YELLOW BUTTER CAKE FOR VANILLA-PECAN SAND CASTLE

Yellow Butter Cake for Vanilla-Pecan Sand Castle image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Yield Makes one 9-inch Square Cake

Number Of Ingredients 8

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2 sticks (16 tablespoons) melted unsalted butter, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self rising), plus more for dusting
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan. Line bottom with parchment paper; butter parchment. Dust pan with flour, and tap out excess. Sift cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Add eggs, milk, and vanilla to flour mixture. Mix on low speed until almost combined. Mix in the melted butter. Raise speed to medium. Mix until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges to loosen. Invert, and unmold onto wire rack. Peel off parchment. Flip cake; let cool completely. If using cake for the Vanilla-Pecan Sand Castle, wrap cake in plastic, and refrigerate until cold, up to 2 days (or freeze up to 1 week).