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| A cake fit for a celebration! |
This week’s Baked Sunday Mornings challenge is for Mile-High Chocolate Cake With Vanilla Buttercream! This is absolutely a celebratory cake to be shared with friends and family, so it was a lucky coincidence that allowed me to make this for my step-father’s birthday. Every year, My step-father requests the humble favorite cake of his childhood: Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting. This year, he was gracious enough to let me reverse the flavors on him and he loved the result!
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| Chocolate cakes fresh from the oven |
This is meant to be a six-layer cake, but, alas, ours is only three. When we accidentally sliced the first layer a little too diagonally, we just decided to just keep the cakes whole. I keep thinking about getting a cake slicer but really don’t think I’d use it enough to make it worthwhile. Although the cake would have been more spectacular with six layers, it was still impressive with only three.
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| The lightest, yummiest Vanilla Buttercream I’ve ever made! |
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| Whipped Egg Whites and Sugar |
For me, the most intriguing part of this recipe was the meringue-based buttercream. We whipped egg whites with a little sugar then made a sugar syrup, whipped it into the egg whites, then added copious amounts of softened butter and vanilla bean paste. I could have eaten this stuff with a spoon – it was amazing and my favorite part of this recipe. This could easily become my go-to buttercream! It’s fabulous. 
Imagine rich, dark chocolate cake layered with the lightest, most buttery vanilla cream drizzled with silky chocolate ganache…it’s heavenly! This birthday-worthy cake is as delicious as it is impressive. My whole family enjoyed it and wrangled over the leftovers.
I know the birthday boy was thrilled with this Susan, who wouldn’t be. It sounds just fabulous and I’m totally with you about the cake slicing thing; I can’t slice evenly if my life depended on it! Scott thinks it’s so funny that I can make a great cake but have no clue how to slice straight, oh well, I’m glad I have company! Anyway, who cares when the results are as yummy as yours? π
Oooo, la, la! What a lucky birthday recipient.
I did finally spring for a cake slicer this year and it has saved me from some aggravation in the layer department π
I really should open those Baked books more often. I made the chocolate buttercream for the time I made the sweet and salty cake, and it was amazing. This cake looks so tempting Susan!
That cake is truly spectacular, Susan!
Oh, my! I think that should be a “Death by Chocolate” cake! Amazing!!
What a fabulous cake, and please pass a spoon for that buttercream!
Still looks mile high and impressive with three layers! π
Looks like a success Susan!
If you do get a cake slicer, i recommend this one: http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-415-815-Cake-Leveler/dp/B00004S7YB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378042374&sr=8-1&keywords=wilton+cake+slicer I lost mine a little while back, and bought a more expensive one (the folding one) and it’s absolute garbage… So passing that info on to you π
Thanks, Celine! I just ordered it! $5 is a small price to pay to save a lot of frustration & make a beautiful cake!
Beautiful!!
This cake certainly is fit for a special celebration! A cake leveler really is a life-changing tool — I wouldn’t have sprung for one on my own, but I was lucky enough to get one as a gift! Still, your cake looks fantastic just as it!
Your cake looks awesome! And your buttercream is beautiful. I definitely need to practice my buttercream making.
I got the wilton cake slicer too. It is good to have for sure. But I learned the hard way to let the cake thaw first! Argh.
Terry is one lucky step-dude! π I am impressed with your buttercream – I have never had much luck with the them! ~ David
Looks beautiful! I really wanted to try that buttercream….but it will have to wait for another time.
Susan, A truly spectacular cake! The frosting looks incredible! Your step dad is one lucky man to have you bake a cake for his birthday!! I’m sure he was thrilled!