White Cake

1 c. milk, room temperature

6 egg whites (save the yolks for ice cream or lemon curd)

2 t. vanilla extract

2 1/4 c. cake flour

1 3/4 c. sugar

4 t. baking powder

1 t salt

6 oz. unsalted butter, cut into one inch cubes

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees

*Prepare 2 eight or nine inch cake pans with butter and flour or non-stick cooking spray and flour.

Combine the milk, egg whites and vanilla. Set aside.

In a mixture, add the cake flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix the dry ingredients for a minute until smooth.

Add the butter and mix on medium speed.

Beat until the mixture looks like wet sand. This will take about 2 minutes.

Add all but about 1/2 cup of the milk mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 & 1/2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture and beat 30 more seconds more. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Return mixer to medium and beat 20 more seconds.

Divide the batter evenly between cake pans. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool for about 30 minutes. Loosen sides of pan with a knife and invert. Reinvert and let cool, top side up, until completely cool before cutting each cake in half horizontally. Frost into a four layer cake. Do not refrigerate.

*see vanilla buttercream post