Yellow Cake

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350o degrees F. Prepare two 9 inch round layer cake pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. Tip: to make baked cake easier to remove from pan, lightly grease the pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper and dust the pan with flour.

TO MAKE THE CAKE

Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.

Step 3: In a small mixing bowl, stir the milk and vanilla together. Set aside.

Step 4: In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. TIP: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.

Step 5: Add egg yolks one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed.

Step 6: With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the milk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and milk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended.

Step 7: Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place pans on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pans and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING

Step 8: Place the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof mixing bowl.

Step 9: In a heavy, medium-size saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, whipping cream, and sugar. Heat until the butter is melted and sugar dissolves, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon so mixture does not burn. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat.

Step 10: Immediately pour the hot sugar mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for about 2 minutes, and then stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool for about 30 minutes.

Step 11: Set the bowl of frosting in a larger bowl of ice water. Using an electric hand mixer beat the frosting on medium speed until it thickens and turns lighter in color. This may take from 15 to 20 minutes. The frosting is ready when it no longer drips of the beaters when they are lifted; don’t over-beat or the frosting will turn grainy.

Step 12: Using an offset spatula, spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.