Birthday Cake!

I enjoy making birthday cakes...because they are delicious! My favorite cake cookbook is The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum. It's a good book because she explains the baking process which helps me avoid mistakes. She also lists ingredient measurements by weight and I enjoy using a cooking scale instead of measuring cups. The buttercream recipe below is a favorite of all my friends because it is silky smooth and not too sweet.

Chocolate Butter Cake

(from The Cake Bible)

1/2 cup + 3 Tbs. (63g) Dutch processed unsweet cocoa
1 cup (236g) boiling water
3 large eggs (150g), at room temperature
2 1/4 tsp. (9g) vanilla
2 1/4 cup + 2 Tbs. (235g) sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cup (300g) sugar
1 Tbs. (15g) baking powder
3/4 tsp. (5g) salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Set out eggs and butter a few hours before beginning cake so they can come to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9 inch cake pans, line bottoms with wax paper, and grease and flour the pans. (I use Wilton bake-even strips around outside of pans for even layers).

In a small bowl, lightly combine the eggs, 1/4 of cocoa mixture, and vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients and mix on low for 30 seconds to combine. Add the butter and remaining cocoa mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides.

Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth out surface. Bake 25-35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. Let the cakes cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on racks.

French Buttercream

(from The Cake Bible)

6 large (112g) egg yolks
3/4 cups (150g) sugar
1/2 cup (164g) corn syrup
2 cups (454g) unsalted butter
1 Tbs. vanilla, optional

Have ready a greased 2 cup glass measuring cup near stove.

In a bowl of stand mixer, beat yolks with whisk attachment until light in color (don't worry about over-beating). Meanwhile, combine sugar and corn syrup in a nonstick saucepan until combined. Turn heat to medium and stir constantly until sugar dissolves and bubbles begin to form at edges. Stop stirring but continue to heat until rolling boil and large bubbles cover the entire surface. Immediately transfer syrup to glass measuring cup.

Stop mixer, pour a small amount of syrup into yolks and immediately beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Stop mixer and repeat with larger amount of syrup. Continue this process until all syrup has been incorporated. Continue beating until completely cool.

Gradually beat in butter, one tablespoon at a time. Incorporate the vanilla and scrape down sides and complete mixing.