Description
This elegant six-inch yellow cake combines the richness of butter with the moisture of oil and sour cream to create a perfectly tender crumb. It is a simple, approachable recipe designed to help home bakers achieve a professional, minimalist look with basic pantry staples and minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Fine sea salt
- Salted butter, softened
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- Sour cream
- Whole milk
- Canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottoms of two 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter or non-stick spray.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt until well combined to ensure an even rise.
- In a main mixing bowl, beat the softened salted butter and granulated sugar together for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, and beat for 60 seconds until the batter is pale and thick.
- Gently stir in the sour cream, whole milk, and canola oil until the liquid base is mostly combined.
- Incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently with a spatula or whisk until just combined to keep the texture soft.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared 6-inch pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for 30 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before applying frosting.
Notes
For the most stable layers, consider baking your cakes a day in advance and wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap before storing them in the freezer; this makes the frosting process much easier and reduces crumb dispersion. Always ensure your eggs and milk are at room temperature before mixing to create a smooth, emulsified batter that rises evenly.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American