Vanilla Bean Cake

Vanilla Bean Cake
from Sky High Cakes

printer friendly recipe

3 cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 whole vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
2 sticks, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/3 cups milk
5 egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 350. Butter the bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans. Line each with a round of parchment paper, and butter the paper.

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixer bowl. With the mixer on low speed, blend well.

With the tip of a small knife, scrape the tiny seeds from inside the vanilla bean into the bowl. Discard the outer pod or reserve for another use.

Add the butter and 1 cup of the milk. Mix to blend. Raise the mixer speed to medium and beat until the better is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

In a mixing bowl whisk the egg white with the vanilla extract and the remaining 1/3 cup milk. Add this to the batter in 2 to 3 additions, scraping down the bowl well and mixing just enough to incorporate the ingredients. Divide between the 3 pans.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cook in the pans for 10 minutes. Then invert onto wire racks, remove the paper and cook completely.

Whipped Ganache Filling
adapted from the Martha Stewart Show

printer friendly recipe

2 cups heavy cream
1 pound best-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cream to a full boil. Turn off heat. Add chocolate, and swirl pan to completely cover with cream. Slowly whisk mixture until smooth. Add corn syrup, vanilla and salt. Stir until combined