six-inch classic white layer cake {and a warning about airplane toilets}
Back in 2005, I went to France for Christmas. It was awesome, except that the man sitting next to me on the plane was sucked out of the aircraft via the toilet. The man was sitting next to me when we departed from Montreal that cold December night, but once the plane had reached cruising altitude he went to the washroom, and didn’t return. Ever. He didn’t even come back for the things he had stashed away in the overhead compartment.
I had long-feared airplane washrooms, as I had always assumed that there was a high risk factor involved with their use – i.e. that you could be sucked out of the plane through the toilet. It’s the reason I won’t allow any liquids to enter my body for at least 24 hours before flying. And forget fibre. Too risky.
Years later, I still wonder what the people who were to meet that lost traveler at his final destination must have been thinking. How long did they wait for him? I imagine they retrieved his checked luggage from the baggage carousel, and then stood staring at the arrivals gate for hours. Possibly days. I would like his friends and family to know that he was very nicely dressed in a sweater with a button down oxford shirt underneath, and soft cords which were neatly pressed. I tell you this because I know Rosie Beaucoup would be reassured if any of her children were sucked out of a plane in a nice outfit. Especially if that outfit included a white oxford shirt.
Speaking of trips to France, both of my French nieces have spring birthdays. I’ve been eating a lot of cake in their honour. This here recipe is for a double layer six-inch cake. Whenever 2.0 goes away, I like to buy new baking equipment. Mostly because then he can’t say stuff like, our house is going to explode if you try to shove any more baking stuff into it. So, when he was away last month, I bought some six-inch cake pans and a few cake decorating supplies. And some cake decorating books. Oh, and a mini-cupcake pan. And maybe some sprinkles. I spread my purchases throughout the house, so no one drawer or cupboard would explode.
Here’s the thing about six-inch cakes: you need to find a cake recipe that will fit in there. A lot of “recipes” tell you to make enough batter for a huge-ass cake, forcing you to shove that batter into your six-inch pans and then make 4 dozen cupcakes on the side. THAT’S RIDICULOUS. So, here’s a recipe for a six-inch cake. A two layer, six-inch cake. A classic white cake that you can top with any sort of frosting that you might like. Perhaps a German buttercream – because cats like German buttercream.
. . .
Classic White Cake {Six-Inch Layer Cake}
recipe: from Taste of Home, with adjustments to the notes
Yields one two-layer 6-inch round cake.
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 6-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand-held mixer), cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes).
Add the egg whites, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat in vanilla bean paste.
Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk, mixing well and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. (The addition of the flour mixture and milk will go as follows: 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by 1/2 of the milk, another 1/3 flour mixture followed by the remaining milk, and then the final 1/3 of the flour mixture.)
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans, and rap on the counter to eliminate air bubbles.
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before removing cakes from pans to cool completely.
love the cake flag. and the cake, needless to say, looks so good!
Thanks! effie-the-cat REALLY wanted to eat that cake flag…
Haha, wow – I am definitely not going to the bathroom on my next flight. Although, I think the last time I flew it was such a dinky little plain, I’m not sure it even had a bathroom… which is more dangerous?
As for the cake, it looks awesome. I much prefer 6 inch cakes to giant ones, because I can eat half of it without feeling quite so bad (sorta). Also, so much cuter.
PS, I can totally relate to the overflow of baking supplies (and in my case, also cooking supplies). I’ve started a bit of a warehouse in our basement, now, and am crossing my fingers The Fiance doesn’t notice how bad it’s gotten.
The basement! I need to start hiding stuff in the basement!!
The cake looks so pretty and elegant, and I love how that tall, tall flag adds even more visual interest. 6 inch cakes are so extra charming somehow; I made one for my granddaughter’s first birthday and frosted it with Swiss meringue buttercream tinted with raspberry purée. A pretty little cake for pretty little girl. Or for an imposing black cat.
Your story about how your seat mate got sucked out of the airplane toilet got me thinking… maybe you should look on the bright side – after all, didn’t you end up with a lot more elbowroom for your flight? There’s something to be said for that!
On the other hand, perhaps this whole tall tale is an elaborate April Fools’ Day ruse? Have I been had? Hmpff!!
I wish it were a tall tale. Then I’d be able to drink Diet Coke on planes. But alas, no. (sniff) That said, I did enjoy the elbow room…
i have a few random things to say today:
1. this cake is beautiful, i especially love the simplicity of the decor. i’m a simple girl.
2. that first pic made me instantly think of that blogger Herriot Grace. her shit is good.
3. i made a 6″ cake this weekend, from a cookbook (Miette) that basically preaches about 6″ cakes and how it’s the perfect size blah blah blah and the ONE recipe i decide upon is for a friggin sheet cake and so i had to make two layers of 6″ cakes and 9 cupcakes. i was pissed. all this to say the layers came out lopsided and i am now going to break up with the cookbook.
4. are you going to have a Bake My Cake 2013 this year? cus i might come out of retirement to participate.
I LOVE Herriot Grace. And also, 6″ cakes are the bomb. They yield the perfect slice of cake! Not too big, not too small. I’m going to find it difficult to go back to “regular” sized cakes.
Bake My Cake 2013 is a go – but it won’t be a birthday treat this year! Deets are a comin’ soon!
First: What a pretty little cake for your nieces’ birthdays. Second: That is what 2.0 gets for traveling. (Same thing happens at my house, by the way. There have got to be compensations for being left home alone.) and Third: Perhaps the poor guy was just stuck. http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/713204/ I am always careful to be up and out of the way when I flush now. I even close the toilet lid to make doubly sure. You cannot be too careful! I met a woman on a recent flight who won’t lock the door, even if it means that people keep trying to barge in on her since, of course, the sign reads Vacant. She’s afraid to get trapped. We all have our issues. But I don’t believe they are anything that can’t be overcome with pretty six-inch cakes.
Thank you, Stacy. I will now work to ensure that all toilets are removed from aircraft around the world. Getting stuck on one is almost as bad as getting sucked out by one…
I have a friend who, many years ago, told me that she had popped her cherry on the mile high club. My first thought was ‘ewwwwwwwwwwwwww’, my second thought was ‘what if you had accidentally activated the motion sensitive flush and the aeroplane loo had performed one of those massively loud, ear splitting flushes? It would totally kill the mood completely (not that there is much ‘mood’ in a gross, teeny plane bog), and my third thought was, what if you were there, having your first down and dirty in an aeroplane toilet (ewwwwwwwwww) and you got SUCKED OUT? How the hell would that ever be explained to your grieving folks when your body was found, dented, disfigured and pantless somewhere over Bolivia? That would suck.
Somehow she survived that encounter. Though I hasten to add she has never repeated it.
Oh no. Another case of commenting without thinking. I just discussed mile high sex on your blog… Sorry!
Thank you, Juls, for discussing airplane sex on my blog. I expected nothing less. (tee hee!)
i’d like to think that he was ejected over warm water near an inhabited tropical island (though chances of that happening on a flight from, say, halifax to paris, are not great, are they?).
a six inch cake is so restrained. i like the idea. you really can have your cake and eat it too, being so much smaller than a standard layer cake!
hmm… pretty sure you’re pranking us with the airline joke 😉 I appreciate the scaled down cake recipe, I have the same problem!
Life would be adorabler if planes were used primarily by cats, who from time to time got sucked out of the airplane litterboxes (due to excessive side-of-box scraping?), and were thusly deposited upon the land like a charming furry rain shower.
Oh my gosh, life would be so much better if it rained cats. I wouldn’t even need an umbrella.
Furry rain showers! Yippie!
You have scarred me for life. Not even this cake can heal my scars.
No cruise ships. No planes. Try to enjoy a holiday now…
Oh my gosh, your cat-so cuuuuuute!!! Cats definitely like buttercream…and fish, and if you’re my cat, prosciutto, cantaloupe and bread. This cake is definitely cat approved.
It would seem that almost everything in this house is cat approved. We’re just lucky they let us live here…
Your photography here is as delicious as the cake!
Oohh I want to eat that cake!! So confused though.. about the man on the plane.. did he get upgraded?? Confusssssed.
NATASHIA, he was SUCKED OUT OF THE PLANE. I’m sure of it.
Dang it Movita! What can I say but that you are Adorable! You joyful funny sprite! I love your 6-inch cake! The cake plate, are you kidding, so cute!! And cat’s eyes, the color of the banner, get outta here! 🙂 Just too wonderful!! It IS too bad about the young man in lightly pressed cords though! (For future reference, I think it’s fine if you use the john…just don’t flush…anyway that’s what some folks seem to find works.) xx
Thanks, Spree, but now the thoughts of un-flushed airplane potties are haunting me…
This cake is pure beauty, friend! And I am DYING to go to France!!!
Oh my…sucked out of the plane??? lol… Beautiful cake, beautiful icing and pretty little flag!
Well, there ya go. Yet another reason to keep me out of airplane bathrooms aside from the fact that they are the size of a Barbie Doll bathroom and make me feel like I can’t breathe. Those two things…ahhh yes, there’s another. A friend a long time ago stood up in an airplane bathroom to pull up her pants, there was turbulence, she was knocked up against the door…and guess what? Out she went with her pants and undies around her thighs. Right there in front of God and everyone. People had to HELP her stand up. Just shoot me, no…I’d die on my own.
A 6″ inch cake! I love it. It’s gorgeous and just my size for when Tony travels. 😉 When I purchase new things…I leave them in the car until early the next morning. I’m an early riser (very), Tony doesn’t roll out of bed until 7:00…everything out of the car is quietly integrated and no one is the wiser. But shhh…
~ April
As I read this aloud to the boyfriend, he was shocked and appalled to find out that being sucked out of an airplane toilet was a thing. I assured him (and now you) that I’m sure your companion just snuck up to first class, or possibly to another seat, as there was no confirmed evidence of him being sucked out of the toilet.
Also, that cake is gorgeous. I couldn’t frost a cake like that if my life depended on it. If they were all “frost this cake or get sucked out of the toilet” I would most surely end up plummeting to my death. I wonder if airport security would let you through with a parachute. You could wear it at all times, you know, just in case.
Also, I love kitty’s pose for that photo. Very chic.
So. . . I guess I’ll send you driving directions to my house. Just print them out and keep them in the glove compartment of your car, okay? That way you can come visit whenever you want, without risk of getting vacuumed, buttocks-first, into outer space.
Yes, please. Because getting vacuumed, buttocks-first, is NOT the way I wanna go.
Finally. Thank you for the scaled down recipe, in sick of the 48 cupcakes. Lovely pictures, very, very nice writing. Now if you could only (also) do 6-inch-tin recipes for chocolate cake, devil’s food cake and a red velvet. Please?
Ummm… I did a little research on your airplane story. It’s just simply not true. Your cake is lovely, though.
The last I checked the drain of a toilet is much too small for a man to be sucked through.
Made it for Easter and got raves! Thank you! Made icing and filling with lemon curd, marscapone, heavy cream and preferred sugar. Sister said best!
This is wonderful to hear! So glad you liked it! (Your sister is obviously very smart.)
I am making my first wedding cake and tried this recipe for the top tier. It was so good that I decided to forget about the fake layers below and make the 8 and 10 inch layers from this recipe. My problem is that I really don’t want to assume that I should double everything. Do you know if this recipe exists for bigger cakes? (Its usually the dry ingredients that can’t be just doubled).
Thanks for the great recipe!
First off, anyone who makes a wedding cake is A BOSS in my mind! It was the scariest (and most awesome) thing we did at baking school. As for the recipe, I’ve only tested it at this size. I’ve never even doubled it! So, I’m totally useless. The only thing I can think of would be to figure out the baker’s percentages of all the ingredients, and then scale accordingly. Maybe Google can provide some assistance? Or a pastry textbook from the library? Good luck!
Lol…I don’t know about BOSS. More like BEE. As in the bumblebee that doesn’t know she shouldn’t be able to fly because her big beebody isn’t aerodynamically designed to fly. Speaking of flying, you do know you can’t get sucked out of a plane while on the toilet, right? (Sometimes I can’t tell sarcasm from……not sarcasm). Bake on!
Ellen, that man was sucked out of the plane. I’m sure of it. The toilet is the ONLY possible explanation for his disappearance!
You ROCK!
Great story! And, I appreciate a recipe for a six-inch cake too. If I make it, will your cat come over for a photo shoot?
Absolutely! Effie very much enjoys a good photo shoot…
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