Yellow Birthday Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Desserts · Serves 12 · Prep 45 min · Cook 30 min · Total 1 hr 15 min
The classic party cake: a buttery, tender yellow cake with a big swoop of fudgy chocolate buttercream. Buttermilk keeps the crumb soft and moist. Bake the layers a day ahead, wrap them well, and frost on the day.
Ingredients
The Cake
- 3 cup cake flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
The Frosting
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter (3 sticks), softened
- 3 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsp rainbow sprinkles, for the top
Steps
The Cake
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment and grease again.
- Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, scraping the bowl as needed.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk in two parts, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until smooth.
- Divide between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake until golden, the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean, 26 to 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
The Frosting
- Beat the butter until creamy. On low speed add the powdered sugar and cocoa, then the melted chocolate, cream, vanilla and salt. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Set one layer on a cake stand, spread with about 1 cup frosting, and top with the second layer. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting, making swoops with the back of a spoon, and finish with sprinkles.