Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 Egg Whites, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 300 grams (2 1/2 Cups) Cake Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 300 grams (1 1/2 Cups) Granulated Sugar
- 8oz (1 Cup) Butter, softened to room temperature
- 4oz (1/2 Cup) Buttermilk, at room temperature
- 4oz (1/2 Cup) Sour Cream, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 4 Large Egg Yolks, at room temperature
- Frosting options: Chocolate Mascarpone Buttercream, Fudgy Chocolate Frosting, Vanilla Buttercream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and heavily grease two 8-inch cake pans or two 9-inch cake pans, and set them aside. Your oven must be properly preheated for your cake to bake properly.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a large bowl with an electric handheld mixer beat the egg whites until foamy then sprinkle in the tablespoon of sugar and mix until stiff peaks are formed. Set aside.
- In a clean bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with an electric handheld mixer combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. Once fully combined for 30-60 seconds add the softened butter in chunks and mix until incorporated and the mixture becomes like wet sand.
- Add the buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla extract, and egg yolks. Mix until just fully combined, then gently use a spatula to fold in the egg whites. Pour into prepared pans evenly.
- Quickly and gently place the pans in the oven and do not open the oven door until the 25-minute mark. Do this very quickly and don't close the door too abruptly. Your cakes should be done baking in the 27-30 minutes mark for 8-inch cakes and 31-35 minute mark for 9-inch cakes. If you press a toothpick into the center it should come out with no wet batter, or you can gently press the top center of the cake and it should bounce bake immediately, the sides of the cake will be coming away from the edges of the pan. Set on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before inverting onto the wire rack to cool completely.
- Once completely cooled frost with your favorite frosting recipe. I place pieces of parchment paper on the serving cake plate and place the first cake layer on top. The parchment or wax paper pieces should only be one to two inches thick so you can easily pull them out front under the cake when done frosting. This helps create a cleaner serving plate. I use a small angled spatula to spread an even layer of frosting on to the first cake layer then top with the second cake layer upside down to create a flatter top surface. Make sure to get down and look at the cake at eye level to see if it is level or not, adjust as necessary. Add a thin layer of frosting around the whole cake to create a crumb coat, then place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes to set it.
- Then frost with the remaining frosting, I use a small angled spatula to create a rustic swirl, ribboned look. Gently remove the parchment paper pieces. Store the cake in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, if the frosting is okay at room temperature or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Making ahead of time: All butter cakes are delicious but have a tendency to dry out so I suggest making this cake the day you want to serve it. If you must make it ahead of time then let the cake layers cool completely and wrap them in plastic wrap tightly, twice to try and prevent the air from drying them out.
- You could also brush the cakes with a simple syrup after baking, this is a trick most bakeries do to ensure a cake stays moist for a long period of time. In a small pot mix together equal parts sugar and water, I do about 1/3 cup of each. Place over low-medium heat and mix until the sugar is dissolved then cook for another few minutes for the syrup to thicken. Once thickened remove from the heat and cool completely. Use a pastry brush to brush the simple syrup onto the cake.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
