Classic Yellow Cake

This came to me from Epicurious. I tinkered with it a bit.

Makes a 9-inch, four-layer cake

Preheat oven to 350°

Spray two nine-inch round cake pans with baking release and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Sift together:

3 ½ cups cake flour
1 T baking powder
¾ t baking soda
1 t salt

Cream together until light and fluffy:

8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 ¾ cups sugar

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl and cream another minute or so. Slowlhy add:

4 eggs, one at a time, pausing between each addition

Add:

2 t vanilla extract

Add about half the dry ingredients and combine slowly for a minute. Add:

2 cups sour cream

Add the remaining flour and mix until just combined. Finish mixing by hand with a spatula.

Divide batter between pans and smooth tops. Bake in the middle of oven until golden and springy to the touch, about 30-40 minutes. The cake will pull away from the sides of the pan and a wooden toothpick or skewer will come out clean when done.

Cool cakes in their pans to room temperature, then stick in the refrigerator overnite to cool completely.

Release from pans and trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make flat. Halve each cake horizontally to make a total of four layers.