Cake from scratch - very fattening

[fwan]

i usually replace it with milk or cream, although since ive switched to soy i use more soymilk and less oil or butter.

I have to agree with Linda re the butter and fatty things, home made food make me lose weight

 

[esrgirl]

The cake itself calls for Crisco? I make from scratch cake all the time and I've never had one call for shortening inside the cake itself. Shortening is usually used in icings. If I make a from scratch cake I usually end up topping it with a ganache, a whipped cream icing, or I might buy the Duncun Hines kind, since it has significantly less fat than the real deal made with butter or shortening.

I would not replace the shortening in this recipe, it's obviously different from other cake recipes and probably wouldn't turn out with a substitute. Unless this is your most favorite cake in the world, I would advise making a different one. I have a bunch of cake recipes and would be happy to share.

I would not recommend using applesauce in a vanilla cake recipe- unless you want an apple flavor. Applesauce works great in other types of cake- such as pumpkin, zuchini, cherry, spice, etc. I would not use it in chocolate or vanilla- but that's a personal preference.

You could cut some calories by using Egg Beaters.

 

[esrgirl]

This is one of my favorites:
Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake from Cook's Illustrated.
Nonstick cooking spray can be used for greasing the pans (proceed with flouring as directed). Bring all ingredients to room temperature before beginning. Frost the cake with our Foolproof Chocolate Frosting (see related recipe) or your favorite topping.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups cake flour , plus extra for dusting pans
1 1/4 \tteaspoons baking powder
1/4 \t teaspoon baking soda
3/4 \t easpoon table salt
1 3/4 \tcups sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
10 \t tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1 \t cup buttermilk , room temperature
3 \t tablespoons vegetable oil
2 \t teaspoons vanilla extract
6 \t large egg yolks , room temperature
3 \t large egg whites , room temperature

Instructions



1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch-wide by 2-inch-high round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease paper rounds, dust pans with flour, and knock out excess. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 1/2 cups sugar together in large bowl. In 4-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and yolks.


2. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-high speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. With machine running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; continue to beat until stiff peaks just form, 30 to 60 seconds (whites should hold peak but mixture should appear moist). Transfer to bowl and set aside.


3. Add flour mixture to now-empty mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment. With mixer running at low speed, gradually pour in butter mixture and mix until almost incorporated (a few streaks of dry flour will remain), about 15 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape whisk and sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium-low speed and beat until smooth and fully incorporated, 10 to 15 seconds.


4. Using rubber spatula, stir 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten, then add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Lightly tap pans against counter 2 or 3 times to dislodge any large air bubbles.
.

5. Bake until cake layers begin to pull away from sides of pans and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with small knife, then invert onto greased wire rack and peel off parchment. Invert cakes again and cool completely on rack, about 1 1/2 hours.

Quick and Rich Vanilla Frosting- Cook's Illustrated

This makes enough frosting for a two-layer, 8- or 9-inch cake or a 9 by 13-inch sheet cake. For a three-layer cake, increase the heavy cream to 3 tablespoons, the butter to 3 sticks, and the confectioners' sugar to 3 cups. Be sure to use unsalted butter here or your frosting will taste salty.
Ingredients
2 \ttablespoons heavy cream
1 \tteaspoon vanilla extract
\tPinch table salt
2 1/2 \tsticks unsalted butter , softened
2 1/2 \tcups confectioners' sugar
Instructions

1.

Stir the cream, vanilla, and salt together in a small bowl until the salt dissolves. Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Reduce the speed to medium-low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar, and beat until smooth, 2 to 5 minutes. Beat in the cream mixture. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, 4 to 8 minutes.
2.

To Make Ahead

The frosting can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Before using, let stand at room temperature to soften, then whisk briefly to re-fluff.

This frosting may be made with milk, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate. For our Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake (see related recipe), we prefer a frosting made with milk chocolate. Cool the chocolate to between 85 and 100 degrees before adding it to the butter mixture. The frosting can be made 3 hours in advance. For longer storage, refrigerate the frosting, covered, and let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
Ingredients

Foolproof Chocolate Icing- Cook's Illustrated

20 \ttablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , softened (60 to 65 degrees)
1 \tcup confectioners' sugar (4 ounces)
3/4 \tcup Dutch-processed cocoa
\tPinch table salt
3/4 \tcup light corn syrup
1 \tteaspoon vanilla extract
8 \tounces milk chocolate , melted and cooled slightly (see note)

Instructions

1.

In food processor, process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds. Frosting can be used immediately or held (see note).


Whipped Cream Icing from Recipezaar.com


* 1 pint heavy cream, well chilled
* 1 cup sifted icing sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

Variations

*

Chocolate

* 1/2 cup cocoa, sifted in with in the icing sugar

Coffee

* 1 tablespoon instant coffee, dissolved in the cream

Lemon

* 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
* 1 finely grated lemon, rind of, in place of the vanilla

Orange

* 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
* 1 finely grated orange, rind of, in place of the vanilla

Nut

* 1 teaspoon almond extract, in place of the vanilla
* 3/4 cup minced nuts, of your choice,folded in

Tipsy

* 1-2 tablespoon brandy or rum or bourbon, in place of the vanilla (For extra tipsy, pierce the cake layers and dribble with more of the same type of liquor and let sta)

Directions


1
Using both a chilled bowl and chilled beaters, beat the cream until frothy.

2
Add the icing sugar and vanilla gradually while beating.

3.
Whip until light and a thick enough consistency to spread as an icing.

4
Use immediately.