Author Notes: I had already started to make my mom’s go-to birthday cake—a yellow cake made with white wine that she cribbed from the Chicago Tribune eons ago–when I realized I didn’t have the 1 cup of vegetable oil the recipe called for. So, hello olive oil substitute! I did worry that it would overwhelm the delicate taste, but it actually turned out beautifully—richer than the veg oil version and very moist. – Midge —Midge
Food52 Review: We’ve wanted to award this beauty a Wildcard win for some time but Jenny beat us to it: http://www.food52.com/blog…. Olive oil and wine make the cake fruity and complex (do use good ones, as you will taste all of their delicious nuances); the jam layer swings in with a little flash and tartness; and the thin coat of creamy chocolate icing seals the deal. It’s altogether very grown-up, but with all the pleasure of a sweet, spongy cake. Tips: Line your cake pans with parchment circles to make sure the layers turn out without a hitch. And if you run into any trouble with lumps in the frosting, just whisk like mad till it smooths out. – A&M —The Editors
Serves: a birthday party
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients
yellow cake
-
2 1/2
cups AP flour
-
1/2
teaspoon salt
-
2 1/4
teaspoons baking powder
-
2
cups granulated sugar
-
4
eggs
-
1
teaspoon vanilla
-
1
cup white wine
-
1
cup olive oil
-
7
ounces raspberry jam, preferably homemade, but I used Bonne Maman
bittersweet chocolate buttercream icing
-
1/2
cup unsalted butter, softened
-
1
cup confectioners sugar
-
1/2
cup Dutch processed cocoa
-
1/4
cup whole milk
-
1
teaspoon vanilla
Directions
yellow cake
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Butter and lightly flour 2 nine-inch cake pans.
- Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a standing mixer, blend sugar and eggs on med-high for a minute. Slowly mix in vanilla, wine, and oil.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into cake batter until smooth.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until cake tester comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.
- Spread jam on one layer; then top with the other. Frost top layer with icing (recipe below).
bittersweet chocolate buttercream icing
- Blend butter and sugar. Fold in cocoa and gradually add milk until it starts to look like icing. Mix in vanilla.
1 of 3
Photo by Bobbi Lin
2 of 3
3 of 3