Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Vanilla cake with chocolate frosting is a classic combination. This moist, fluffy layer cake is perfect for birthdays & special occasions.

Course Dessert - Cake

Cuisine American - Vintage

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 766kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Equipment

Stand mixer
8-inch round cake pans high sided

Ingredients

Cake

4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
½ teaspoon almond flavoring
2 cup buttermilk
6 unbeaten egg whites room temperature

Vanilla Sugar Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter
1 ⅓ cups dark cocoa powder (King Arthur has a black cocoa, or your favorite)
6 cups Confectioner’s sugar
Pinch of salt
⅔ cup heavy cream , as needed
2 teaspoons of vanilla

Instructions

Cake

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Cream butter and sugar together just until light and fluffy.
Beat in the vanilla and the almond flavorings.
Add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
Beat well after each addition.
Add the unbeaten egg whites and beat at medium speed for two minutes.
Divide equally between 3 greased and wax paper lined 8" round pans.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 325 and bake for 25 minutes more, or until the cake tests done.
Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out and finish cooling on racks.

Sugar Syrup

Mix water and sugar in a heavy saucepan.
Heat until the sugar crystals are completely dissolved
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Stir in vanilla.

Frosting

Beat the butter and vanilla until it is fluffy.
Mix the Confectioners, cocoa, and salt with a whisk until well blended.
Slowly beat the confectioner's mixture into the butter.
Continue to beat until well blended.
Turn the mixer to highest speed and add ½ cup of the cream.
Beat until light and fluffy, with a whipped consistency, adding more cream as needed to achieve the right texture.

Assembly

Brush the cake layers lightly with the sugar syrup. You won't use all of it so put the rest in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator. It will keep for months.
Fill and frost the layers with a thick layer of frosting.
Chill before serving to allow it to firm up.

Notes

Storage:

Store, covered, at room temperature for 3 days or so.

Cake freezes well when unfrosted. If you freeze the frosting it can get a little grainy but is other wise good. It should be fine for 3 months or more, either way.

Tips:

Spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then use the flat side of a butter knife to level off the excess.
Don't swap wax paper in place of parchment paper. Parchment paper is oven safe, while wax paper will melt.
Trace around the bottom of the pan to ensure your parchment papers fit perfectly. Or, buy pre-sized parchment paper rounds.
Scrape the sides of the bowl well in between additions so that everything is incorporated evenly.
Cake flour is key for proper texture! Don't complain to me if you swap it for all-purpose flour and your vanilla birthday cake comes out tough.
Always let cake layers cool fully on a wire rack before frosting! Otherwise, the frosting will melt and your layers will slide right off of each other.
Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder to remove lumps.
If your buttercream has a lot of air bubbles after whipping, switch from the whisk to the paddle attachment and run the mixer on as low a speed as you can for a few minutes to smooth it out.
After stacking, but before icing the outside, run a few cake dowels or bubble tea straws through the center of the cakes to add extra stability.
For this size cake, I like to use one center dowel, but if it feels wobbly you can use two or even three.
Chill before slicing for extra clean, applause-worthy slices!
Once you slice the cake, press a few layers of plastic wrap against the exposed inner section to keep it moist and prevent drying!

Nutrition