Rose's Favorite Yellow Layer Cake
This Yellow Layer Cake recipe is from Rose Beranbaum, who wrote The Cake Bible. This yellow cake uses sour cream in it to make a light moist texture.
This Yellow Layer Cake recipe is from Rose Beranbaum, who wrote The Cake Bible. This yellow cake uses sour cream in it to make a light moist texture.
- Carbohydrate 51.6864820771816 g
- Cholesterol 2571.51087948646 mg
- Fat 75.0690794076711 g
- Fiber 0.952287526707165 g
- Protein 37.4294400470335 g
- Saturated Fat 32.3612932962151 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (316g)
- Sodium 7339.40845764534 mg
- Sugar 50.7341945504745 g
- Trans Fat 3.85926566278462 g
- Calories 1037 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350?F.
- Bake 35 to 45 minutes
- Makes: A 1-3/4 inch high cake
- Equipment: A 9 inch springform pan, bottom greased, lined with parchment, then greased and floured (preferably with spray that contains flour)
- Preheat the Oven: 20 minutes or longer before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350?F.
- Mix the Batter
- In a medium bowl, lightly combine the yolks, about 1/4 of the sour cream, and the vanilla.
- In a stand mixer bowl, with paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, the sugar, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt.
- Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and the remaining sour cream and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.
- Increase to medium speed, or high speed if using a hand held mixer, and beat for 1 minute to aerate and develop the structure. Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the egg mixture in 2 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides.
- Bake the Cake
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and it springs back when pressed lightly in the center.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides of the cake with a small metal spatula, and remove the sides of the springform. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and reinvert onto a second rack it so that the top faces up. Cool completely before frosting or wrapping airtight.
- Store airtight 3 days room temperature; 1 week refrigerated; 3 months frozen.
Cake flour does the heavy lifting in this formulation by keeping gluten development low due to its lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour, resulting in a tender crumb. Sour cream introduces crucial acidity that weakens gluten strands while simultaneously reacting with baking soda to release carbon dioxide gas, providing upward lift. Weighing the softened butter ensures that fat coats the flour particles evenly, which inhibits excessive gluten cross-linking during the initial mixing phase.
Reading the Crumb and Testing Doneness
Visual and tactile indicators replace guesswork when determining if the cake has baked completely through. Insert a thin metal cake tester or wooden toothpick into the exact center of the 9-inch springform pan; it should emerge entirely free of wet batter or clinging moist crumbs. Press the center surface lightly with a fingertip; the sponge must spring back immediately rather than leaving an indentation. Baking times span 35 to 45 minutes inside an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, but rely on those physical cues during the final ten minutes rather than the clock alone. Allow the baked round to rest in its pan on a wire rack for precisely 10 minutes before releasing the springform sides to prevent structural collapse.
- Substituting whole milk yogurt for sour cream alters fat ratios and increases moisture, potentially requiring a slight reduction in liquid elsewhere.
- Storing the cooled, unfrosted cake in an airtight container at room temperature preserves quality for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerating the wrapped cake extends storage to 1 week, though wrapping tightly prevents moisture loss in cold environments.
- Freezing the wrapped layers safely preserves the cake for up to 3 months without significant textural degradation.
