I had made a chocolate raspberry cake for a birthday, but my sister didn't get to eat any of it. She requested a cake of her own. It turned out really nicely and was a major hit with my family. This cake is sweet, spice, and everything nice!
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup hot coffee
Frosting:
2.5 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons cardamom
Caramel Drizzle:
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoons salt
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and line the bottom of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. 2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk in sugar and salt. Set aside.
3. In a the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to mix buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla together until combined.
4. Mix in dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
5. Add the hot coffee and mix until just combined. The batter will be relatively thin.
6. Evenly divide the batter between the cake pans and drop a few times on the counter to get rid of air bubbles. A kitchen scale can be used to ensure the pans are evenly filled.
7. Bake for 18-23 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let cakes cool for about 10 minutes in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Once completely cool, use a cake leveler or a serrated knife to trim the rounded tops off the cakes so the layers will be flat for assembly.
10. To make the spiced buttercream frosting, beat butter until smooth in a stand mixer.
11. Slowly and gradually add 3 cups of powdered sugar, then the cocoa powder. The frosting should be consistent in texture and color.
12. Add the vanilla and heavy cream. I added the heavy cream moreso by watching the consistency, rather than by measuring. Once added, beat on high to incorporate. Add a touch of salt for taste. Depending on how you like the consistency of your frosting, consider adding more powdered sugar.
13. To assemble the cake, place one layer on a cake stand, leveled side up. Spread a thick layer of frosting over the top.
14. Place second cake, leveled side up, on top of the frosting. Spread a thick layer of frosting over the top.
15. Place third layer, leveled side down, on top of the frosting. Place a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake. Freeze for about an hour.
16. Once cake is chilled and frosting isn't sticky to the touch, frost rest of the cake (top and sides) evenly. Use a bench scraper to smooth the frosting.
17. Freeze cake for another 30 minutes for frosting to solidify.
18. To make caramel drizzle, heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add granulated sugar 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly until it liquefies and starts to turn golden brown.
19. Once all sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and slowly stir in the butter.
20. Once all butter is incorporated, stir in cream and salt. The mixture will thicken as it cools.
21. Pour caramel into a separate container to cool. I like to pour right into a squeeze bottle for decorating. Let caramel cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.
22. Drizzle with caramel and serve.
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup hot coffee
Frosting:
2.5 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons cardamom
Caramel Drizzle:
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoons salt
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and line the bottom of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. 2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk in sugar and salt. Set aside.
3. In a the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to mix buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla together until combined.
4. Mix in dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
5. Add the hot coffee and mix until just combined. The batter will be relatively thin.
6. Evenly divide the batter between the cake pans and drop a few times on the counter to get rid of air bubbles. A kitchen scale can be used to ensure the pans are evenly filled.
7. Bake for 18-23 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let cakes cool for about 10 minutes in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Once completely cool, use a cake leveler or a serrated knife to trim the rounded tops off the cakes so the layers will be flat for assembly.
10. To make the spiced buttercream frosting, beat butter until smooth in a stand mixer.
11. Slowly and gradually add 3 cups of powdered sugar, then the cocoa powder. The frosting should be consistent in texture and color.
12. Add the vanilla and heavy cream. I added the heavy cream moreso by watching the consistency, rather than by measuring. Once added, beat on high to incorporate. Add a touch of salt for taste. Depending on how you like the consistency of your frosting, consider adding more powdered sugar.
13. To assemble the cake, place one layer on a cake stand, leveled side up. Spread a thick layer of frosting over the top.
14. Place second cake, leveled side up, on top of the frosting. Spread a thick layer of frosting over the top.
15. Place third layer, leveled side down, on top of the frosting. Place a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake. Freeze for about an hour.
16. Once cake is chilled and frosting isn't sticky to the touch, frost rest of the cake (top and sides) evenly. Use a bench scraper to smooth the frosting.
17. Freeze cake for another 30 minutes for frosting to solidify.
18. To make caramel drizzle, heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add granulated sugar 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly until it liquefies and starts to turn golden brown.
19. Once all sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and slowly stir in the butter.
20. Once all butter is incorporated, stir in cream and salt. The mixture will thicken as it cools.
21. Pour caramel into a separate container to cool. I like to pour right into a squeeze bottle for decorating. Let caramel cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.
22. Drizzle with caramel and serve.