Vanilla Train Cake (a pound cake)

For Colin's 3rd Birthday we celebrated with a train cake.  He was in love with trains at the time and I had found the perfect cake pan at Williams Sonoma.  This recipe is so yummy I wanted to share it.  It works great in these little cake pans, and now you can find them everywhere in all different shapes and sizes. 
You have to make sure that you re-wash the cake pan for every batch you make and re spray the pan and flour it, in order for these to pop out correctly -  that is the secret to getting them to work right.

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla extract

Have all ingredients at room temperature.

Position a rack in the lower third of a an oven and preheat to 350.  Grease the wells of the Cake pan using a oil Spray.  Lightly flour them and remove excess flour by tapping the pan against the metal edge of your sink. 

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer.   In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until combined.  Fit the mixer with the flat beater.  Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and beat on the lowest speed until the dry ingredients are moistened, 15 to 20 seconds.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Increase the speed to medium, and beat for 30 seconds. 

Divide the batter in half and set half of it aside.  Spoon the remaining batter into the prepared wells, filling each 2/3 to 3/4 full.  (within a 1/2 inch of the top of the pan) Tap the pan firmly on the counter-top to release any air bubbles.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 18-20 minutes - or longer depending on how your oven cooks. 

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes then invert the cakes onto the rack and let cool for at least an hour before decorating or serving. 

Wash and thoroughly dry the pan, Grease and flour the wells once again for the rest of your batter.