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Soft Vanilla Cake
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream
Perfectly indulgent chocolate cake
Ingredients
Method
- 100g butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
- flour, for dusting
- 140g best-quality dark chocolate, with 70% cocoa solids, broken into pieces
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 140g ground almonds
- pinch of salt
- 85g caster sugar
- cocoa powder and crème fraîche, to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3/fan oven 150C. Grease a 23cm/9in springform cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Dust the sides with a little flour. Put the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Heat until melted, then remove the bowl from the pan and stir until smooth. Leave for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
- Stir in the egg yolks, ground almonds, and the liqueur, if using. Put the egg whites into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and whisk until soft peaks form. Continue whisking, sprinkling in the sugar a little at a time, until stiff peaks form. Stir 2 tablespoons of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the remainder until no traces of white are left.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen and just firm to the touch. Cool in the tin (don’t worry if the cake sinks and cracks slightly – it will still be fine). You can make the cake up to this stage up to four days ahead and keep it in an airtight container in a cool place. It also freezes well for up to one month.
- To serve, remove the cake from the tin and peel away the lining paper. Sift cocoa powder liberally over the top and cut into slices. Serve with crème fraîche.
Simple Cakes
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
- 1 pound (3 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- 4 sticks softened unsalted butter, plus more for pans
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 9 large, room-temperature eggs
DIRECTIONS
- STEP 1Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 5-by-9-inch loaf pans. Combine all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl.
- IN THIS STEP:
- Buttering and Lining Cake Pans
- STEP 2Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, for 8 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to medium, and add vanilla extract.
- IN THIS STEP:
- How to Cream Butter Properly
- STEP 3Lightly beat eggs, and add to mixer bowl in 4 additions, mixing thoroughly after each and scraping down sides. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 4 additions, mixing until just incorporated. Divide batter between pans. Tap on counter to distribute; smooth tops.
- STEP 4Bake until a tester inserted into center of each cake comes out clean, about 65 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.
Cheesecakes
INGREDIENTS FOR CRUST
FOR FILLING
DIRECTIONS
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
- 12 graham crackers (3-by-5 inch)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
FOR FILLING
- 2 1/2 pounds bar cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
DIRECTIONS
- STEP 1Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
IN THIS STEP:- Buttering and Lining Cake Pans
- STEP 2Set a kettle of water to boil. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.
IN THIS STEP:- How to Juice Citrus
- STEP 3Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight before serving.