Favorite Vanilla Bean Cake

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (You're going to turn the oven temp down to 325 degrees once you put the cakes in the oven.)

Step 2

Grease and flour two 8' round cake pans. (If making cupcakes, read notes below)

Step 3

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk.

Step 4

In another bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, oil, vanilla, almond and eggs. Mix well with a whisk.

Step 5

Now cut your butter into chunks. Turn your mixer on low and add in the butter slowly to your dry ingredients. Mix on low to medium until all the flour is coated with the butter and the mixture is crumbly.

Step 6

Pour in about a third of the liquid mixture. Mix on low to medium until combined. About 30 seconds.

Step 7

Pour the last of the liquid mixture and mix again until combined. Don't overmix the batter.

Step 8

Use a rubber spatula and scrape the sides of the bowl. Mix again for only about 10 to 15 seconds.

Step 9

Pour into prepared pans.

Step 10

Slide into the oven and turn the oven temp down to 325 degrees. (Unless you're making these as cupcakes, in which case you'll want to read the notes below.)

Step 11

Bake approximately 40-45 minutes.

Step 12

Set on wire racks to cool for ten minutes, then turn the cakes out onto the racks and let them cool out of the pans completely.