Bette's Best . . . A Sour Cream Cake
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Author Notes: Of the dozens of my mother’s recipes that I copied as a teenager and have saved – and used – all these years, this is one of my favorites. In the springtime, it’s perfect with strawberries that have been lightly macerated. (In fact, this combination will be on the menu this Saturday for the Bay Area food52 potluck. It's better eaten the next day, so I'll make it on Friday and post photos then.) In the summer, we like it with raspberries or blueberries (or both), with a touch of lemon zest added to the batter. Warm chocolate sauce -- spiked or not -- poured from a pitcher goes well, too, any time. This quietly elegant cake’s crowning glory is its top crust, which is crunchy and flavorful and best, really, without any icing. The quality and flavor of the butter shine through in this one, so use the freshest sweet butter you can find. I like this cake because it’s uncomplicated and straightforward, and very, very nice. Just like my mother. Enjoy!! - AntoniaJames - AntoniaJames
Food52 Review: I knew this was a winner when my teenage daughter said "WOW" after the first bite. It is a great cake! Friday night we served it with macerated strawberries. Yum! Saturday night we ate it plain and it was still fresh even after being wrapped in plastic, sitting on the kitchen counter throughout a very humid Pennsylvania day with the top still as crunchy as the day before. On Sunday (this is a big cake!) I served it with chocolate sauce and Keeny Beany Ice Cream on the side -- the best flavor at the Penn State Creamery. Still moist and delicious. I froze a piece; it freezes beautifully and thaws as if it was never frozen. The only change I would make in the recipe is the amount of lemon zest. I zested 4 lemons as the recipe called for. My lemons were a bit on the large side, therefore the cake was quite lemony. I liked the flavor, but next time, I would cut the amount of lemons zested from 4 to 2. - lc's kitchen - A&M
Serves 12-16
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups white sugar
- 6 eggs, separated
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream (Please do not use lowfat.)
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Zest of 2 oranges or 4 lemons, or a combination (optional) (my addition)
- Unsalted butter for greasing the pan
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease well with unsalted butter a tube cake pan. Have all of your ingredients at room temperature.
- Sift the baking soda and flour. Sift again, three times.
- If you are using orange and/or lemon zest, see the instructions in Step 12, below.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar (and zest, if using) together well, for a good four or five minutes.
- Add the flavorings and beat until incorporated. (If using orange or lemon zest, consider adding some organic extract, as well. Orange and lemon are delicious together, by the way.)
- Add the yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- To the butter and sugar mixture, add half the flour mixture alternately with half of the sour cream, using a large flexible spatula to combine after each addition. Do this again with the remaining flour and sour cream.
- Beat the egg whites until just stiff, then fold them gently into the batter, using a large flexible spatula.
- Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake in the center of the oven, on an insulated baking sheet, for 1 ½ hours. A straw or thin skewer will come clean when done.
- Allow the cake to cool thoroughly in the pan before removing. This cake holds very well, for several days at least, when wrapped tightly.
- Enjoy!!
- If you are using zest in this cake, use a traditional zester and not a microplane. You leave on the microplane too much of the flavorful liquid from the zest. If you chop larger pieces of zest with sugar, you can better capture the oils and juice from the zest. To do this, take a tablespoon or so of the white sugar you’ve measured, and put it on your cutting surface. Zest your citrus over the sugar, sprinkle a bit more sugar on top, then chop the zest with the sugar. This makes it easier to chop, too, as the zest doesn’t cling as tightly to the knife blade. Using the side of your knife, scrape all of the sugar, chopped zest and juice into the mixing bowl when you add the rest of the sugar.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for The Best Recipe or Technique Your Mother Taught You
Tags: can be made ahead, delicious, elegant, old-fashioned, old-fashioned, serves a crowd, travels well
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about 1 year ago TheWimpyVegetarian
I'm making this cake for my husband's stepson's birthday. It just went into the oven. The batter tasted soooo good, and I remember how good it was at one of the potlucks at your home.
about 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks so much, CS! And I remember enjoying a nice scoop of your amazing Chocolate Sorbet (note to self . . . . get that sorbet recipe out and make some, soon) with the sour cream cake at that potluck, with a few strawberries. Hope everyone enjoys the cake! ;o)
about 1 year ago TheWimpyVegetarian
Loved it AJ. The only problem was that I felt I had to leave the cake with my husband's stepson and his family - his birthday after all. So now I'm craving more of your cake and will need to make it again...
over 1 year ago perri kramer
i just made this cake and it came out incredibly well. i am amazed and this is definitely going down as one of those cake recipes to keep forever. i am just so impressed. It's light and flavorfull but still packed with depth and substance. couldn't have been better. thanks so much!
about 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thank you, perri. I'm so glad you liked it (and like it so much you plan to keep the recipe forever. Wow.). ;o)
over 1 year ago Caria
This recipe is so similar to the one my mom makes. My mom's recipe requires you to sift the cake flour after you measure it two more times. Love the cake but hated sifting!
about 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks, Caria. Yes, the sifting is a bit more work, but for a cake like this, it's worth it, I think. ;o)
over 1 year ago big-andy
I made thhis cake this summer and it was a genuine treat. I served the cake with a warm compote of rhubarb and sour cherries, terrific!
about 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Mmmm, a warm compote of rhubarb and sour cherries! Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. I can imagine how simply perfect it would be with this cake. Thank you for your kind words . . . and the excellent suggestion. (It's duly noted in my cooking idea notebook!!) ;o)
over 1 year ago big-andy
I made thhis cake this summer and it was a genuine treat. I served the cake with a warm compote of rhubarb and sour cherries, terrific!
over 1 year ago big-andy
I made thhis cake this summer and it was a genuine treat. I served the cake with a warm compote of rhubarb and sour cherries, terrific!
over 1 year ago isac
i tried it couple days ago. i followed everything - without the zest. may be there was some mis-measurements on my part, my cake didnt turn out quite right.
it took more or less 2 hours to cook thru. and it was too sweet to my liking. it was so sweet that i cannot imagine having it with chocolate.. but again, it was probably my mistake.
almost 3 years ago LanR
I saw your recipe yesterday, and woke up this morning with an urge to make this cake!
The cake is still baking in the oven. It smells delicious and I can't wait to have it for breakfast with my husband!
about 3 years ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
lc's kitchen, thank you!! I'm so glad you and your family liked it. I should have remembered that the Meyer lemons we have on hand (on the trees nearby, actually) are fairly small, compared to those available commercially. Thanks for the suggestion! ;o)
about 3 years ago testkitchenette
I love this cake! Have fun at the potluck!
about 3 years ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks!! We will!! ;o)
about 3 years ago TheWimpyVegetarian
YUM! I can't wait to try this at the potluck. I'm experimenting with some chocolate sorbet today that I'll bring if it works out. It would go great with this wonderful sounding cake!
about 3 years ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Yes, it would, and also with the strawberries which will be served with it. Mmmmm, mmmm.
about 3 years ago TheWimpyVegetarian
And with the tarts I'm bringing.....And of course the cookies that Maria and Hope are bringing. And that's just dessert! We are going to have quite a feast my friend.
about 3 years ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Sounds great--I wish I could join your potluck!
about 3 years ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thank you so much! I wish you could, too!! Found some organic hazelnut extract, so will probably make a chocolate hazelnut sauce, too, for this. Will post the recipe if my work schedule permits . . . . ;o)
about 3 years ago aargersi
Abbie is a trusted source on General Cooking.
This sounds absolutely wonderful!
about 3 years ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
It is! Just like my mother. Who is particularly wonderful. (Just like yours . . . . ) Thank you. ;o)