Plush Vanilla Cake with Sour Cream Buttercream

Have you ever wanted a cake so soft and fluffy that you could use it as a pillow?

A cake so buttery and packed with vanilla flavor that also keeps well on the counter (or even in the fridge??)

A perfectly fluffy buttercream that’s not too sweet, and a little bit tangy?

A recipe that makes a perfect 2 layer 9-inch round or 2 layer 9x13-inch cake (divide the batter between 2 quarter sheet pans)?

Well my friends, may I present you the best vanilla cake recipe I think I have ever made? I don’t want to disappoint anyone, this is not a throw everything into the bowl style snacking cake. Rather, it’s made with cake flour, buttermilk, and a combination of butter and oil for flavor and texture.

The batter is mixed using the reverse creaming method. It is my favorite method for making silky crumbed butter based cakes. With the reverse creaming method you mix all of the dry ingredients together, mix the butter into the dry ingredients, then add the liquid ingredients. Mixing the ingredients in this particular order coats the flour with fat which inhibits gluten development and makes for a very plush cake with a fine crumb.

So yes, you do need to soften the butter and bring the other liquid ingredients to room temperature, or close to it before you start mixing.

Hot tip: to quickly warm your eggs just plop them (in their shells) in a glass of warm water.

The frosting is a traditional American buttercream made with butter and powdered sugar. It also has a little bit of sour cream and lots of salt and vanilla to cut the sweetness.

This cake is also amazing with chocolate frosting. You could fill or top it with fruit. It really can do anything.

I get asked about my vintage cooling racks all of the time and they are mostly from eBay and Etsy. Similar here, here, here, here, and here.

Use the code YOSSYMATERIAL for 25% off at Material Kitchen. I especially like their microplastic free cutting boards and knives

My favorite baking pans from Nordicware. This set comes with lids that fit neatly over the pans! Here’s a smaller set, sans lids.

I also love USA Pan. They have very pleasing straight edges and corners.

My favorite spatulas by GIR

My favorite whisk for bigger jobs by OXO

Fun and colorful sheet pans by Great Jones available as half or quarter sheets. these are a bit heavier than the Nordicware, and they can double as serving platters. We love that!