BASIC BUTTERMILK CAKE

By gaster16

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 cups bleached all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preparation

Step 1

Arrange rack at the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper or wax paper, butter the paper. Beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer for 5 minutes at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Scrape the bowl and beaters and beat well to incorporate.

Sift the flour with baking powder and baking soda. Add a quarter of the flour mixture to the butter-egg mixture, then add vanilla and a third of the buttermilk. Repeat, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping well after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and spread to edges with a spatula. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a rack for 5 minutes. Turn pans onto the rack, remove parchment or wax paper and cool completely before frosting.