Description
I’ve tried so many cakes!! I don’t know why it has to be so hard?!?! Pretty sure we landed on a winner however in Jocelyn Delk Adams’ book, ‘Grandbaby Cakes’. For a reasonably quick and fabulous treat/cake craving, Vanilla Buttermilk Cake (with Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting), will always win…but for a fancier dessert and an occasion where your kid can practice her cake decorating skills, this recipe has won the yellow cake go-to award hands down – enjoy!
Ingredients
For 3, 9-inch cakes;
1 c. butter, room temperature
2 1/2 c. sugar
7 eggs, room temperature
3 c. sifted cake flour AND 1 t. salt
1/2 t. EACH baking powder AND baking soda
1 c. sour cream, room temperature
1/3 c. canola oil AND 1 T. vanilla
Whipped Chocolate Frosting – this amount is perfect for a 3-layer cake if you take care
3/4 c. (170 g) butter, room temperature
5 c. (565 g) icing sugar AND 1 c. (84 g) cocoa
1/4 t. kosher salt
1 c. cold cream AND 1 T. vanilla
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325, liberally butter 3, 9-inch round cake pans, line them with parchment and butter the parchment.
Using your electric mixer, beat the butter for 2 minutes on high speed, then reduce to low speed and slowly add in the sugar. Once it’s blended, scrape down the bowl and beat for another 5 minutes until the mix is very pale yellow and very fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 or 2 at a time, blending well in between and scraping down the bowl as needed.
Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and add in the flour in 2 batches, then the salt, baking powder and baking soda, being careful not to overbeat. Scrape down the bowl and add in the sour cream, oil and vanilla, beat to combine, then scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix well one last time. The batter should be pale yellow and have a silky texture.
Divide evenly into your prepared pans and level out the tops. Bake for about 30 minutes until the edges are browned, the tops bounce back to a light touch and an instant thermometer reads 200 right in the middle of each. Allow the cakes to sit in their pans for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely. If you’re making the cakes the same day as serving, loosely cover them with another piece of parchment as they cool so they don’t dry out. Once cooled, frost and decorate as you wish or wrap each individually (I placed each in their own Ziploc with a piece of parchment on top and bottom so no bits would stick) and freeze until you need them – more options this way! Now you’re ready for a 1, 2 or 3 layer celebration cake!
For the frosting, use your electric mixer to beat the butter on it’s own for a couple of minutes, then add in the icing sugar, cocoa and salt and carefully mix until the everything is incorporated – this stage will be very crumbly.
With the mixer on low, pour in the cream and vanilla and once it has come together, scrape down the bowl and then whip until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
I would recommend frosting the cake straight away – I had mine thawing on the counter with the freezer bags open for a couple of hours prior to assembly. Try to place an even amount of frosting between layers, but otherwise go for it in the decoration department!