A fluffy, tender, moist, melt in your mouth yellow cake covered in the best chocolate buttercream imaginable.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour ( 270g)
- 1/4 cup corn starch ( 35g)
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar (250g)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature, 113g)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (60mL)
- 3 eggs (room temperature, large)
- 2 yolks
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract (15mL)
- 1 cup buttermilk (240mL)
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1 ¼ cup unsalted butter ( 1 cup room temp, ¼ cup melted)
- ¼ cup cocoa
- ½ tsp salt (You can add less if you're salt-sensitive)
- 1/2 cup milk (divided)
- 1 lb powdered sugar (450g)
- ⅓ cup semisweet chocolate
Instructions
- 1For the Cake
- 2Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour three 6 inch round pans. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, corn starch, and salt then set aside.
- 3Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, or a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer.
- 4Add the oil and vanilla, mix to combine then scrape the bowl down. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until incorporated before adding the next. Scrape the bowl down once more and mix again.
- 5Add flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter in alternating batches while mixing on low.
- 6Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until the centers are set and springy.
- 7Allow to layers cool in pans for a few minutes then invert into a wire rack to cool completely.
- 8For the Chocolate Buttercream
- 9Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in a microwave. Mix in the cocoa power and set aside.
- 10Melt 1/3 cup of semisweet chocolate with 1/4 cup milk then mix together and set aside. You can use 1/2 cup of chocolate for an extra-rich frosting if desired.
- 11Beat one cup of room temperature butter in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, or a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer.
- 12Pour in the melted butter cocoa mixture, mix to combine then scrape the bowl down and mix again. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low. Pour in the melted and cooled chocolate ganache then drizzle in about 1/4 cup of milk. Scrape the bowl down and mix until smooth. Your frosting should be silky, soft and luscious.
- 13For the Assembly
- 14Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the first layer, add the next layer on top and repeat until the cake Is built. Cover the cake with buttercream then use a spatula to swirl the buttercream around for a rustic effect.