Basic Yellow Cake Recipe

In measuring cup, mix milk and vinegar (to make buttermilk). Set aside 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350?F. Butter 2 8-inch springform pans. Top with round parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a stand mixer with beater attached, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Split vanilla beans, scrape out seeds, and add to batter. Beat until blended. Reserve seeded pods for another use.

Add a third of flour mixture into batter; beat until just blended. Beat in half the buttermilk. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk, ending with the flour.

Divide batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick emerges cleanly from cake's center. Cool.

Make Buttercream: In bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attached, whip butter on medium speed until creamy. Reduce to low; alternating, whisk in powdered sugar and milk into butter, ending with sugar. Whisk in vanilla and food coloring then whip buttercream on high, 1 minute, until light and creamy. Fill a piping bag with a closed star tip.

To assemble: Place a cake layer on an 8-inch cake board. Spread with buttercream. Place second cake layer on top of first. Coat cake with a thin buttercream layer (crumb coat). Chill until firm, about 4 hours. Once chilled, pipe rosettes along sides of cake, starting at bottom and moving counter-clockwise. Repeat with second layer, until sides are completely covered. To decorate the top, create a rosette in the center of the cake. Pipe more rosettes around the center rosette until entire top surface is covered. Fill in spaces between rosettes with more buttercream. Chill until ready to serve.

Recipe originally published in the May 2015 issue of Good Housekeeping Philippines.