This was my first cake recipe requiring buttermilk, so I was very excited to give it a try.

I used buttermilk in homemade waffles, and liked the results, so I had no doubt that this cake will turn out great as well.

I also liked the combination of Vanilla Cream Cheese frosting and the chocolate cake.  I really like the taste and texture of cream cheese frosting.

How about you?

Please let us know what is your favorite cake frosting.

Cake Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Cake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour, two 9 inch round cake pans.
3. In a medium bowl, combine sifted flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
4. Incorporate evenly together with a fork, or hand whisk.
5. In a separate container mix the buttermilk and vanilla, and set aside.
6. Place sugar and butter in a large mixer bowl, and beat on low until blended.
7. Beat at least 3 minutes on high, or until a creamy mixture forms.
8. Scrape the sides and blend into the mixture.
9. Add one egg at a time and mix at low speed until all mixed in well.
10. Slowly add flour mixture, alternating it with buttermilk mixture, until blended (begin with flour and end with flour).  Scrape the sides and blend into the mixture. (The batter will be the consistency of cake filling).
11. Pour equal half of the batter into the prepared pans.
12. Place pans on the middle oven rack, and bake for 30 minutes, or until the toothpick test comes out clean. (one of my cakes baked for 30 minutes, and the other one for 35 minutes).
13. Remove from the oven.
14. Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
15. Invert from pans onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Filling Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2. 8 0z (1 package) original cream cheese, softened (not light)
3. 2 tsp vanilla extract ( I used 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp Bailey’s Irish Cream)
4. 1 lbs of confectioner’s sugar

Filling Directions:

• In a large mixer bowl, beat at medium-high speed, butter and cream cheese, until uniform cream mixture develops.
• Add the vanilla, and continue beating until fluffy.
• Reduce speed to low, and gradually add the powdered (confectioner) sugar until blended.
• Beat on high for 2 minutes until light and creamy.

Cake Assembly:

1. Slice each cake into two equal halves, horizontally (4 disks all together).
2. Place one of the halves on a cake plate (I place one piece of waxed paper under each side of the first cake layer,  to protect the cake plate from being smudged with icing.  Once the cake icing is completed, I gently pull out each piece of the paper, and discard them).
3. I also prepare a cake soaking punch from 1/2 cup of water and 1 tsp vanilla, and sprinkle lightly each cake half, before spreading the filling.
4. Place 1 cup of the cake filling on the soaked cake half, and spread evenly.
5. Repeat the above process, until the last cake half (which is the bottom part of the second cake) is placed as a top layer, with the uncut bottom part up.
6. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake.
7. Decorate to your preference. ( I swirled  slightly warmed chocolate ganache on the top of the cake, and formed a design with a fork. Then dabbed some chocolate ganache on the sides and followed the same process).

TIP: I was asked to double the icing recipe for this cake, so I did, however, I felt it was too much frosting of one kind, for one cake.  Others felt it was just the perfect combination between the sweetness of the frosting and the less sweet cake layers.

Everyone has their favorite cake for special occasions.  One of my son’s favorite cakes is a carrot cake,  so I always make it for his birthday.  This recipe offers cream cheese frosting, which I normally use, but also a cream cheese glaze, for those who are not so fond of frosting.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 cups carrots, peeled and shredded (about 10 carrots)
• 4 eggs

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 4 Tbs. butter, softened
• 2 Tbs. vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioner sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour 2 cake pans.
3. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg, thoroughly in mixer bowl.
4. Add oil, carrots, and eggs.
5. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
6. Pour batter into pans.
7. Bake 1 hr.
8. Cool 10 minutes on a cake rack.
9. Remove from pan, and cool completely.
10. Spread frosting on top of the first cake, cover with the second cake (bottom part up).
11. Frost the top and sided of the cake.

If you prefer to glaze you cake rather than frosting it, here is a recipe for the glaze:

• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 2/3 cup confectioner sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients, and drizzle over the top of the cake,  so that it drips down the sides.
Refrigerate for  one hour before serving.

Tip:  I saved 3 Tbs. of frosting for decorations, and mixed 2 Tbs. with red and yellow food coloring to make orange frosting for the carrots, and 1 Tbs. of frosting mixed with green food coloring, for carrot tops.  I used a cake decorating bag,and plain tip, to form the carrots and tops.

If you like a lot of frosting (especially in the middle layer), you need to double the above recipe.