Cocoa Buttermilk Birthday Cake

Cocoa Buttermilk Birthday Cake - made August 28, 2012 from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

It's been quiet on the blog for the last few days as I've been out of town for Labor Day weekend.  Before I left, I was (once again) rushing to use up buttermilk that was going to expire while I was gone.  I was pressed for time though since everything seemed to be happening all at once last week (needless to say I was packing at the last minute before leaving at dawn for the airport Friday morning) so I went with a modified version of this chocolate cake.  Instead of making it into 2 round layer cakes, I kept it simple and made it in a 9 x 13 pan and I used the fudge frosting from the Texas Fudge Cake to spread on top while the cake was warm from the oven.  Make sure you beat the frosting enough to emulsify the ingredients together or else the butter will separate when cool.  Don't overbeat however, or it'll be too fluffy.

This is a good basic chocolate cake, easy to mix together and to make with a fluffy cakey texture (don't overbake) that isn't too chocolaty and complements the richness of the frosting. Not to mention nothing easier to cut when cool, package up and put in the freezer for giving away later.  Enjoy.

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Texas Fudge Frosting

1.       Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Line a 9 x 13” pan with foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

2.      Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3.      With the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy.  Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter.  Add the eggs one at a time, then the yolks one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 portions and the buttermilk in 2, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix only until each new batch is just blended into the batter.  Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, folding it in with a rubber spatula.  Pour into prepared pan and smooth.

4.     Bake for 26 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.  Do not overbake.  Spread frosting immediately over hot cake and smooth.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack before cutting into squares.