2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
10 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
16 oz (2 cups) cups sour cream, room temperature
Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by fitting a parchment paper square between the two pieces and brushing with pan coat. Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy
(about 6 minutes at medium speed). Add extract, salt, and 1/2 cup flour, beat until combined. With the mixer running at low speed, add 1 egg and beat until fully incorporated. Repeat with each egg, beating well after each addition. Add 2 cups of flour, beating until it just disappears. Beat in sour cream, then beat in the last 2 cups of flour. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 15 seconds. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and gently shake to settle the batter. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool until the pan is cool enough to handle. To unmold, place it over a metal can and push down to remove the outer piece. Once the tube is cool enough to touch for 4 seconds, lift or turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
7 comments
@C. McGriff I do this in all of my recipes, it’s optional! The reason I add the small amount of flour before the eggs is to help maintain a silky smooth batter (an emulsion) when you’re adding the eggs. If you add the eggs too quickly, the batter can curdle (and look like cottage cheese) which could result in a dense, gummy cake. The flour is intended to help to prevent curdling!
Why do you add 1/2 cup of flour before adding the eggs & does this have to be done this way??