Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks / 340g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups (600g) granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (240ml) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Optional: ½ teaspoon almond extract (trust me, it makes a huge difference)
Equipment Needed
- 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup Bundt pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Medium mixing bowls
- Whisk and rubber spatula
- Sifter or fine-mesh sieve
- Cooling rack
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s begin with the most critical step: preparation. I can’t stress enough how important room-temperature ingredients are here. Cold butter won’t cream properly, and cold eggs or sour cream can cause the beautiful, emulsified batter to break. I take my butter, eggs, and sour cream out at least two hours before I plan to bake. I also generously grease and flour every nook of my tube pan, tapping out the excess. There’s nothing sadder than a stunning cake that won’t let go of the pan. While I prep, I preheat my oven to 325°F (165°C). A lower, slower bake is key for this dense cake to cook through without over-browning.(See the next page below to continue steps…)