I made the fancier cake, with whipped cream and berries, for myself for Father's Day. It was so good that Brad even had two pieces, even though he's not a big fan of whipped cream. Mom and Cassie, on the other hand, adore whipped cream, and they liked it so much in this cake they had three pieces each. That's rivaling Dylan and his ability to eat eight of Katherine Redford's Chocolate Chip Cookies at one sitting. No leftover cake in this family.
One-Bowl Vanilla Cake
Adapted from Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts (2012) by Alice Medrich
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (175 grams) sugar
1 cup (4½ ounces/127 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup (77 grams) heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ ounces/42 grams), melted and still hot, or vegetable oil (40 grams)
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons (10 grams) vanilla extract
1. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour, or spray with nonstick cooking spray, the sides of an 8-by-2-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Put the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse to mix the ingredients thoroughly.
3. Add the cream and butter or oil and pulse until the ingredients are blended, about 10 pulses. If you’re using oil, the ingredients will be moist and beginning to clump together but not yet smooth.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and pulse 5 times. Scrape the sides of the bowl and pulse just until the ingredients are blended and smooth, 5 or 6 more pulses.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly if necessary. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
6. Invert the cake onto the rack and peel off the parchment paper. Turn the cake right side up onto another rack and allow to cool completely. Store at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 days. Serve as is with fresh fruit, topped with vanilla or chocolate frosting, or filled with whipped cream and berries (as described below). Serves 8 to 10.
Variations
Reduce the vanilla to 1 teaspoon and add the zest of an orange or a lemon and/or ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract along with the vanilla. If using citrus zest, you can also add 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds to the batter.
For a gluten-free cake
Substitute 127 grams of gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour. In step 2, add ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum to the food processor along with the flour and other dry ingredients.
Vanilla Cake with Tangy Whipped Cream and Berries
1 cup (232 grams) heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon plain yogurt (any fat content)
a One-Bowl Vanilla Cake, baked and cooled
⅓ cup (100 grams) raspberry or other fruit jam or preserves
1½ pints raspberries, blackberries, or other bush berries, or a combination
confectioners’ sugar for dusting, optional
1. For the Tangy Whipped Cream: Using chilled beaters or a whisk, beat the cream with the vanilla and sugar in a chilled bowl until it holds a very soft shape. Add the yogurt and whisk until combined (do not beat to stiff peaks).
2. Cut the cooled cake in half. Place the bottom layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Spread the bottom layer evenly with the jam or preserves. Spread all of the whipped cream evenly over the jam. Gently press the berries into the whipped cream in a single layer, with a little space between them. Top with the second cake layer, cut side down.
3. Refrigerate the cake under a bowl or in a covered container for at least 2 hours, and up to a day, to firm the whipped ream and moisten the cake layers. Remove the cake from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving. Sift a little powdered sugar over the top of the cake just before serving and garnish with a few berries.
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