The Ultimate Guide to Making Impressive Chocolate Cake
My grandma “Noonie” turns 74. What a blessing! My mind jumps to my great-grandma Pook (my grandma’s mother) I remember her being 75 when I was in middle school. Sitting outside on a wooden bench in Eutawville, SC. It was summer and the air smelled like watermelon. I miss Great grandmother Pook and that’s why I try to spoil my grandmother as much as I can so when she requested a Chocolate Cake with white frosting I jumped to it.
This will be a labor of love that I’m happy to be apart. This party will be a bit tricky because my family isn’t the closes and most of them live super close by. But I’m determined to make this birthday something special small or not. This party is this weekend and this is what I have planned. I will be showing you girls how I make my chocolate cake with crème cheese frosting. If you’re a visional person the video is below but the measurements will be posted below.
Cake:
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 pack of Jello brand vanilla pudding
3 eggs
Frosting:
- Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cold heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, jello brand vanilla pudding, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Bring the milk and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Beat the butter in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the granulated sugar, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.
4. Reduce the mixer to low and beat in the flour mixture in four additions. Carefully pour the hot milk mixture into the batter. Stir using a rubber spatula until smooth. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans and lightly tap the pans on the counter.
5. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from sides of the pans and the centers spring back when pressed gently 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto the rack and cool completely. Peel the parchment from the bottoms.
For the frosting:
Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Gradually increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is fluffy and smooth about 3 minutes. With the mixer running on medium-high speed, slowly pour in the heavy cream until it is fully incorporated. Continue beating until the frosting is slightly lighter in color and creamy, about 1 minute more.
Put one cake round on a serving plate; spread about one-third of the frosting over the top, going to the edge of the cake. Place the second cake round on top. Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
