Golden Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Icing is my second favorite layer cake. (My first favorite is still the Pennsylvania Dutch Chocolate Cake. Recipe here.) The rich buttery flavor and the moistness from the buttermilk makes this cake a particular favorite. And the luscious icing is enough to please any chocolate lover. Also, it’s not that difficult or time-consuming to make. I can assure you that you will have a cake that’s miles above any box mix.
For the Cake
Have the butter, the eggs, and the buttermilk at room temperature. Sift the flour into a measuring cup, and sweep off the top with a knife. Whisk together the sifted flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms with buttered waxed paper. Preheat the oven to 350°.
Cream the butter in a mixer. Gradually add the sugar, continuing to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Cream the butter and sugar.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. (I like to crack the eggs into a small dish before adding to the mixture so that I can easily remove any stray pieces of shell.)
Add the eggs.
Stir in 1⁄3 of the flour mixture, beating on very low speed until incorporated.
Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk.
Beat in 1⁄3 of the buttermilk. Continue alternately beating in the remaining flour and buttermilk, ending with the flour. Add the vanilla and continue beating just until the batter is smooth.
Divide the batter between the two prepared pans. Tap each pan on a hard surface to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake in the middle level of the oven for about 35-40 minutes, just until a cake tester comes out clean. I begin checking at about the 30-minute mark because an over-baked cake is a dry cake. This cake should stay fresh for almost a week. Cool the layers in the pans on a rack for about 10 minutes.
Cool 10 minutes in the pans.
Invert them onto the rack, and carefully remove the wax paper.
Remove wax paper lining.
Allow the layers to cool thoroughly.
Cool layers thoroughly.
For the Icing
Use only high-quality chocolate for your icing because it’s a very prominent part of the cake. I especially like Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa.
Break up the chocolate in a small pan.
Have the butter at room temperature. Melt the chocolate in a small pan placed over simmering water, stirring until it is smooth. Keep it warm.
Melt chocolate over simmering water.
Whenever I use confectioner’s sugar, I pass it through a sieve to eliminate any lumps, which actually saves time.
Sieve the powdered sugar to remove lumps.
Cream the butter in a mixer and gradually add the powdered sugar.
Cream butter and confectioner’s sugar.
Beat in the egg.
Beat in the egg.
Then beat in the melted chocolate and the vanilla.
Beat in chocolate.
Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk for several minutes until the mixture is hot to the touch. This homogenizes the icing, but more importantly, ensures that the egg is thoroughly cooked to prevent salmonella.
Heat the icing over simmering water.
Chill the buttercream for 30 minutes to an hour until it reaches spreading consistency. Remove from the refrigerator and beat in the heavy cream.
Whisk in the cream.
Place one cake layer bottom-side-up on a plate. Spread icing on top.
Ice the bottom layer.
Then place the second layer bottom-side-up on top of the first layer, and frost the sides and top of the cake.
Golden Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Icing.
