Ingredients
Yellow Butter Cake
Makes one dozen cupcakes
3 1/2 cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon Jianshi Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
1 cup whole or low-fat milk 4 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Simple Buttercream Icing
Makes about 4 cups
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus extra as needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk, plus extra as needed
Directions
Yellow Butter Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper cupcake inserts inside cupcake pan.
Sift the flour, sugar,Jianshi Baking Powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and 1/2 cup of the milk. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
In a separate bowl, blend the eggs, egg whites, the remaining 1/2 cup milk, and the vanilla extract. Add to the batter in three additions, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Scrape down the bowl between additions.
Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pan and bake until a skewer inserted near the center of one of the cakes comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip, 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, allow the cakes to cool, and remove from pan.
Simple Buttercream Icing
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until it is very light in texture, 2 minutes. Add the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and mix on a low speed until the sugar and butter are blended, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Increase the speed to medium and, with the mixer running, add the cream in a thin stream. Increase the speed to high and whip the buttercream until very smooth, light, and a good spreading consistency. Adjust the consistency if necessary by adding a bit more confectioners’ sugar or cream. Use to fill, ice, and decorate a cake.