White Cake

I was asked a few weeks ago to post a white cake recipe by a young mother in Juan Dolio. She has had a hard time getting her box cake mixes to rise as they bake... This is a fun cake to make with beaten egg whites, 4 tsp. baking powder, almond extract and sprinkles!   This is one of the most moist cakes I have ever made with a mild and mellow flavor!  For all you chocolate lovers...don't worry I have a plethora of chocolate recipes to share later......this one is for all my vanilla taste bud friends!
(If you are using a box cake mix and it is out of date...add 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder to it before mixing it up.  This will help it rise better.)

3 c. flour,

½ tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking powder

1 ½ c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

¾ c. shortening

1 ¾ c. sugar

6 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks

Candy sprinkles, (optional)

Sift 3 cups flour, then measure your three cups from the sifted flour for the recipe.... add salt and baking powder and sift again into a mixing bowl.  Set aside.

Add vanilla and almond extract to milk and set aside. Almond extract was not available here so I just used 2 tsp. of vanilla.....I missed the almond flavor but I do have to say that it was still good with just the vanilla!

Beat egg whites and set aside.  Make sure you beat the egg whites until the peaks stand up straight when you pull up on the beaters and the tips don't bend over.

In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and shortening; adding sugar a little at a time until light and fluffy.  Just a little trick for when you measure out the shortening....place plastic wrap in the cup before filling it with the shortening and the when you dump it out your cup stays clean and is ready to use for another ingredient!

Add 1/3 flour mixture then 1/2 milk to sugar mixture alternately, starting and ending with flour. 

Gently fold in beaten egg whites. 

(Sprinkles are optional......this would be the time to gently fold them in)  

Pour batter into two round, greased and floured cake pans (or heart shaped...since that's all I could find!) and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (I always check mine at 25 minutes then go from there...) 

Cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks.

  

Cool completely and frost. Color your frosting what ever color makes you happy!!  I know all my friends that really know what they are doing at this point are holding their sides and laughing at me!!!  It's OK because I know it tastes good and I wish you were here to eat it with me!

A little trick to keep your cake plate clean is to pace three strips of parchment paper in a triangle then center the bottom cake on top.

I like to turn the bottom half upside down so the flat sides go together.

spread frosting over the top...this will be the frosting between the layers.

Place top half on top then frost around the edge, then on top.........

I chose to top my cake with more sprinkles but you can leave it plain or if you know how to decorate it....go for it!!  I would love to see what you do!

Now just pull the parchment paper out and run a knife or spatula around the bottom to smooth it out.

Don't worry about everything being perfect or looking like a professionally baked and decorated cake. Keep it simple and add a scoop of ice cream to it and you are a success!!  I think we should sing Happy Birthday!!

© Nancy Rappleye 2011