YIELD: Makes about 6 cups
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
Preparation
1. Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in vanilla bean and almond extracts.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at medium-low speed just until blended after each addition. (Batter will be thick.) Use immediately.