Step-by-Step – The Cake
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) . Grease a
10-inch Bundt pan, tube pan, or 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. For a Bundt pan, dust with flour (or use Baker’s Joy).
Pro tip: A Bundt pan gives you beautiful ridges for the sauce to pool in. But a 9×13 works beautifully too.
Step 2: Whisk Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer with paddle attachment), beat the softened butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth (about 1 minute). Add the granulated sugar and beat for another 2-3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and pale in color.
Pro tip: Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. This ensures even mixing.
Step 4: Add Eggs (One at a Time)
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after
each addition. The mixture should look smooth and glossy. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Step 5: Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients
Add about one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Add half the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Repeat: dry, buttermilk, dry.
Do not overmix. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes the cake dense and tough. Stop when the flour just disappears.
Step 6: Bake
Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake at 325°F for 55-65 minutes (Bundt pan) or 35-45 minutes (9×13 pan). A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
If the top is browning too quickly: Loosely tent with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Step 7: Cool (But Not Completely)
Let the cake
cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then invert onto a wire rack (for a Bundt pan) or leave in the pan (for a 9×13). For the best sauce absorption, the cake should be warm when you pour the buttermilk sauce over it.
Step-by-Step – The Buttermilk Sauce (Make While the Cake Bakes)
This sauce is simple, fast, and absolutely essential.
