Manageability – Pretty easy, but detail-oriented.
Leaves. Tree droppings. Crunchy sidewalk steppers. Nature’s dandruff. Every fall these leafy jerks die and tumble out of your neighborhood oaks and larches to remind you that – for every season turn turn turn. So why not celebrate their existence every once in a while? It’s not too late in the season to make the delicious Mrs. Billett’s White Cake. Then, you should add Martha’s much more complicated Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
Fondant is the hero of the details on this guy (like most detailed cakes, I guess). But the beauty of fondant is that, while it looks complicated, it really is not that hard to manipulate. Just like playing with Play-Doh. And also just like Play-Doh, it’s non-toxic so it’s perfectly ok to eat! But this cake also does not skimp on the flavors underneath. It’s light, fluffy, moist, and really tasty. The icing I used this time is Martha’s Swiss meringue buttercream, which honestly made this much more complicated. Leaf it to Martha to make me temper egg whites over boiling water. That lady is a nutter.
However, altogether this is a cake that will wow your guests, while not taking too much out of you in the kitchen. And if you mess it up, you can just eat Play-Doh.
White Cake – Ingredients
- Parchment paper
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 5 egg whites
- Garnish: fondant snowflakes or leaves or… I don’t care, fondant army men if you want.
White Cake – Directions
- Step 1 – Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 3 (8-inch) round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper, and grease and flour paper. I know technically this is like 4 steps, but cut me some freaking slack.
- Step 2 – Stir together milk and vanilla. There, that’s truly one step.
- Step 3 – Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Sift together flour and baking powder; add to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Alright, the “steps” thing is out of control now.
- Step 4 – Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; gently fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Step 5 – Bake at 350° for 20 to 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; discard parchment paper. Cool completely (about 40 minutes).
- Step 5.5 – Read the below instructions on making the Buttercream, and make it.
- Step 6 – Spread Vanilla Buttercream Frosting between layers (about 1 cup per layer) and on top and sides of cake.
Buttercream – Ingredients
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. Do the math yourself.
- Pinch of salt
- 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Buttercream – Directions
- Step 1– Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).
- Step 2– Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes. Fonzi was completely cool, but that’s not really relevant here.
- Step 3– With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day. If not, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
- Step 4– To tint buttercream, reserve some for toning down the color, if necessary. Add gel-paste food color, a drop at a time (or use the toothpick or skewer to add food color a dab at a time) to the remaining buttercream. You can use a single shade of food color or experiment by mixing two or more. Blend after each addition with the mixer (use a paddle attachment) or a flexible spatula, until desired shade is achieved. Avoid adding too much food color too soon, as the hue will intensify with continued stirring; if necessary, you can tone down the shade by mixing in some reserved untinted buttercream.
Martha’s Extra Notes
Chocolate variation: Using a flexible spatula, fold 4 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled, into buttercream mixture in step 3, along with the vanilla extract.