My Whole30 is over and it’s time to EAT CAKE! One of my favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen, posted a beautiful chocolate cake a few weeks ago. I’m what I would call a chocolate dessert connoisseur…and this.is.good! It’s got all the perfect ingredients…butter, 2 kinds of chocolate, dark brown sugar, and buttermilk. What’s not to love?! This is chocolate at it’s finest…
Of course, I had to make some cupcakes for the neighborhood kids, too!
So, do yourself a favor and get baking…
Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Extra Dark)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
**This is for an 8×8 pan, but can easily be doubled for a larger cake.** (I doubled it and was able to make an 8×8 cake and 16 cupcakes, but you will also need to double the frosting recipe.)
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper, and either butter the parchment and exposed sides of the pan, or spray the interior with a nonstick spray. In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat the butter and sugars until fluffy; scrape down bowl. Add the egg, yolk and vanilla and beat until combined, then the buttermilk and mix again. Scrape the bowl down well and don’t worry if the batter looks uneven. Place your flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and whisk together, breaking up any lumps. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir on low until just combined; scrape down bowl a final time. Scoop batter into prepared pan and smooth flat. Bake for 22-28min, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes in cake pan on cooling rack, then flip out onto rack or serving plate to completely finish cooling before frosting.
Frosting
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
Pinch of fine sea salt (optional)
1 tablespoons cream or whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined, scrape sides, then blend again until nice and smooth. If you don’t have a food processor, a hand mixer will be fine.
