I've tried a bunch of them, and can not find one that is not dry and heavy. I don't know what the secret is, maybe more eggs? The best ones seem to come from a box. I love yellow cake and my SIL wanted one for his last birthday. I made this one from Cooks Illustrated, and was, again, disappointed and I didn't have any eggs left. Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake Makes two 9-inch cake layers. Published March 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated. Nonstick cooking spray can be used for greasing the pans (proceed with flouring as directed). Bring all ingredients to room temperature before beginning. Frost the cake with our Foolproof Chocolate Frosting (see related recipe) or your favorite topping. Ingredients 2 1/2 cups cake flour , plus extra for dusting pans 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon table salt 1 3/4 cups sugar (12 1/4 ounces) 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly 1 cup buttermilk , room temperature 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 6 large egg yolks , room temperature 3 large egg whites , room temperature Instructions Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch-wide by 2-inch-high round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease paper rounds, dust pans with flour, and knock out excess. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 1/2 cups sugar together in large bowl. In 4-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and yolks. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-high speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. With machine running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; continue to beat until stiff peaks just form, 30 to 60 seconds (whites should hold peak but mixture should appear moist). Transfer to bowl and set aside. Add flour mixture to now-empty mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment. With mixer running at low speed, gradually pour in butter mixture and mix until almost incorporated (a few streaks of dry flour will remain), about 15 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape whisk and sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium-low speed and beat until smooth and fully incorporated, 10 to 15 seconds. Using rubber spatula, stir 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten, then add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Lightly tap pans against counter 2 or 3 times to dislodge any large air bubbles. Bake until cake layers begin to pull away from sides of pans and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with small knife, then invert onto greased wire rack and peel off parchment. Invert cakes again and cool completely on rack, about 1...

Here is one for the chocolate layer that is very delicious. We made this for a grooms cake a few years back and everyone commented on the chocolate layer. It is also a great cake for any time, made from scratch and very easy. CAKE 3 squares unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled 2 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 3 eggs, room temp 1 1/2 t. vanilla 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 T.cornstarch 2 t.BS 1/4 t. salt 1 cup sour cream, room temp 1 cup boiling water BAKING THE CAKE Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 9 inch layer pans and line with parchment paper circles or a 9 by 13 inch rectangular pan (this makes a great 9X13) cake. Cream the melted, cooled chocolate with the butter. Add the sugar until light & fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients, along with sour cream alternating dry ingredients and sour cream until batter is smooth, mixing on the low speed of the mixer, scraping bowl often. Add the boiling water. The Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes until cake tests done. Do not over bake! Cool in pan about 15 minutes, then turn out onto cake rack. Use whatever filling/icing you would like, but one with a coffee/mocha flavor is best in my opinion. Good luck!

Irene was my great -aunt, my maternal grandmother's youngest sister. I remember her house at Lake Lotawana for its endearing charm and quirkiness. She had a pet mynah bird there. But the cookie shop was a kid's dream come true. Oh, it smelled so good! The adults would have me sit on a large metal can to stay out of the way. The sugar cookies had a hole in the center and i could stack them on my finger like rings. They let me eat as much as I wanted, to keep me occupied, I'm sure. I wish I still had our old cookie jar!

Well, a little late but here is an outstanding oatmeal cookie recipe. In fact, my son says I should quit my design job and sell these on the street if I really want to be a success. And when dh took some to work with him one of his colleagues who tried them immediately proposed marriage to me. When dh pointed out that I was already married to HIM, his colleague said, "Yeah, but you gotta die sometime!" Oatmeal Cookies 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1/2 cup butter (don't use all butter or the cookies will be too soft and spread all over) 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup white granulated sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (NOT artificial) 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (this is the secret!) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans Beat the shortening, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixer bowl until creamy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Combine the flour, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in another bowl and mix well. Add to the creamed mixture gradually, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the oats and pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls (I use a mini ice cream type scoop so they will be uniform) onto a baking stone (Pampered Chef or similar) or a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or til light brown. The time will depend on your particular oven. The trick is to get the cookies barely done but not so well done that they are no longer chewy. When cookies come from the oven they should be light brown and look a little bit shiny and wet in places. It should be almost impossible to remove them from the baking sheet immediately from the oven so cool the cookies on the stone or cookie sheet for 2 minutes. During that time they continue to cook a little and become firm enough to remove but they will still be very soft. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely. When the cookies cool they will be delicately crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside. Makes about 3 dozen....and your reputation!