Basic 1 — 2 — 3 — 4 Cake

Recipe View Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and 1 cup of the granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. This may take 3-5 minutes. The mixture should appear lighter in color and have a smooth consistency.

Recipe View In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until slightly pale. (2 minutes) Add the yolks to the creamed butter mixture and blend until well combined.

Recipe View In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour and baking powder to ensure even distribution. (3 minutes) Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Stir in the vanilla extract. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. (3-5 minutes) Gradually add the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar to the egg whites, beating until glossy and the sugar is fully dissolved. Gently fold the meringue into the cake batter in two additions, being careful not to deflate the egg whites. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. (25-30 minutes)

Recipe View Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. (10 minutes)