from Susan Purdy's 'A Piece of Cake'
I make this cake for my kids' birthdays, and my friends' kids' birthdays, ever since one of the parents at a b-day party pointed out to me that all the kids were eating both the frosting and the cake.
2 c. sifted flour (I use 2 c., sifted, because I am lazy)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) lightly salted (I always use sweet) butter or margarine, room temp.
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs (I always use x-large)
3/4 c. milk
1 tsp. almond extract (I use a large slosh of vanilla)
Makes 2 9-inch layers, or I always make 1.5 recipes for a very large (smallest size specialty, 13x17?) sheet.
Grease and flour pans, heat oven to 350F.
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, beat some more. Alternately add dry and wet as 3 and 2 (I usually sift straight into the mixing bowl), mixing on low speed only until incorporated after each addition, high speed a short bit after the last addition is incorporated. (THIS CAKE IS SENSITIVE TO OVERBEATING!) Pour into pans (batter will be very thick, you will have to move it with a spatula to get it all around the pan), and bake 30-35 minutes, but check it when it starts to smell done. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then on rack.
Variations:
Orange -- add grated zest of 1.5 oranges, replace milk with orange juice, use orange extract.
Marzipan -- use almond extract, add 4 oz. canned almond pastry filling with eggs.
Chocolate -- replace 1/3 c. flour with same vol. unsweeted cocoa, add 1/4 tsp. baking soda.