This is by far the best cake I have ever made. I know many people do not like to bake with olive oil you are more than welcome to use the oil of your choice, however, I am not sure the outcome! In addition, when I bake, I rarely use cups as I feel grams is what will give you the best and most consistent bake each time.

Tools

• Scale

• (3) 8x2 inch pans or you can do 2 pans, just up the baking time to 40-45 minutes

• Standing mixer

Ingredients

Vanilla Cake

• 113 grams whole milk (will mix with oil)

• 85 grams olive oil

• 170 grams whole milk (will mix with eggs)

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3 large eggs room temperature

• 368 grams cake flour

• 368 grams granulated sugar

• 14 grams baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 227 grams unsalted butter softened to room temperature

Buttercream

• 454 grams powdered sugar

• 113 grams pasteurized egg whites

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 454 grams unsalted butter softened to room temperature

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 335º F.

2. Prepare three 8"x2" cake pans with cake goop or another preferred pan release.

   • I do it by buttering up every part of the pan and then sprinkling with all-purpose flour. This should create the perfect release.

3. Place the 113 grams whole milk in a bowl and add the oil. Set it aside.

4. Add the remaining 170 grams whole milk to a separate bowl. Add the vanilla and room temperature eggs and whisk gently to combine. Set aside.

5. In your standing mixer bowl place the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and add the paddle attachment.

6. Turn the mixer onto the slowest speed. Slowly add chunks of your softened butter. Mix until it looks like coarse sand.

7. Add your milk and oil mixture all at once to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium (level 4 on Kitchenaid) for 2 full minutes (set the timer). This will develop the structure.

8. After the 2 minutes, scrape the bowl. If you skip it scraping the bowl you will have hard lumps of flour and unmixed ingredients in your batter. If you do it later, they will not mix in fully.

9. Mix on low and start to slowly add in the milk and egg mixture. Stop to scrape the bowl halfway through. Mix until just combined.

   • Your batter should be thick and not too runny.

10. Divide the batter into your greased cake pans and fill 3/4 of the way full. To be precise you can weigh your pans to ensure each are perfectly even.

11. Bake for 30 minutes. Check your cakes with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.

    • Gently touch the top of the cake, does it spring back? Then we are done! Oven temperatures vary so if it's not done yet, bake for a few more minutes (2-3) and check again until it passes the "done" test.

12. Remove the cakes from the oven and give them a tap on the countertop to release air. This will prevent the cake from shrinking. Let them cool on a cooling rack until they are barely warm, about 10 minutes.

13. After cooling, place the cooling rack on top of the cake. By placing one hand on top of the cooling rack and one hand under the pan, flip the pan and the cooling rack over so the pan is now upside down on the cooling rack. Remove the pan carefully. Repeat with all other pans.

14. After the cakes are fully cooled, carefully wrap them in plastic wrap and place them into the freezer or fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up. This makes it easier for stacking and frosting!

Make the buttercream frosting

1. Place egg whites and powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Attach the whisk and combine ingredients on low. Once most everything is incorporated whip on high for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes add the vanilla extract and salt and combine.

2. Add in your softened butter in chunks and whip to combine. It will look curdled at first, don’t worry this is normal!

3. Whip on high for 8-10 minutes until it's very white, light and shiny.

4. Now you don’t have to do this but I think it makes the buttercream perfection! Switch to a paddle attachment and mix on low for 15-20 minutes.

Notes

• If you want your buttercream to be whiter add a tiny drop of purple dye. Purple will cancel out that yellow!