Sweet 16 Birthday Cake
My baby turned 16 yesterday and before she ran off to spend the evening at the roller rink with friends, I insisted she sit down and eat some birthday cake with her aging parents.
I made a disastrous cake for her first birthday. It was shaped like a hedgehog mama and baby (after her favorite stuffed toys) and sweetened with raisin water. She enjoyed it, but all the adults passed on cake and asked for more wine instead. Heavy pours of wine.
Since then, I have regained my sanity and gone full sugar. I’ve made some version of a chocolate cake for her birthday for the last 14 years. This year was the best: moist cake and fluffy, not-too-sweet, not-raisin-water frosting.
This cake is easily adapted to be a sweet middle age birthday cake. Or a happy Monday cake. I will use any excuse to make it. It is just that good.
Ingredients
For the Cake: ¾ cup oil 2¼ cups (450 grams) granulated sugar 2 cups (256 grams) all-purpose flour 1¼ cups (110 grams cocoa powder) 1½ teaspoons baking powder 1½ teaspoons baking soda 1½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 cup (240 grams) sour cream 3 large eggs 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup prepared hot coffee For the Chocolate Buttercream: 1½ cups (340 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 3¾ cups (450 grams) confectioners’ sugar 1½ cups (140 grams) cocoa powder ¼ cup (60 grams) sour cream ¼ cup lukewarm milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract ¾ teaspoon kosher salt sprinkles and gold sparkly candles (optional)
Instructions for the Cake
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch circular baking pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
In a large bowl, stir together granulated sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk the oil with the sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
Add the sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients. Use an electric mixer and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl halfway through. Carefully fold the coffee into the batter using a spatula.
Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans and tap them on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Set the pans on a wire rack and let the cakes cool for about a half hour before removing from pans and cooling completely. It helps to run a knife around the edges of the pan before tipping the cakes out.
Instructions for the Frosting
Clean the large mixing bowl. Add the butter to the bowl and mix on medium-high until smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, sour cream, milk, vanilla and almond extract and salt. Mix on medium high for about 5 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Store on counter until cake has cooled completely.
Assemble the Cake
Just before frosting the cake, stir the buttercream to get rid of any air bubbles. Place a small dollop of buttercream in the middle of the serving plate and place one layer of cake on top, puffed-side down. Spread a thick layer of buttercream evenly over the top of the cake.
Place the second layer on top of the buttercream, puffed-side down, and press gently. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the top and sides of the cake.
Refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, about a half hour. Remove from the fridge and add another layer of frosting. Top with sprinkles if desired.
Store the cake at room temperature. I also save any left over frosting for people in my life that like extra frosting on the side. Probably they were served raisin cake as a child.
Optional: If your 16 year old also works at the local ice cream parlor and brings home some vanilla bean ice cream to pair with the cake, even better.
Note
I sometimes halve the cake (as shown in the picture) and do a single layer. This makes a lovely cake for one.
