Vanilla Cake with Malted Chocolate Frosting

Serves: 16

Vanilla Cake:

3/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups cake flour

1 3/4 cups vanilla sugar or granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened

5 egg whites

1 recipe Malted Chocolate Frosting

Malted milk ball candies (optional)

Malted Chocolate Frosting:

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened

6 – 8 cups powdered sugar

1 cup chocolate-flavored malted milk powder

4 – 8 tablespoons evaporated milk or milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Vanilla Cake:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper; butter paper. Flour pans; set aside.

In a 1-cup measuring cup stir together milk and vanilla bean paste or extract; set aside. In a large mixing bowl stir together the cake flour, vanilla sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and milk mixture; beat on low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Increase speed to medium; beat for 1 minute.

Add two of the egg whites; beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add the remaining three egg whites; beat for 30 seconds.

Divide batter between prepared pans; spread evenly. Bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; remove parchment. Cool completely on wire racks.

Place one cake layer, top side up, on a serving plate. Spread with some of the frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with additional frosting (use any extra frosting for piping or for spreading onto cupcakes or cookies). Decorate as desired with malted milk balls just before serving.

For the Malted Chocolate Frosting:

In a very large mixing bowl beat the butter on medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in 6 cups of the powdered sugar and the malted milk powder. Increase speed to medium and add 4 tablespoons of the milk, the vanilla, and salt. Beat for 2 minutes or until smooth.

Add enough of the remaining powdered sugar or milk to make a frosting that is spreadable.

Make-ahead tip:

Prepare frosting up to 5 days ahead. Transfer to a storage container; cover and chill up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or until soft enough to spread. Assembled cake can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature about 1 hour before serving.

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