Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Happy Birthday MOM!

I made this cake back in April for my husband John's Birthday. I was waiting for a good time to post it so I thought since we have another birthday in the family, today could be the day. This was the 1st cake I have ever made from scratch so I was very impressed with myself. It was moist and fluffy, the perfect cake to celebrate any birthday!

Ingredients for Two 9 inch Round Cake Tins:

2 1/2 Cup Flour (Plus a little extra for dusting the cake pans)

1 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1 3/4 Cups Sugar

10 Tbsp Unsalted Butter - Melted

1 Cup Buttermilk - Room Temperature

3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

6 Egg Yolks - Room Temperature

3 Egg Whites - Room Temperature

Ingredients for Frosting:

3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter - Melted

1 Cup Cocoa Powder

5 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 Cup Milk

1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

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Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the cake tins with the end of a butter wrapper making sure to get in the crease. Dust the greased tins with flour over the sink or the garbage can, knocking out the excess flour. Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl (Flour, 1 1/2 cup Sugar, Salt, Baking Powder and Baking Soda).

In a large liquid measuring cup or a medium sized bowl, whisk together the vanilla, vegetable oil, room temperature buttermilk, melted butter (do this on a low setting in the microwave in small time increments) and all 6 room temperature egg yolks. Using the whisk attachment for your mixer gradually combine all of the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients on a low speed setting for about 15 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and the whisk with a spatula and return the machine to low for another 15 seconds until well combined. When you are done set the mixture aside and wash off the whisk attachment.

In a separate clean mixing bowl, with your cleaned whisk attachment, beat the egg whites at a medium high speed until foamy for about 30 seconds. With the machine running, slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Continue to beat the egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form which should take between 30-60 seconds. Using a rubber spatula gently stir half of the egg whites into the cake batter. Add the remaining egg whites and fold into the batter until no white steaks are left.

Divide the batter evenly between the cake tins. Lightly tap the pans on top of the counter to take out any air bubbles present. Bake the cakes in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Loosen the cakes from the pans using a knife and let them cool off entirely on a wire rack for at least an hour.

While the cakes are cooling you can make your frosting. Add the cocoa powder to a clean mixing bowl. Melt the butter on a low speed in the microwave and add it to the cocoa. With the mixer on, add powdered sugar and milk back and forth a little bit at a time until the frosting becomes a smooth consistency that can be easily spread. Stir in the vanilla.

Once the cakes have completely cooled you can frost them. My only advice is shave the top of the bottom cake so that it is a flat surface. I did not do this so the top cake did not sit flat on the bottom one.  Frost the cakes from the bottom up always putting a big spoonful of frosting on so you don't tear up the cake with your knife. Finish by frosting the sides and top.

Enjoy!! - Nicole