This cake is rich, moist and buttery. The time it takes to leaven allows for both flour hydration and flavor development. Of course the proof is in the eating and truthfully no one will care how you made it because they will enjoy it so much.
Yeasted Vanilla Cake
Makes 1 large bundt cake
450 grams AP flour
50 grams non-fat milk powder
400 grams sugar
6 grams instant yeast
5.7 grams fine sea salt
212 grams (4 large) eggs
300 grams whole milk
40 grams vanilla paste or extract
450 grams melted and cooled unsalted butter
Put the flour, milk powder, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl and use a whisk to blend together. Put the eggs, milk, vanilla paste and melted butter in a separate bowl and whisk them together until fully blended. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk until a smooth batter is formed. Transfer the batter to a large container with a lid or cover the bowl with plastic wap. Leave the batter at room temperature. After 4 hours, remove the lid and use a rubber spatula to mix the batter together again. Cover the container or bowl and let sit at room temperature for 18 hours. The batter will rise and nearly double in volume.
Preheat an oven to 350°F / 176°C.
Use a rubber spatula to fold/ stir the batter upon itself and then pour it into a bundt pan sprayed with pan release or coated with butter. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the batter rise for 30 minutes. Discard the plastic wrap and bake the cake for 1 hour and 5-8 minutes, depending on your oven. A cake tester inserted in the center will come out clean and the cake will feel firm to the touch. To be sure, use a thermometer to check the cake's temperature. It should read between 98-99°C/ 208-210°F. Put the cake in its pan on a cooling rack. After 15 minutes invert the cake onto the rack and remove the pan. Let the cake cool. Slice and devour.
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