This cake is best made by using gram measures to ensure accuracy. It's a delicious buttery cake that can be a show-stopper if you handle it right! Make sure that all your ingredients are ROOM TEMPERATURE (except for the cream) and don't spare the creaming when it comes to the butter and sugar.
- 8.5 oz heavy whipping cream (at least 35% fat)
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup + 6 tbsp sugar (help yourself to use Caster sugar for a more buttery cake!)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 oz vanilla bean paste (for extra vanillie flavor, add some scraped vanilla bean)
- 9.5 oz King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour Blend OR Cake Flour (Swans Down)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 200 grams of large eggs
- Whip the cold heavy whipping cream at medium-high speed until it holds shape (not to butter consistency) and transfer to a cold bowl and set aside in the fridge.
- Beat the butter on medium speed until it is smooth.
- Sift together the flour and baking powder.
- Whisk the eggs well to combine
- VERY slowly add them to the creamed butter on LOW speed- go slow to avoid curdling.
- Blend in the flour mixture on low speed, scraping as you go
- Once all the flour is in, but not 100% incorporated, remove from the mixer and fold in the whipped cream by hand with a large spatula (not metal!) until you see no streaks of the cream
- Divide equally in the prepared pans and smooth the top
- Bake at 350 or 325 if using a Convection oven, for 24-26 minutes or less (test after 24)
- Remove and cool for at least five minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
You could frost this cake and many people do. Me? Just let me put a ribbon of frosting lightly around the top of the first layer and fill the center with a good, hearty jam, then powder the top of the cake.