Alton Brown's Gold Cake

Have I ever told ya'll how much I love Alton Brown? Seriously. Any time someone suggests baking something I'm always like 'See if Alton Brown has one!'. Me and my  mom used to watch Good Eats all the time, in fact, it may have counted as school work because of him going into the science behind everything. It was very cool, and he's very entertaining to watch.
Although, on Cutthroat Kitchen? He does scare me a little...

A while ago some family friends came over making the perfect excuse to bake something. Everyone in the house is watching what they eat *sighs* My baking addiction has been put on hold :[

I've tried making a yellow cake before and it didn't turn out good at all, it was a train-wreck in a 9 by 13in pan. So this was a lovely discovery! I made homemade peppermint icing to go with it, too.

The only complaint about this is that it needed a little extra vanilla or something, there wasn't enough flavor that really seemed to come through. (Not that I'm dogging on Alton!! His scones are AMAZING.) This was my first time making this recipe so I was afraid to alter it with how scary it sounded to make.

What you'll need:

3/4 cup butter flavored vegetable shortening, 140 grams
1 1/4 cup sugar, 300 grams
2 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted, 300 grams
3 teaspoons baking powder, 14 grams
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 egg yolks, beaten, 130 grams
3/4 cup milk, 180 grams
1 teaspoon vanilla

If you have a scale, it's better to use that, this is a very precise recipe and goes more by weight than it does volume and what not.

Also, Pillsbury Cake Flour is really good to use!! It's already pre-sifted.

Start by setting everything out to get to room temperature and setting the oven to 350.
Prepare two 9in pans, or one 9 x 13in pan with shortening and flour. Don't use butter because it's more water based and will cause the cake to not brown.

Using an electric mixer, mix shortening for about a minute until creamy and fluffy,  add in sugar and a pinch of salt then mix on medium for 4mins. (Side note, I didn't do this part. I'd completely forgotten all about it. Don't make that mistake!)
Put milk & vanilla in one container, mix, and  in a separate container mix flour and baking powder together and set both aside for later.

After the four minutes is up add in the egg yolks in slowly to the butter/sugar while mixing, don't rush this. 
Once mixed, alternate adding wet & dry ingredients by slowly adding half the flour & baking powder mixture. If you're not careful, the flour mixture may not smooth out like it should and not everything will be properly combined.
Next add half the liquid slowly, adding too much at once can possibly screw up the batter because of there not being enough try to soak it up.
Add the rest of the dry slowly, then the rest of the milk.
Add to pan(s) to oven. If you're baking with the two 9in make sure there's three inches all around each pan, or put one on a top shelf and one below it to allow proper heat circulation.
Bake for 18 - 20mins, use a toothpick and if it comes out clean, it's done!