Buttermilk Cake

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350F.

Butter and flour the pans and line with parchment (I simply used non-stick cooking spray and had no problems).

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt onto a sheet of parchment and set aside.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk.

Pour the buttermilk into a liquid measuring cup. Add the vanilla and stir to combine.

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Cream the butter with the paddle on medium speed until it is light in color, clings to the sides of the bowl, and looks satiny (this should take about 30-45 seconds).

At the same speed, add the sugar in a steady stream.   When all of the sugar is added, turn off the machine and scrape the gritty, sandy mixture clinging to the sides into the center of the bowl.  Continue to cream at the same speed for 4-5 minutes, or until the mixture is very light in colour and fluffy in appearance.

With the mixer still on medium speed, add the eggs a tablespoon at a time.  Continue to cream, stopping the mixer and scraping the sides of the bowl at least once until the mixture is fluffy, white and increased in volume (it should look like whipped cream cheese and the graininess should disappear).  Detach the beater and bowl from the mixer.

Add 1/4 of the dry ingredients, sprinkling over the top of the creamed butter.  Fold it in with a rubber spatula, then add 1/3 of the buttermilk mixture.  Repeat, alternating dry and wet ingredients.  With each addition, scrape the sides of the bowl and continue mixing until smooth.

Spoon the batter into two 9-inch round baking pans or one 9 x 13-inch pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes for the round pans or 35 to 37 for the 9 x 13 pan, or until the baked surface springs back slightly when touched lightly in the center and the sides begin to contract from the pan.

Place the cake pans on racks and cool for 5-10 minutes before removing cakes from the pans.  Cool cake completely before frosting.

Makes 1 9-inch layer or 1 13 x 9-inch cake.

Vanilla Frosting

2 1/2 sticks butter (1 1/4 cups)

5 cups icing sugar

1 T vanilla

1-2 T milk

In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the icing sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk. Beat at high speed until fluffy, adding an additional 1 tablespoon milk if necessary.

Printed from Brenda’s Canadian Kitchen