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Melissa’s Birthday Cake

Source of Recipe

Come Sit At My Table


Recipe Introduction

Preheat oven to 350°

Recipe Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWM3g4_yqFQ

List of Ingredients

Cake:

1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs, room temperature
2 egg YOLKS, room temperature
2 1/4 cups cake flour (preferably NOT all-purpose)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

4 ounce semi sweet chocolate baking bar, broken up
2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (a few extra teaspoons may be needed )
4 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder



Recipe

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease two 9 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper circles. Set aside.

Whisk together the milk and sour cream until the sour cream is blended well. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for two minutes. Add the sugar and continue mixing on medium speed for five minutes. Add in the vanilla.

Add the egg yolks, and then the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for a few more seconds.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Add half the milk mixture. Add another 1/3 of the flour, followed by the rest of the milk, and finally the rest of the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not overmix!

Evenly divide the cake batter between the pans. Drop the pans from about 3 inches above the counter to remove any air bubbles in the batter.

Bake 28 to 35 minutes or until the center is done, lightly golden around the edges, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Do not open the oven door until they appear done or the cakes may fall! Cool for 10 minutes then remove from the pans. Cool before frosting.

Optional, boil together 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until the sugar completely dissolves, about three minutes. Cool the sugar syrup completely, brush over your cooled cakes, and allow it to soak in before removing the cakes from the pans.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

In a small bowl, place the broken pieces of the chocolate bar and 2 Tablespoons of whipping cream. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir to melt the chocolate. If needed, microwave an additional 10 to 15 seconds. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter for five minutes. Slowly drizzle in the 1/4 cup whipping cream, and beat just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Sift together confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso powder. Slowly beat this mixture into the butter/whipping cream mixture.

Add in the semi sweet chocolate mixture and whip well; until light and fluffy. If needed, drizzle in 1 teaspoon of extra cream at a time to get a smooth consistency. Frost the cooled cake.