Honestly Me: five.

Practice cakes for 'S's birthday party have begun! Let me share with you the steps I have taken so far....

Vanilla Cake

5 large (150 grams) egg whites
1 cup (240 ml) room temperature milk, divided
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups (300 grams) sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
12 tablespoons (170 grams) room temperature unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Spray two 9-inch x 1 1/2 inch (23 x 4 cm) cake pans with a non stick vegetable/flour spray, line bottoms with parchment paper, then spray again with the non stick vegetable/flour spray. Can also butter and flour the pans instead of using the spray.

In a medium bowl whisk together the egg whites, 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk, and vanilla extract.

In the bowl of your electric mixer combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and remaining 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 2 minutes to aerate and develop the cake's structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the egg mixture, in 3 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to fully incorporate the egg.

Divide the batter and pour into the prepared pans, smoothing the surface with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. (Pans will be about half full.) Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in center.

Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool, in their pans, for about 10 minutes. Then invert the cakes onto a greased rack. To prevent splitting, re-invert cakes so that tops are right side up. Cool completely before frosting.

This Vanilla Cake recipe comes from Rose Levy Beranbaum's Cake Bible and it uses a slightly different method to mix the cake batter.
Instead of the more common 'creaming' method where the butter and sugar are creamed together first and then the eggs, followed by the flour and milk are added, this recipe uses what we call the 'one bowl' or 'quick method'. This means all the dry ingredients are first put into a mixing bowl and then room temperature butter, along with room temperature milk, are added. (It is very important that the butter be at room temperature, so it is blends into the batter.) These ingredients are beaten together and then egg whites, vanilla extract, and the remaining milk are beaten into the batter. The reason for adding the liquid 'after' the butter and flour have been combined, (instead of 'with' the flour) is to reduce the gluten formation in the flour. This can only happen if the butter has first had the chance to coat all of the flour before the liquid is added which has a toughening affect. This method produces a cake that literally seems to melt-in-your-mouth and it has a very moist, dense, and velvety texture.

The batter made 4 mini cake pans used for the dresses of the dolls and one 9" round layer.

I'm thinking I'll make one layer vanilla and the other one chocolate...

Here are the dolls that I will be using...

This is how the "skirts" turned out, I was very happy with them!

Here is how they looked after the crumb coat, apparently not only used for fondant! I have never used one before and I would highly reccomend it! Basically you ice a layer to thinly cover the cakes and scrape them smooth. I found a great technique, you simply take a strip of ordinary paper
and make a U shape with it, you then place the bottom of the U opposite from you on the cake starting at the bottom gently pull it towards the top of the cake. I couldn't believe how smooth the result was! I hope that made sense, if it didn't and you would like to see how it's done let me know and I will find the video and post it. Once you have smoothed the icing out you place it in the fridge to 45 minutes or so and then proceed to ice the cake as usual, it makes it so much easier to decorate!