This delicious white cake bakes up high-and-mighty and is a staple for all kinds of celebrations. If you are using it to make the skating rink cake for you holiday party, you will need to make two batches and mix 1/2 cup of flaked coconut into each batch before baking.
Most Excellent White Cake
Tools: Two 9-inch round cake pans
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
4-1⁄2 cups sifted cake flour
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
7 egg whites
2 cups whole milk
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
2-1⁄2 cups granulated white sugar
1-1⁄2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
(Optional) 1/2 cup flaked coconut
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift the salt and baking powder into the cake flour, and stir the mixture with a balloon whisk.
In a medium bowl, break up the egg whites with a fork, add the milk, and mix together lightly.
In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, and continue beating.
Alternately add the flour and egg white mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl twice during beating. Stop beating when the last portion of flour is just blended into the mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans, and bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs attached.
Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, and then invert the cakes onto racks to cool completely.