Classic white layer cake with vanilla buttercream
Sally's Baking Recipes · 12 min video
Read about layer cakes in the BrightCulinary Book
Timestamp
Ingredients
Method
Techniques
- cake flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- room temperature butter
- regular white sugar
Beat the room-temperature butter and sugar on high about three minutes until light and creamy.
- 5 whole egg whites
Scrape down, add the five egg whites and mix; scrape the sides and paddle.
Egg whites, sour cream and vanilla
Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix just until incorporated.
Adding dry ingredients and milk
- full fat sour cream
- pure vanilla extract
- whole milk
Add the dry ingredients on low speed, pouring in the whole milk while it runs; mix just until smooth, without overmixing.
- nonstick spray
Spray two cake pans, lay in parchment rounds traced from the pan bottom, and spray again.
Lining and greasing the pans
Divide the batter between the pans (by eye or by weight) and smooth the tops.
Bake at 350F about 24 to 25 minutes, rotating and switching the pans halfway if the oven has hot spots.
- butter
- confectioners sugar
- room temperature heavy cream
- pure vanilla extract
For the buttercream, beat the softened butter smooth, scrape down, then add the sifted confectioners sugar, heavy cream and vanilla; start on low and raise to medium-high.
To remove air bubbles, mash the buttercream against the side of the bowl with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Smoothing out air bubbles
Spread about three quarters to one cup of buttercream over the bottom layer with an offset spatula; set the second layer on upside down.
Filling and the crumb coat
Apply a thin crumb coat with about a cup of frosting, scrape off the excess, and refrigerate about 20 minutes to set.
Frost the top and sides with the rest, spreading from the top over the edges; smooth or texture the sides with a bench scraper.
Final frosting and sprinkles