Vanilla Genoise Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Icing

Developed by Chef Claire Tansey. Highlights sugar's role in stabilizing and temperature increase. Serves 8-10.

Ingredients

Vanilla Genoise Cake:

1 1/3 cups cake & pastry flour

1/4 tsp salt

6 eggs

4 egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Icing: 

3 egg whites

3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cut into pieces and at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Vanilla Genoise Cake: 

Spray 2 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line with parchment. Spray again. 

Combine flour and salt in a small bowl and reserve. Preheat oven to 400F. 

Whisk eggs with egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in the metal bowl of an electric stand mixer. Set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk vigorously (by hand) until sugar dissolves. Place bowl in electric mixer and whisk on medium-high for 2 minutes. Increase speed to high. Beat until mixture is pale and thick, about 4 more minutes. 

Sift flour mixture overtop and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Just before flour is incorporated, drizzle butter down side of the bowl and gently fold to incorporate. Divide batter between prepared pans. Tap each pan firmly on the counter three times to remove large air bubbles. Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until golden. Invert cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Fill and frost with Swiss meringue buttercream. 

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Icing: 

Whisk egg whites with sugar in the metal bowl of an electric stand mixer. Set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk vigorously (by hand) until sugar dissolves. Place bowl in electric mixer and whisk on medium, increasing speed to high, until it forms stiff, glossy peaks, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add butter, one piece at a time, beating until incorporated. Beat in vanilla and salt.