Melt In Your Mouth Cake
There are so many reasons you should bake this cake--it's easy to put together and simple enough for a weeknight treat yet elegant enough for your fanciest parties. It's made with ingredients you're likely to have on hand and not overly sweet or rich. (And for me, the fact that my oven is finally fixed and reliable again, tops the list!) But the most compelling reason is that both the taste and the texture are flat out FABULOUS!!! Imagine the most wonderful poundcake you've ever tasted and then multiply that by 10! Because this gorgeous creation not only has that wonderful subtle vanilla flavor that make simple cakes so comforting, but it also has an incredible melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes each and every bite of this truly irresistible!! If you're looking for something to bring to someone's BBQ for Memorial Day, look no further. You'll be the hit of the party!!
The difference between this cake and other simple bundt cakes is that this one's made with whipped cream, rather than butter or oil. That's what gives it that light, unusual, luscious, perfect texture. It's great with a cup of tea or coffee, as a special breakfast treat, an after-school snack, as a reward for walking into the kitchen...yeah, it's that kind of cake!
And it's wonderful as is or with some whipped cream and strawberries. However you decide to serve it, you really can't go wrong! Make it today and your heart will melt, just like the cake in your mouth (ok, I think it's time to stop now!)
Melt In Your Mouth Cake
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Bake Time: 25-35 minutes
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray with flour in it
2 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar (you can make your own from regular sugar if you can't find it--just grind it up in a food processor)
Confectioners' sugar for dusting over the top of the cake
The Recipe
1. Adjust middle rack of oven to lower third and and preheat to 375ºF. Spray a 10'inch bundt or tube pan with the cooking spray with flour and set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Sift the mixture once into another bowl and set aside.
3. If you have a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment, otherwise just use regular beaters for a hand held version and whip cream on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed as the cream thickens, until stiff peaks form.
4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla together. Turn the mixer on to medium-high and gradually add the egg mixture. Beat until it's thickened like mayonnaise and fully combined. Then, gradually add the sugar and beat well, until fully incorporated. If using a whisk attachment, remove the attachment and the bowl from the mixer. Otherwise, get ready a ribber spatula. Pour half the flour mixture into the bowl and using either the whisk attachment or the spatula, gently fold the flour into the batter until there are no visible traces of flour. Repeat the process with the remaining flour. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and, without touching the bottom of the pan, run a thin knife through the batter to help eliminate any air bubbles. Smooth the top of the cake so that it is spread evenly.
5. Bake the cake for 25-35 minutes until a tester comes out clean and the cake springs back lightly when you touch it. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. You'll see that the sides of the cake begin to shrink away from the sides of the pan. That's good.
6. Spray another baking rack with ordinary cooking spray and invert the cake onto that. Let cake cool upside down. When totally cool, dust with powdered sugar and serve as is or with strawberries and whipped cream alongside.
7. Cake keeps for several days at room temperature, well wrapped in plastic wrap.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Rose's Heavenly Cakes by Rose Levy Beranbaum.
