What's the hype about this yellow cake?

Anyone who has ever read my blog, or looked at my Facebook, or spent any amount of time with me, knows I love cake. Cake. Is. Delicious. Period. But I like baking cake even more than actually eating it.

I have been looking for a really great yellow cake recipe for some time now, so when Buzzfeed published this recipe this weekend, I HAD to try it. One day I saw it on Buzzfeed, the next it was all over my Facebook and Pinterest. I just had to know how it stacked up. (Pun totally intended.)

I am happy to report it really was a good cake. But it was just good, not great. It had a good crumb, but it will be quick to dry out. Over time I think I will continue to tweak this recipe to find its perfect sweet spot, but for now why not enjoy a delicious cake because you can!

Below is the recipe as laid out by Buzzfeed, but I am providing my own step by step instructions. I have a few things that I changed, and a few instructions that will help you ace this cake that they left out.

For the Yellow Cake:

• Nonstick spray (like Baker's Joy) 
• 4 cups all-purpose or cake flour 
• 2 tsp. baking powder 
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt 
• 1 tsp. baking soda 
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk 
• ½ cup vegetable oil 
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 2 cups sugar 
• ½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar 
• 4 large eggs 
• 4 large egg yolks 

At least 45 minutes before you plan to begin making your cake batter, take your butter, eggs, and buttermilk out of the refrigerator. It's important that all the ingredients are room temperature to make a consistent batter and to help it come together. You will want to separate the egg yolks and whites for 4 of the eggs while they are still cold. (It is so much easier to do when they are cold.) Place the white back in the fridge in a sealed container, and leave the yolks out on the counter. The other 4 eggs do not need to be cracked at this time.

(45 minutest later) Preheat oven to 325° and position one rack in the top of the oven and one rack in the middle of the oven. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray like Baker's Joy, or spread butter/shortening all over the pans using a pastry brush and then coat in flour. [I used an 8 inch pan because that is what I have. I also baked the cake in stages. Do what you gotta do!]

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together; set aside. For extra points, sift the ingredients together. It makes a difference in the texture of the batter. In a measuring cup combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; set aside. Beat together until the mixture is no longer separated.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and light brown sugar. Using an electric mixer on high, beat everything together until it’s super light and fluffy. You want the sugar to be losing its crystal texture.

Add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating in between additions. Beat the batter until it’s almost doubled in volume and very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You want this mixture to be a pale yellow, and for there to be absolutely no sugar granules. It is important to scrape down the sides of the bowl during this process, and make sure you get all the way to the bottom so no crystals remain in the end.

Now it's time to add the liquid and dry ingredients. The great Paula Deen suggets beginning and ending with the liquid to ensure a velvety texture, so who am I to argue. Start by adding about one fourth of the liquid mixture into the batter and beat on low to slowly incorporate. Then add one third of the dry mixture, and slowly beat into the cake. Alternate with the remaining ingredients until everything is incorporated. Make certain to end with liquid.

Divide the batter into the pans. (Or if you're me with one pan, measure it out following Wilton's handy chart according to what pan you are using.) Be very careful not to overfill the pans, because this cake rises! I almost had a HUGE problem on my hands (which led me to bumping down the temperature from the original recipe.) Each cake will need to bake between 35 and 40 minutes, or until golden, pulling away from the pan, and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for just a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Make sure all the layers are completely cool before icing. Also, don't forget to level the cakes before stacking them!

My mom's Chocolate Buttercream Icing: 

• 1/2 cup butter 
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 
• 4 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 2-4 tbsp cream/milk 

Beat together the butter and shortening until smooth. Beat in the cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add in the powder sugar, beating the mixture and stopping periodically to scrape down the bowl. Before adding the last cup of powder sugar, add no more than 2 tbsp of cream and beat until well combined. Add the last cup of powder sugar. At this point continue beating the icing until it is smooth and creamy. If the icing is to stiff, add more cream, if it is too soft or will not set up on its own, add a little more powder sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

All in all this was a good cake. Not the best I have ever had, definitely nowhere near the worst. It was a crazy five and a half inches tall! I wasn't sure it was going to pit in my cake stand. Hopefully you'll have a chance to try this recipe and let me know what tips and tricks you used to make this your own. And don't forget to check out more of my cakes and recipes!