plus du gâteau

as promised the recipes for the delightful cake that andrew and his family dined on {i'm in a cake-free zone until my birthday}.

for two 8-inch round cakes, relatively thick in height...

ingredients
1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs plus 4 large egg yolks
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

directions
preheat oven to 350 degrees. butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour.
in a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time.
beat in vanilla. alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
divide batter between pans; smooth tops. bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes.
let cool in pans 10 minutes.
run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.
let cool completely.

buttercream icing
1 1/3 cups sugar
7 large egg whites
pinch of salt
1 1/4 pounds (5 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer.
set over a pan of simmering water. whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and mixture registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer {if you're like me, and without an electric candy thermomter, it should be about the temperature of your latte}.
return bowl to mixer; fit mixer with whisk attachment. beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, and mixture is cool, about 10 minutes.
with mixer on medium speed, add butter, 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. mix, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until mixture is smooth. mix in vanilla extract. use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.

i added two ounces of dark chocolate, melted on my double boiler to this recipe for the chocolate icing, which was perfect!

{recipes adapted from martha stewart}