serves
12
prep
20 minutes
cook
35 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
12
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
35
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
'Plush' is the best word to describe this gorgeous cake! It's a classic vanilla butter cake but with Japanese techniques applied to produce the moistest and softest cake you've ever eaten. It's a true professional bakery-quality cake, which also stays fresh for 4 days – unheard of!
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp cooking salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1½ cups caster sugar (see Note)
- 115 g unsalted butter, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
- 1 cup full-fat milk
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tsp canola oil (or another neutral-flavoured oil)
- , or whipped cream and berries/jam
Cooling time: 15 minutes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) for 20 minutes before starting the batter. Place the shelf in the middle of the oven. Grease two 20 cm cake tins with butter, then line with baking paper (for baking times for other cake tin sizes, see note below).
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Beat the eggs for 30 seconds on medium–high (speed 6 of 10) in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use hand-held electric beaters. With the beaters still going, slowly pour the sugar in over 45 seconds, then beat for 7 minutes on high (speed 8), or until tripled in volume and white in colour.
- While the egg is beating, place the butter and milk in a heatproof jug and microwave for 2 minutes on High to melt the butter (or use the stove). Do not let the milk bubble and boil (foaming is okay).
- When the egg is whipped, scatter one-third of the flour mixture across the surface, then beat on speed 1 for 5 seconds. Add half the remaining flour mixture, then mix again for 5 seconds. Add the remaining flour, then mix for 5–10 seconds until the flour is just mixed in. Once you can't see any flour, stop straight away.
- Pour the hot milk mixture, vanilla and oil into the now-empty flour bowl. Add about 1½ cups of the egg mixture (no need to be exact) into the hot milk mixture, then use a whisk to mix until smooth – you can be vigorous. It will be foamy.
- Turn the beaters back on to the lowest speed (speed 1), then slowly pour the hot milk mixture back into the egg mixture over 15 seconds, then turn the beaters off.
- Scrape down the side and base of the bowl and beat on speed 1 for 10 seconds – the batter should now be smooth and pourable.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tins. Bang each cake tin on the counter three times to knock out any large bubbles. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven. Cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then gently turn out onto wire racks. If using as layer cakes, cool upside down – the slight dome will flatten perfectly. Level cake = neat layers.
- Decorate with frosting, cream and fresh berries or jam. Though honestly, the cake is so moist, you can eat it plain!
Notes
• Normal white sugar works fine in place of caster sugar, but you may get some tiny brown spots on the base (larger grains don't dissolve as well).
• It's best to use a tin without a loose base as the batter is quite thin so there may be slight leakage. If you only have a springform tin, plug the crack with softened butter.
• Baking times for other cake tin sizes: three x 20 cm cake tins – 23 minutes; two x 23 cm cake tins – 27 minutes; three x 23 cm cake tins – 20 minutes; two x 15 cm cake tins – halve the recipe, bake 25 minutes; 3-litre bundt tin – 1 hour; a 23 x 33 cm rectangular tin – 30 minutes.
• For cupcakes, halve the batch of batter, and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners. Fill the holes two-thirds of the way (no more) and bake for 22 minutes.
• Unfrosted cake can be stored in an airtight container in a cool pantry. It will stay near fresh for 5 days, which is a special feature of this cake! Or freeze for 3 months. If decorated with cream or buttercream-based frosting it should be kept in the fridge. Always bring the cake to room temperature before serving.
Images and recipes from Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, published by Macmillan Australia (RRP $44.99). Photography by Nagi Maehashi.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
'Plush' is the best word to describe this gorgeous cake! It's a classic vanilla butter cake but with Japanese techniques applied to produce the moistest and softest cake you've ever eaten. It's a true professional bakery-quality cake, which also stays fresh for 4 days – unheard of!
