the pans, tap once on the counter, and bake for 30 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
8. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, turn out onto racks, and cool completely before frosting.
9. For the frosting, beat the softened butter until pale and fluffy, add the powdered sugar in batches, then the vanilla and enough milk to make a smooth, spreadable frosting. Spread between the layers and over the top and sides.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 30 min

Nutrition (per serving, where published)