Homemade Yellow Cake with Dulce de Leche Icing

Bill’s birthday was Thursday and since it’s our first married birthday,I just had to make a good cake. Not an okay cake, but a really good. Fortunately, earlier in the week I bought the most recent issue of Real Simple and would you believe it, they had a whole section on how to make the best cakes. This recipe has it dialed in! Seriously, I even called Bill over to look at the batter because it was a creamy whip. I know, who talks about what batter looks like? Just make this cake and you will know what I am talking about.

I didn't think to take a picture of the cake itself, but here is a picture from Bill's Birthday dinner.

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature,

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, leveled

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup whole milk ( I combined 2% and half and half because that’s what I had)

Directions

   1. Heat oven to 350°F. Butter the and flour pan(s) well.

If you don’t have good non-stick pans, I would recommend lining the bottoms with parchment, butter again, and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. (For cupcakes, there is no need for parchment or rebuttering.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

   2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

   3. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).

Take a look at that batter!

   4. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.

   5. Real Simple’sBaking times: For two 8-inch rounds: 25 to 30 minutes. For two 9-inch rounds: 22 to 25 minutes. For one 9-by-13-inch rectangle: 25 to 30 minutes. For 24 cupcakes: 15 to 20 minutes.

***My 8 –inch rounds took longer to cook

Serves 12 people or makes 24 cupcakes.

Carmel Frosting :

Ingredients

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted

1/2 cup prepared dulce de leche (found in the baking aisle or in Mexican food aisle)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

pinch kosher salt

Directions

   1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on high until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the sugar, then the dulce de leche, vanilla, and salt, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

***If you are making a round cake: I’d recommend putting a dab of the icing under your first layer of cake, so it doesn’t wobble.