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Prepare oven and pans Heat oven to 350F, with racks in the middle of oven.
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Brush two 8-inch square or two 9-inch round cake pans with softened butter and line bottoms with parchment paper; butter parchment.
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Dust pans with all-purpose flour, and tap out excess.
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Combine dry ingredients Whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
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Cream butter and sugar Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 6 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
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Add remaining ingredients Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate fully after each and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
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Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk and ending with the flour.
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(Alternating the ingredients helps them incorporate more easily into the batter, while also reducing the risk of losing volume.)
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Beat in vanilla.
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The batter should be smooth and very thick.
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Bake cakes Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula (pans should be about half full).
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Bake, carefully rotating pans halfway through, until cakes spring back when lightly touched, and a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
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Cool Transfer pans to wire racks; let cool 20 minutes.
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Carefully run a paring knife around the outer edge of the cakes to loosen.
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Holding rack over pan with a dish towel invert cakes onto racks.
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Carefully lift off pan, then remove and discard parchment.
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Let cool completely.
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(If not using immediately, wrap layers in plastic and store at room temperature overnight or in refrigerator up to 3 days.
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Cake layers can also be frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 2 months.)
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Frost cakes Reinvert cakes, top sides up.
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Place one layer on a cake stand or platter lined with parchment paper.
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With a long serrated knife, trim top to make level.
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Using an offset spatula, spread with a 1/4-inch-thick layer (about 1 1/4 cups) of buttercream.
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Trim top of other layer, then place top side down
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Follow the recipe above, lining standard muffin tins with paper liners (if you need to bake them in batches, replace liners after each batch has been baked and removed from the tin).
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Fill each cup halfway with batter, and bake until a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.
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Cool in tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out cupcakes onto rack and cool completely.
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Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 1 week before frosting.
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29
(makes 42)
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30
When a recipe calls for flour, be sure to follow the order for measuring and sifting.
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For example, 3 cups sifted flour means to sift, then measure; 3 cups flour, sifted calls for measuring before sifting.
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Cake flour is often sifted, as it is finer and more prone to clumping.
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There are a few ways to make sure a cake has finished cooking, inside and out.
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A cake tester inserted in the center should come out clean, with no crumbs or moist batter attached.
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The top of the cake should be golden (unless its chocolate) and spring back when lightly touched, and the cake should be beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.
