Chocolate Cake

If bread is the staff of life chocolate cake can’t be far behind, and this one is a staple in our house. White frosting is a nice contrast, but chocolate frosting for the complete chocolate experience is also an option. This recipe is pretty straightforward and the results should make you proud.

 

If you do not have buttermilk on hand you can substitute 1 cup of regular milk with ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar mixed into it.

 

MAKES AN 8-INCH TWO-LAYER CAKE

 

Ingredients: 

1¼ cups cake flour

½ cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

 

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

 

½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

 

Buttercream Frosting

. . . . . . . .

 

Instructions: 

▪ Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.

 

▪ Sift together into a bowl the cake flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside these dry ingredients.

 

▪ Measure out the buttermilk and set aside.

 

▪ In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter or margarine on low until soft, then add the sugar and beat on medium until light and creamy. Add the vanilla and egg, and beat again.

 

▪ Add about half the dry ingredients and half the buttermilk to the butter mixture and beat on medium until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk and beat until combined, then continue beating for another minute.

 

▪ Pour half the batter into each of the two round pans and tap the pans on a countertop to level the tops and eliminate any bubbles resulting from pouring in the batter.

 

▪ Bake for 20 minutes and then check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the pan. Remove and inspect the toothpick; if the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. If batter clings to it, continue baking for a couple of minutes more and check again.

 

▪ Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans onto a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before frosting.

 

▪ Finishing the cake by filling and frosting with Buttercream Frosting.