Butter cake with mocha frosting – better than the box!

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This is a big week for the Myricks: Logan comissions and grafduates! Obviously we’ve got a big weekend of celebrations ahead, and I’ll share more soon. But this made me want to share a celebratory cake recipe!

One of my aspirations for being a well-rounded chef is to make cakes that are just as good as the box mix cakes.

Who’s with me? I have no idea what manner of magic they put in that stuff, but box cakes are so good. Made even better by the fact that its so stinking easy to make.

So when I found Mark Bittman‘s butter cake recipe, I knew this was a good place to start for a classic vanilla cake.

With the richness of the butter cake, I wanted an icing that would contrast, so I tried mocha frosting. (Also Mark Bittman – one of my favorite cookbooks!)

And y’all, this cake.

So good.

SO GOOD.

Eat more of it than I’m willing to admit on the Internet. And then another slice for breakfast the next day.

 

 

Next time you need a cake, make this one. You’ll thank me later.

Egg yolks give this cake its richness.

Cream the butter and add sugar.

Add the eggs, one at a time. This is apparently very important – something about making sure the proteins of the yolks combine properly.

With all eggs mixed in, the texture looks something like this.

Next, add vanilla.

Whisk together all the dry ingredients.

Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the mixture, then 1/3 of the milk.

Keep alternating until all the milk and flour is incorporated.

Divide the batter between two greased cake pans.

While the cake is baking, melt the chocolate.

Once again, beat the butter.

Add in sugar, milk, and chocolate.

Keep adding sugar and milk, along with coffee, vanilla, and salt. Combine well.

Once the cake has cooled, frost the cakes!

Turns out gorgeous!

Added some sprinkles, because everyone loves sprinkles.

GOLDEN BUTTER CAKE WITH MOCHA FROSTING

INGREDIENTS:

Butter cake

• 1 1/4 sticks (10 tbsp) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 8 egg yolks
• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup milk

Mocha frosting

• 1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp cream or milk (cream will make richer icing)
• 2 tbsp strong coffee or espresso
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate

STEPS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9 inch circular cake pans. For best results, cover the bottom with a circle of wax paper and grease that too.
2. Cream butter, then add sugar and beat for several minutes. Beat in the yolks – one at a time – then vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Add 1/3 dry ingredients to the mixer, then 1/3 of the milk. Alternate flour and milk until everything is just combined.
3. Split the batter between the cake pans. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick comes out clean. Once it’s baked, let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer onto a rack to cool completely.
4. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting! With an electric mixer, use the whisk attachment to beat the butter for several minutes. Melt the baking chocolate and let cool.
5. Add 1 cup of sugar, then a couple tablespoons of milk. Beat well.
6. Add the salt and vanilla, then the chocolate and coffee. Alternate the rest of the milk and sugar until you’ve reached the consistency you want. You may not use all the sugar – I used about 3 1/4 cups sugar this time. If it gets too thick, add more milk. Too thin: add more sugar. But don’t push it too far or the rich chocolate flavor will get diluted.
7. Once the cake is fully cooled, frost the top of the bottom layer, then add the second layer of cake. Frost thick, and for an extra touch, add sprinkles!