Best Birthday Cake
Cook Time
35 to 40 minutes
Rating
0 out of 5 stars
(0)
Ingredients
2 9-inch round cakes
- 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (480 to 530 grams due to variance between brands) cake flour (not self-rising)
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) table salt
- 2 sticks (1 cup, 1/2 pound or 225 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400 grams) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups buttermilk (475 ml), well-shaken
- 15 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/4 teaspoons instant espresso (optional)
- 2 1/4 cups sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line with circles of parchment paper, then butter parchment.
Step 2
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla.
Step 4
Add eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition.
Step 5
At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled).
Step 6
Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.
Step 7
Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles.
Step 8
Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
Step 9
Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.
Step 10
For frosting: Combine the chocolate and espresso powder in the top of a double-boiler or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted.
Step 11
Remove from heat and let chocolate cool until tepid.
Step 12
Whisk together the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup, and vanilla extract until combined.
Step 13
Add the tepid chocolate slowly and stir quickly until the mixture is uniform.
Step 14
Taste for sweetness, and if needed, add additional corn syrup in one tablespoon increments until the desired level of sweetness is achieved.
Step 15
Let cool in the refrigerator until the frosting is a spreadable consistency. This should not take more than 30 minutes.
Step 16
Should the frosting become too thick or stiff, just leave it out until it softens again.
Step 17
Save recipe for the next time?
Chef's notes
Layer Cake Tips:
I’ve got lots of them, over here.
Concerned about the sourness? Perhaps you might enjoy some Instant Fudge Frosting instead.
Be sure that your sour cream is at room temperature before you make the frosting.
