Vanilla Birthday Cake With Chocolate Frosting Recipes

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH VANILLA-BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess. Sift cocoa over a medium bowl; whisk in boiling coffee and milk. Let cool; set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt into another medium bowl; set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix butter using a rubber spatula until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pour in cooled cocoa mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
• Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pans (about 4 cups in each pan). Bake for 20 minutes, rotate pans, and bake until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into center of cake, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove cakes from oven, and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes. Carefully run a small offset spatula around edge of cakes to loosen from pan. Invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let cook completely, about 1 hour.
• To assemble, using a serrated knife, level the top surface of each cake layer. Place four strips of parchment paper around the perimeter of the lazy susan. Place the first layer on the lazy susan. Spread with 3/4 cup buttercream. Top with the remaining layer, bottom-side up. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top and sides of cake, called a crumb coat. Chill until the buttercream is set, at least 30 minutes.
• Apply the final coat of buttercream. Smooth the sides with a bench scraper or large offset spatula held steady at a 45-degree angle while turning the lazy susan.

BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• To make the cake:
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Brush two 8-inch round cake pans with oil, line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper, lightly brush the paper and pan with oil, and dust with flour.
• Put the flour, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Add the sugar and orange zest and pulse a few times to combine evenly. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to dry ingredients. Pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand, with some pea-size bits of butter, about 5 times.
• Whisk the milk, eggs, and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup. With the processor running, pour in the wet ingredients and process to make a smooth batter (this takes less than a minute). Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• Cool the cakes on a rack for 15 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges of the pans, turn the cakes out onto a plate, and peel off the paper. Flip the cakes upright and cool completely on the rack, about 45 minutes. (This is important-icing a warm cake is not a happy thing).
• When ready to ice the cake, make the frosting:
• Put the chocolates in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium for a minute, stir, and repeat until chocolate melts, about 3 minutes in all. (Or put chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over an inch or so of water at a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan; don't let the bowl touch the water. Stir occasionally until smooth.)
• Let chocolate cool slightly. Stir the sour cream, coffee, and vanilla into the chocolates. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until frosting is silky and fluffy. (Spread frosting soon after making it; it firms up at room temperature.)
• Set a large flat plate on a large inverted bowl or bottom of a salad spinner (of course, if you have a cake stand, use that). Dab a little frosting in the center of the plate and place a cake layer, top side up, on top. With an offset spatula, scoop about one-third of the frosting onto the cake and spread it evenly to the edge of the cake. Place the other layer on top and press down lightly. Spread another third of the frosting around the sides. Spread the remaining frosting on the top of the cake. Lightly touch the frosting with the back of a spoon to make swirly peaks. Serve immediately or set aside at room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving. If refrigerating the cake, bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.