Not-so-Basic Butter Cake
Recipe Mari Loewen, Photography Ross Cornish
How can something so basic be so beautiful? When I first tried this recipe I was looking for a simple cake, easy to make. What I found was extraordinary, with a heavy coffee cakelike consistency. We gave it the respect it deserves with white linen and a Victorian cake stand. And with such appeal, we gave it our cover!
3/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
2 1/4 cups allpurpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
White icing
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
For icing, place lemon juice and corn syrup into small bowl, mix well. Sift in icing sugar gradually, mixing well until completely smooth.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
Place butter, sugar, and vanilla in bowl of mixer beat and mix until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then sour cream and mix well. In separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder, and add to butter mixture. Pour into baking pan and bake for 60 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Cool then invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
Pour icing over inverted cooled cake. Serves 8.
