Mrs.NgSK's Vanilla Butter Cake

This is not the 1st time I bake Butter Cake. But, this is a special one. The recipe that I'm gonna stick to it. To look at, I'll grant you, this is not a joyous creation, but moist and old-fashioned taste is all the more heightened for being unforeseen. I like that.

This butter cake has it's story behind. But it's too long winded to write it here. I'm gonna make it short - I had this cake before, during my schooling time at my hometown. One of my school-mate's mother baked this, and they offered me a piece of butter cake that taste really awesome. At that time, I thought that was the BEST butter cake ever! My taste-bud can be quite picky sometimes. If it is really nice, I will never forget the taste. This butter cake is one of them.

Wendy from http://www.wendyinkk.blogspot.sg/ and I are from the same school. She's my senior. Recently, she posted a butter cake called Mrs NgSK's Butter Cake recipe in her blog that makes me really wanna try. And I thought this might be the long-lost taste that I'd been looking for. I'm unsure. By looking at the picture, I'm really not sure if it is the one that I ate during my schooling time. Butter cake looks about the same on the picture lah. Yellow color loh. Hahaha... But Wendy mentioned that Mrs NgSK (the recipe originator) is from Kampar. Same home-town! So I thought this might be the one. Even if it is not the one, I thought, no harm trying also, coz the butter cake looks really good and old-fashioned type. So, I give it a try.

Butter cake is a cake that I will not bake often. Seriously not that often. Not that I don't like butter cake. I adore butter cake alot. But I try really hard to refrain myself. It's simply because butter cake is really really sinful! Although I'm not a health freak, but butter cake contain whole block of butter okay? I don't know about others, but whenever I bake butter cake, the whole block of butter is straight in the mixer. Nothing left-over.

Sinful? Just close one eye...

Because of high content of butter in the cake, I always make sure I get myself a block of good butter (eg. Lurpak, President or SCS). Please don't use cheap butter. I always believe you get what you paid for.

Ingredients
250g Salted Butter, room temperature.
200g Eggs (no shell) - About 4 eggs (Grade B).
50g + 150g Castor Sugar
200g Self raising flour, sifted
60ml Fresh Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Essence

Note :
1. Wendy used 230g butter for this cake only. But I used 250g. Because I'm lazy, I just close my eyes and throw in the whole block of butter.
2. I used Seng Choon eggs for all my cake baking. 4 eggs weighed about 240g (with shell)
3. I used Magnolia fresh milk.
4. I don't have Vanilla Pod nor Vanilla Paste at home. So, I just play-cheat. Used Vanilla Essence instead. I feel bad about it.

Method
1. Pre-heat oven at 180C (Conventional).

2. Prepare a 8 x 8 inch square pan. Line the base, grease the sides.

3. Separate egg whites & yolk. Beat egg whites until soft peaks, gradually add 50g sugar and beat until stiff.

4. Cream butter and 150g sugar until pale and fluffy. Add in Vanilla essence, beat for awhile, and followed by egg yolks one at a time.

5. Put in half the flour and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add in milk in 2 additions and mix until well incorporated. Mix in balance flour.

6. Put in half the egg whites in and mix on low speed. Pour the balance egg whits in and FOLD using your spatula.

7. Pour batter into pan and level.

8. Bake for 45minutes or until skewer comes out clean. You might to increase the baking time for another 10mins if you are not confident enough. Do it with your guts feeling. 45mins baking time is just an indication. Different oven gives different result.


You know what? after baking for 35mins, I saw a crack on my cake!!!!
For instance, my heart cracked too. In my heart, I was like "Oh no!!! This shouldn't be cracking!!!" :(

I quickly reduce the heat to 150C for the last 10minutes to prevent it from cracking further. But I think, in overall, 170C was okay. Wendy used 170C, and her cake turned out fine, but she did reduce to 150C after 30minutes bake too. 

Luckily the crack doesn't gives major problem. Still looks okay. I like the height of the cake. Although the side is abit charred. Still, I love it! For no reason, I don't know why, I love eating burnt cakes. That's why I always like eating the corner part of the cake.

Cut them into 3 portion....

Slice them accordingly. But I could guarantee you, this is really a tough job to stop my saliva from dripping. The aroma of the freshly baked butter cake is really so damned I tell you!

Look at the middle part of the cake. You could see the crack. I'm pretty sure I got to reduce the temperature from 180 degree to 170 degree, and I'm gonna use Vanilla Pod next time. I promise.

I really have to highlight this... This cake is the cake that I had during my schooling time! It's THE SAME CAKE!!! Me and Wendy had a chat over facebook today and the more we shared info to each other, the knot tied up. When she asked if I ate this cake at Taman Julong during my schooling time, this hit the spot! I'm sure that I had this Mrs Ng SK's Butter Cake before!

THIS IS THE CAKE!!!

Okays.. I'm over-reacted. But, I feel very happy!

In future, when I have my own kids, I will make sure I bake this for them, and tell them how delicious this butter cake is. And of course, while they are enjoying this cake, I will tell them the story about this is old-fashioned butter cake that I've eaten during my child-hood time.

Those who look at life rather than taking a bite out of it are not deserving of the pleasure they deny themselves. This is butter cake. Yummm~ ~ ~ 

I really really love this!

I bring some to my office and share with my colleagues. All of them loves it.

I'm so so so soooooooo happy!!! :D

Thanks to Mrs NgSK for this awesome recipe, and I have to give a real big-bear-hugs to Wendy for sharing it on her blog. Without Wendy, I think I won't be able to eat this cake again.

So, please try it! You won't regret :)

But please be warned, this is a highly addictive "one-is-never-enough" cake. Hahahah!!!!