Ingredients:

  • 330g cake flour, sifted
  • 300g granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 225g unsalted butter, softened and cubed
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 240ml full-fat buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 450g unsalted butter, slightly cool (for buttercream)
  • 600g powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste (for buttercream)
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper for a clean release.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to aerate and distribute ingredients.
  3. With the mixer remaining on low, add the 225g of cubed butter one piece at a time. Continue mixing until the mixture resembles coarse sand with no large butter chunks remaining, effectively coating the flour in fat to minimize gluten development.