BETTER BUTTER

Trying to pass as a baking authority would be too funny to believe. But I swear that wherever I go, people say my butter cake taste different. So I tell them, it's vanilla butter cake. 

But they still say there's something unusual about my cake that sets apart from the rest. But of course, the butter cakes they've had has vanilla in it. I feel sorry for them, they must have had their fair share of dried up bakery style cake that's been too long in the chiller that they've accepted that's the fair standard of how butter cake should taste. 

But of course their moms too have a killer butter cake recipe, but mine still taste different. Just say the word lah - mine taste different and BETTER! Is it too much to ask to just give me that compliment?

So I give in a little. I use milk. A whole cup of it. And they go "Aaaahhh, so that's why it taste so creamy and moist". And the conversation goes on and will stop only when I pen down the recipe for them.

I adapted the recipe from Billy Reece's Vanilla Cupcake recipe. I modified the baking method a little bit and it usually works with whatever cake pan or cupcake size you have.

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tbs baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter (use the best butter you can afford, but Buttercup is fine as well.
4 large eggs
1 cup milk (full cream/low fat)
1 tsp vanilla prima (thicker than vanilla essence)
Preheat oven to 170c.

1) In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
2) Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3) Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4) Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with the milk and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. 
5) Spoon in your cupcake cases/muffin tins/ cake tin. Make sure to grease well your tins and/or use baking paper to line the tin.
6) Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20-22 minutes or cupcakes,  1/2 hour to 45 mins for a regular cake. Or insert a cake tester/toothpick/sharp knife to test for doneness.

Now, since I'm a proponent to' just-wing-it' baking method, what you can do to add more flavour to your regular butter cake is to swirl in strawberry jam/filling or whatever flavoursyou have in hand. Just swirl around or drop in dollops of that good stuff and you're all good.

Happy trying!