brown sugar cake

MAKES THREE 9-INCH LAYERS

• 3 ¾ cups cake flour
• 1 ¾ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 ¾ cups buttermilk
• 5 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixer bowl; whisk gently to combine. Add the brown sugar, butter, and 1 ½ cups of the buttermilk to the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, blend to incorporate. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Whisk the eggs with the remaining ¼ cup buttermilk and the vanilla and add to the batter in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well and beating only long enough to incorporate between additions. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared pans.
4. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes; then turn out onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and allow to cool completely before filling and frosting.