Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two deep (approximately 4 inches) 9-inch cake pans and set aside.

2. In a bowl, with an electric mixer cream the butter, add the sugar a little at a time, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, and the vanilla. Reserve the egg whites.

3. Into a bowl sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the whites until they just hold their shape. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately into the butter mixture. Do not overbeat. Fold in the egg whites.

5. Divide batter between the pans, filling them about 2/3 full. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes and invert onto racks to cool completely.

6. Fill, frost, and decorate the cake with the frosting.

For the frosting:

1. In a 2-to-3 quart saucepan, combine the sugar with the water and heat over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts to boil. When the mixture boils, cover the pot for a few minutes. Cover now and again to wash the sugar crystals back into the syrup.

2. Simmer the syrup until it reaches 236 degrees F on a candy thermometer. If you do not have a thermometer, test the temperature by letting some of the syrup drop off a spoon back into the syrup. It should fall a bit slowly, the drops coming together to form one drop that should lengthen and just begin to form a thread; do not cook longer. Remove from the heat and cover.

3. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until combined. With the mixer running, add hot sugar syrup in a slow stream until mixed. Cool to room temperature.

4. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer beat the butter until it is smooth. Gradually add the egg mixture until it is completely absorbed. This can take anywhere from 2 to 6 minutes. Add the vanilla.