Vanilla Break Compromise Cake

This original cake recipe is not quite so rich and dense as a pound cake (but almost!) nor so sweet and fluffy as a yellow cake (but almost!) – I think it’s the ratios and buttermilk that do it. I Made this for a party, iced half with a simple peanut butter caramel and left half plain. It got sucked down, but not before I noticed it was a nice balance of textures and tastes.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 16-24 Slices or Squares

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  packed light brown sugar
• 1 1⁄4 cups white sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
• 4  large eggs
• 4  teaspoons vanilla extract or 4  teaspoons  almond extract or 4  teaspoons  lemon extract
• 3 1⁄4 cups flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Grease or spray 9 x 13 or 10-inch bundt pan.
2. Preheat oven to 350° or 325°.
3. Mix together thoroughly the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
4. Mix together thoroughly the three sugars in a bowl.
5. Combine butter and sugars until the mixture is creamy and air is well incorporated.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the flavoring, beating thoroughly after each addition to emulsify.
7. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk, ending with buttermilk. Make sure not to overmix!