Chocolate-Vanilla Cake
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| Here we go-- chocolate-vanilla cake! :) |
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| Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Get water boiling in the bottom pan of a double-boiler. Grease and coat two 8-inch pans with cocoa powder. |
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| Cut out two circles (trace the bottoms of the pans) to place on the bottoms of the pans. |
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| Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk powder in a bowl and set aside. |
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| Combine the vanilla extract and water and set aside. |
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| Cut up the chocolate into small pieces and place in top pan of a double-boiler. |
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| Add the cocoa powder and the hot water. |
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| Melt until smooth, then add 1/2 cup sugar. Heat until thick and glossy. |
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| Take off the heat and let cool. |
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| Add all of the eggs and egg yolks into the mixer with the whisk attachment and whip on medium-high into it is very thick and fluffy--about 5 minutes. |
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| Slowly add the remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar to the eggs on low speed. |
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| Add the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and beat with the paddle attachment until incorporated. |
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| Slowly add one piece of softened butter at a time, fully incorporating each piece. |
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| Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, 1/2 of the vanilla mixture, another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining vanilla mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, mixing well in between each addition. |
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| Separate batter into the two pans and lightly tap them on the counter to settle the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes (mine took about 40 minutes), rotating the pans halfway through baking. Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out with a few crumbs, but no batter attached. |
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| Frosting time! Whip up the butter in the mixer for about 8 minutes on medium until fluffy. |
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| Sift the confectionery sugar. |
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| Once butter is whipped, add the confectionery's sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt and mix well. |
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| Writing icing: Combine the confectionery's sugar together with the cool melted butter in a small bowl and add water to loosen to a smooth texture. |
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| Dye to desired hue. :) |
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| Once cakes are done, take them out of the oven and let sit in pans for 10 minutes to cool, then flip out onto cooling racks. Cool them down quickly by putting them in the freezer (this also makes frosting them easier). ;) |
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| Once ready, place a dollop of icing on the bottom of the cake plate. |
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| Add on your first layer, right-side up. |
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| Spread about 1 cup of icing onto the top of the cake. |
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| Place the 2nd layer on top of the first, upside-down. |
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| Roughly and lightly coat the cake with a thin layer of icing, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes. |
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| Once ready, spread the remaining icing all over the outside of the cake. |
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| Decorate with writing icing... Done! :) Enjoy! :) |
Chocolate-Vanilla Cake
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Prep time: 2 hour
Total time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Servings: 16 (1/16 of cake)
Nutrition info per serving (1/16 of cake):
Calories: 587 calories
Fat: 32 g
Sodium: 408 mg
Carbs: 72 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 4 g
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons buttermilk powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup room-temperature water
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup cocoa powder (plus more for dusting)
1/2 cup hot water
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened and cut into 12 pieces
Frosting:
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) soft butter
3 1/2 cups confectionery sugar
3 tablespoons milk (I used skim)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
about 1/16 teaspoon salt (a pinch)
food coloring, if desired
Writing Icing:
1 1/2 cups confectionery sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
water
food coloring, if desired
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Start boiling water in the bottom pan of a double-boiler.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk powder together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Combine the room-temperature water and vanilla extract and set aside.
4. Add the chopped chocolate, the cocoa powder, and the hot water to the top pan of the double-boiler and melt until smooth. Then, add 1/2 cup of sugar and heat until thick and glossy. Take off the heat and let cool.
5. Beat the eggs and egg yolks in a mixer with the whisk attachment for about 6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Gradually add the remaining 1 1/4 cup sugar to the egg mixture on low speed.
6. Switch the mixer attachment to the paddle and beat in the cooled chocolate mixture until incorporated, then beat in the butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated.
7. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of the vanilla mixture, 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining vanilla mixture, and, finally, the remaining flour mixture.
8. Divide the batter into the two 8-inch pans and lightly tap them on the counter to settle the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes (mine took about 40 minutes), until the centers come out with no raw batter and a few crumbs attached. Rotate the pans half-way through baking.
9. Once cakes are done, let cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then flip out onto cooling racks. Let cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature, then throw them into the freezer (this makes frosting easier).
10. Frosting: Whip the butter in the mixer with the paddle attachment for about 8 minutes on medium.
11. While the butter is whipping, sift the confectionery's sugar and set aside. Once the butter is light and fluffy, add the confectionery's sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt and mix well. Set aside.
12. Writing icing: Combine the confectionery's sugar and cooled melted butter to a small bowl and mix with some water to loosen and turn into a thick paste.
13. Place a dollop of icing onto the cake pan and place the first layer, right-side up, on the plate. Cover the top of this layer with about 1 cup of icing, then place the 2nd layer on top of the first, upside-down. Spread a thin layer of icing all around the cake, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
14. Spread the rest of the icing onto the cake.
15. Place the writing icing in a medium Ziploc bag and cut off the tip to a small size-- decorate the cake to your heart's desire! :)
**Adapted from: The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book's Old-Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake recipe
Sweetapolita's Funfetti Layer Cake with Whipped Vanilla Frosting recipe: http://sweetapolita.com/2012/02/funfetti-layer-cake-with-whipped-vanilla-frosting/ (for the icing)
Enjoy and dig in!! :)
