Vanilla Buttermilk Elegance Cake

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Cake Pans

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line them with parchment paper, grease the parchment, and then dust with flour.

2. Combine Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1.5 cups (10.5 ounces) of the granulated sugar.

3. Combine Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, mix the melted and cooled butter with the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add 3 egg yolks to this wet mixture and stir until smooth.

4. Beat Egg Whites

In another bowl, beat the 3 egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.

5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

6. Fold in Egg Whites

Gently fold a third of the whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.

7. Divide and Bake

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops. Bake in the preheated oven, starting to check for doneness at around 25 minutes. The cakes are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

8. Cool the Cakes

Once baked, let the cakes cool in their pans for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.