Basic Yellow Cake

I ran out of vanilla and used approximately 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla (all I had left) and about 1/4 tsp almond extract.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (do not sift the flour)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
Vegetable oil
1 stick butter (not margarine), softened
1-tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°

Cut wax paper to fit the bottom of (3) 9 x 1 1/2-inch round pans. Spray the pans with cooking spray, place the wax paper in the pans and spray the paper.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, mixing well.

Measure the 1-1/4 cups of milk in a 2 cup measuring cup….then add enough vegetable oil to bring the liquid up to 1-1/3 cups.

Add the milk/vegetable oil mixture, butter and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed.

Add the eggs and continue beating an additional 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center of cake comes out clean, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center.

Cool cakes on wire racks for 15 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.

Coconut Buttercream Frosting (when you're out of vanilla, you have to get creative): This is enough to frost only one layer--I ran out of powdered sugar. I'd recommend making more for the whole cake. I didn't test larger amounts--I made one round cake and the rest were cupcakes, which I burned and then tossed, so I just needed this much.

6 Tbsp butter, softened
2-3 cups powdered sugar
a few Tbsp whole milk
food coloring
1 tsp coconut extract
1/4 tsp almond extract

Put all into mixer (start w/ 1-2 Tbsp milk) and mix until thoroughly combined. Keep adding milk a Tbsp at a time until you get desired consistency.