Monday, June 2, 2014

Butter's Chocolate Cake and a new twist on a Swiss buttercream icing


This chocolate layer cake is the first recipe I've have made from the Butter cookbook that I received for Christmas.  This cake is good and it's easy.  It's a DARK chocolate, moist and flavorful cake.  I used the Hershey's dark cocoa powder so it's a lot deeper chocolate than if I simply used the regular cocoa powder.  I made a double recipe and got 3 very thick layers.  I use the 9 inch Fat Daddios cake pans that have the extra high sides - otherwise I think the pans would have overflowed if they were the regular height.  Fat Daddio cake pans are the BEST.  Ever since I've used these pans, my cakes have turned out much better than they used to.  They are not non stick so I always have to spray them first then line the bottom with a parchment circle.  The nice thing is, their pans are not expensive. You can browse & purchase their huge selection of pans many places but I think I've gotten most of mine on Amazon.  I use my 9 inch ones the most.  I have 3 of them because I love making triple layer cakes.

Now to the icing.  I have to admit that I love the basic American buttercream.  It's super sweet and heavy and sometimes a bit gritty but I love it.  American buttercream consists of powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, and milk (some people use water, half n half or cream as the liquid).  Many people will also use some shortening in place of some of the butter - which I always do.  I love the texture that shortening gives an icing but I always use a hi-ratio shortening which makes a difference in the mouth feel of the shortening.  If you have a chance to purchase some hi-ratio shortening, I recommend you buy it and try making some buttercream with it.  Yes, you can always use Crisco but I think the hi-ratio shortening leaves the icing a bit less slick or greasy feeling.  Anyways...... A true buttercream is made with egg whites, granulated sugar, butter & vanilla and maybe a pinch of salt.  The egg whites are heated with the sugar till it's hot and smooth then whipped till stiff.  Then the room temperature butter is beaten in a little at a time and it results in a very smooth, not very sweet, silky & delicious icing that pipes like a dream.  Swiss buttercream & Italian buttercream are basically made this way but with slight differences.   French buttercream is also silky & delicious but it uses egg yolks instead of whites.  I have tried many Swiss buttercream recipes and I DO love the silkiness of the icing and I love the way it spreads and pipes but I must admit, I don't like the fact that it's not very sweet.  I'm sure there are many folks who appreciate the less sweet variety of icing but I love sweet icing.  Plus, it tastes almost TOO much like butter. Like you are eating a mouthful of pure butter. So I've never been one to often make the true buttercream.  But for this cake I tried another buttercream recipe that I happened upon on the internet.  It's very different indeed but I was intrigued.  I'm sure many people wouldn't even call it a TRUE buttercream because it uses shortening AND powdered sugar!  Wow huh?  It has the beautiful consistency of a true buttercream but it's sweeter!  I love it!  I would never even think it would work if I just saw the list of ingredients. But I followed her instructions exactly and it came out perfectly.  Spread like a dream!!   I do wish I would have added another splash of vanilla as I couldn't taste it as much as I would like but other than that, it's a near perfect recipe.  I always use a clear vanilla in my icing recipes.  I like my icing to stay as white as possible.    Here is a link below to my new interesting delicious buttercream.  Try it!!


The icing recipe did not make enough to fill and ice my huge triple layer cake so I used some leftover chocolate buttercream icing that I had previously made to fill my cake.  It was a wonderful combination. 

So in closing, I think the Butter chocolate cake recipe is pretty good but I think I still like the
 Hershey's Black Magic cake recipe better.  But I do think you should try making this unusual buttercream recipe.  Read all of the little tips and hints that she mentions in her blog post about the icing recipe.  It looks like people make all sorts of mistakes making it!  Especially adding the butter when the eggs whites are still too warm or not whipped enough.  That will results in a soupy mess!













Icing recipe can be found on the:

She has so much written in detail about her recipe that rather than type it out for you, just go straight to the source!


by Rosie Daykin

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups hot coffee (any blend)
1 cup dark cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla

Oven 350 degrees

Sift dry ingredients together - flour, soda, powder & salt. Put aside

In a bowl whisk the coffee & cocoa together till smooth.  Set aside to cook slightly.

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.  Add the cocoa/coffee mixture and whisk to incorporate.  Add the dry ingredients and whisk till well combined.  

Put batter in prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven 30-35 minutes or until tests done.

Remove from oven. Cool for about 10 minutes then invert onto racks.



4 comments:

What's Baking?? said...

Wow that's a real tall cake. Makes a perfect bday cake too.

Anonymous said...

What is the recipe for the chocolate frosting you used between the layers?

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