Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Happy November! This month holds the birthdays of eleven students- that's a whopping number! In their honor, I decided to make a birthday cake to celebrate. (The inspiration really came came from my sister- her birthday was a couple of weeks ago and for it I made a chocolate layer cake with espresso neoclassic buttercream. I have been wanting to make another layer cake ever since. The November birthdays were the perfect excuse!) The first place I looked for layer cakes was obvious choice, Sky High-Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes. The book has all sorts of recipes for three layer cakes in all sorts of tempting and delicious flavors. I chose the simple but delicious Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate Frosting to begin with. The cake came together pretty easily. I only substituted vanilla bean paste for regular vanilla and used all purpose flour instead of cake flour. I baked the three layers the night before assembly and frosted the cake when I came home from school then following day. The frosting was easy to to whip up in the food processor. I added some more vanilla bean paste and espresso to the recipe to heighten the chocolate flavor. Stacking the cakes and frosting were so much fun! I felt so professional! I even whipped out my piping tips and piped shells around the sides of the cake and rosettes on top. So proud! I sent texts to all the birthday girls and they were all so surprised! They all loved the cake. And there was so much to love! The huge cake was delicious and tender with good vanilla cake flavor, but not too sweet. The frosting provided a nice sweet contrast. It fast disappeared. Until next month!

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate Frosting

from Sky High

Cake:

4 whole eggs

2 yolks

2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

3 cups cake flour

2 cups sugar

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine at room temperature

Frosting:

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

6 tbsp half and half

1 tbsp vanilla or vanilla bean paste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut out parchment rounds. Grease the bottom of three nine inch cake pans. Place one round of parchment in each. Grease the paper and the sides of the pan. Set aside.
Place the eggs, yolks, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the buttermilk in a bowl.Blend and set aside.
Place the dry ingredients in a bowl,
whisk and set aside.
Add the remaining buttermilk and margarine to the flour,
and with the mixer on low, blend. Raise the mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the egg mixture to the bowl in three additions. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
Divide the batter among the three pans.

Bake the layers for 28-32 minutes until a cake tester inserted comes out clean. Let the layers cool in their pans for ten minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.
Process until smooth. Instant chocolate frosting!
Place one cake layer on a serving plate or turn table. Dollop frosting onto the layer and spread to cover.
Top with another layer and repeat.
Top with the final cake layer. Apply frosting to the top and then a crumb coat to the sides. Finish frosting with the remaining frosting. Smooth out the sides as best as you can.
I piped shells and rosettes just for fun.
Have fun with it and enjoy!