Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Cake
- 2 cups all purpose, unbleached flour
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups white sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup hot coffee
For the Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), room temperature
- 3 cups confectioner's sugar,
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease 2 8" straight edge cake pans. Line with parchment paper.
- Make the cake filling: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a standing mixer or hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Whisk in eggs, one at a time on a low speed, mixing until fully incorporated each time. Add vanilla extract and whisk until mixed.
- Whisk together cocoa powder and hot coffee. Slowly pour in coffee and whisk in on a low speed.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add half of flour mixture and half of buttermilk to the egg mixture, whisk until combined. Repeat with the remaining with flour and buttermilk.
- Pour batter into greased layer pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of each cake. Set on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and flip upside down to help flatten out layers. Let cool at least one hour or the frosting will melt.
- Make the frosting: In a standing mixer, whisk butter until light and creamy. Sift in powdered sugar and cocoa powder, whisk until just combined. Pour in cream and vanilla extract, whisk until completely smooth.
- Assemble the cake: When the cake layers are cooled, place one of the cake layers with the flat side down on a plate or cake stand. With an offset spatula, spread the top with 1 cup frosting. Place the second layer on top of this frosted layer, rounded side down, and spread another cup of frosting. Frost the rest of the cake, evenly spreading frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes to an hour, until frosting is set.
- Garnish as desired (I used confetti sprinkles and birthday candles).
Notes
You can make the cake layers a day ahead of time. After baking the cake layers and letting them cool, remove from their pans, wrap up in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to frost (no more than 24 hours ahead).
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes