Triple Vanilla Cake + When to Use Vanilla Extract vs Beans vs Paste #baking

Triple Vanilla Custard Cake (yield: 8-inch cake)

Yellow Cake
2 c (400g) granulated sugar
6 oz (170g) unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp toasted milk powder
2 eggs
6 egg yolks
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2½ cups (325g) cake flour, sifted
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine salt
2 tbsp (25g) vegetable oil
1 c (227g) buttermilk, room temperature

1. Cream sugar, butter, and toasted milk powder together until fluffy and lightened in color, approximately 4-6 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, yolks, and vanilla one at a time, waiting until the first is completely incorporated before adding the next.
3. In two separate bowls mix together the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients.
4. Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the mixing bowl, with three additions of the dry and two of the wet. Stop mixing as soon as you can’t see any streaks of dry flour.
5. Divide between two 8-inch cake pans that have been prepared with nonstick spray and a circle of parchment paper.
6. Bake at 350F (180C) for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
7. Let cool and then cut each layer in half before filling with the custard filling and frosting with the French buttercream.

Pastry Cream
2 c (454g) whole milk
1/4 c (50g) sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
6 egg yolks
3.5 tbsp (32g) cornstarch
1/4 c (50g) sugar
1.5 oz (43g) unsalted butter

1. Heat the milk, first sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium heat until it comes to just below a boil. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes.
2. Mix together the egg yolks, cornstarch, and second sugar in a separate bowl.
3. Temper the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture by slowly adding some of the hot liquid to the yolks while whisking constantly.
4. Remove the vanilla pod and return everything to the pot and cook on medium heat until thickened and boiled for one full minute.
5. Off the heat, strain through a sieve and add butter, whisking until homogenous.
6. Press plastic wrap directly on the pastry cream and refrigerate until cool.
7. Stir with spatula to loosen when ready to use.

Stabilized Whipped Cream
¾ tsp powdered gelatin
1 tbsp water
1 c (227g) heavy cream
2 tbsp (25g) vanilla sugar

1. Mix the gelatin and cold water together in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Melt the gelatin and water over a hot water bath or a low burner. Add 2 Tbsp of the heavy cream to the gelatin mixture and stir to combine.
3. Add the remaining heavy cream to a mixing bowl with the vanilla sugar. Mix on medium speed until soft peaks form.
4. Slowly stream in the gelatin/cream mixture and continue mixing until medium peaks form.
5. Fold together with the cooled pastry cream.

French Buttercream
8 egg yolks
1 c (200g) superfine sugar
1.5 tbsp water
2 tbsp toasted milk powder
10.5 oz (298g) unsalted butter
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
1/4 tsp fine salt

1. Add the egg yolks, sugar, water, and toasted milk powder to a heat proof bowl and set over a pot of barely simmering water.
2. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches a temperature of 160-165F (71-74C).
3. Pour the egg yolk and sugar mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on medium-high speed. (Note: many recipes have you heat the egg yolks or whites and sugar in the bowl of the mixer. I prefer to use a separate bowl for the double boiler and whisking steps in order to speed up the cooling process).
4. Whisk until the bowl is cool to the touch. Depending on your mixer this will take anywhere from 7-12 minutes.
5. Once the bowl is cool, add the softened butter a tablespoon or two at a time (you should be able to make an indent in the butter but it should not be so soft that you can easily push right through).
6. Continue mixing until the buttercream comes together. (It may look curdled at first but should eventually come together. If it does not, heat the bowl for a couple minutes before returning to the mixer. If it does not come together and stays thin, place the bowl in the fridge for 10-15 minutes at a time before re-mixing).
7. Finish with vanilla bean paste and salt.

[exorack]

Only issue I have is with the fact that vanilla beans tend to hurt my wallet quite a bit

[StickTimmy]

You're definitely the best baking channel on the whole internet- the combination of great voice-over and fantastic visuals makes it so interesting to watch!

[w]

And, of course, he puts the recipe in the description
This man loves baking and loves sharing his love with others
Thank you, sir, for what you do. You’ve helped me improve in my baking and I hope you get out of this all you need. Godspeed Ben

[SamSolasdonSaol]

I'm 54 yrs. old and have been baking since I could stand upright and almost every one of these gives me an "Aha!" moment. Thanks for doing what you do... this Nama appreciates you. ❤️

[bradydomann]

I will never understand why when someone hears ‘vanilla, ’ they think boring. Vanilla is such an underrated flavor. 🥰

[ethanlennon]

So happy to see that Good Eats basically lives on

[daniwells]

I'm a vanilla girlie-always have been. I love vanilla everything! This cake seems like pure heaven to me 😍

[ronlittlejohn]

It still amazes me how your 1 min shorts provide more learning than other channel 5-10 min videos.

[cheekers]

Would love a video on different sweeteners in cakes. I’ve been working on making cakes that are sweetened with dates instead of sugar

[waxtrax_]

Any time I see the little specks of real vanilla in the dessert I know I'm in for a good time

[yoinki_sploinki]

That cake is such a default character and I love it

[harryclark]

Love this channel! Great tip with the vanilla pod into sugar for whipped cream!

[mcpeng]

I love how you not only explain everything but also show a real life example by making a cake!

[IAmTerminallyBored]

Looks good. Vanilla is a great flavor. I’ll have to try making this cake when I have the time.

[alexishitcher]

Vanilla is my favorite flavor and this cake feels like my life would be forever changed if i ate it 🤤

[alexas.]

Thank you for adding the recipe in the description! Not a lot of Food influencers would do that, especially in the yt shorts 😅 (gatekeeping). Some of us want to learn and understand how the process of banking goes

[iffyfox]

I've always seen people throw out the pods, using it to make vanilla sugar is SUCH a good idea. Thanks again Ben!

[_not_heather_]

To be honest I haven't even baked once but I still watch his videos because it's satisfying 🙃✨

[dvstcod]

i've been told to add vanilla extract to everything that isn't going to get heaten up to preserve the vanilla flavour, and add vanilla sugar to things that are going to be baked

[myaursus]

your videos are always so comprehensive. I feel like I'm actually learning right now!