Chocolate Birthday Cake

When I asked J what he wanted for a birthday cake he said chocolate, which he always says. "Well, what kind of chocolate cake?" I ask, "Dense european style, light american supermarket style, Dobash*, chocolate frosting, vanilla frosting, buttercream, marshmallow? Be specific."

"What I really want is a brownie with vanilla frosting."
- crickets -
"Ummm, are you sure? That's different... so... two layers of brownie with vanilla buttercream in between?"

Good thing I double checked. While his mouth said brownie, his brain said cupcake. Like Hostess. With really sweet vanilla buttercream. Yeah. So this is what I created for his birthday. Moist, soft, not-too-sweet but very chocolatey cake. When covered with (to me) a very sweet buttercream in a thin layer it actually works really well.

Chocolate Birthday Cake
44 g unsweetened cocoa, high quality, high-fat (about 1/2 cup)
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup coffee, very hot
270 g all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coffee, room temperature

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
150 g granulated sugar (about 3/4 cup)
150 g light brown sugar (about 3/4 cup)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (3 ounces)
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9" diameter springform pan.

Combine cocoa, chocolate and very hot coffee, stirring until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine room temperature coffee, yogurt and vanilla.

Cream together sugars and butter. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add chocolate mixture, beating to combine. Add flour mixture alternately with yogurt mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, stirring after each addition. Spoon into prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes then reduce temperature to 300°F and continue baking for 20 to 25 additional minutes, until a tester inserted at the edge comes out clean and at the center comes out moist. Cool for 10 minutes in pan then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Cut cooled cake into two layers. Frost between layers and over top and sides as desired. If using this vanilla buttercream recipe, you will end up with a rather thin layer of frosting. For a more typical covering, try 1-1/2 times the recipe, or double for thick frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (4 ounces)
400 g sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

At low speed of a stand mixer, beat together butter and about 1/4 of the powdered sugar until combined. Add powdered sugar in 3 more additions, beating to combine after each addition. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until fluffy and aerated. Beat in vanilla and milk.


* What is Dobash? It is a dark chocolate chiffon layer cake with a pudding-style chocolate icing, typically with cake crumbs decorating the sides. This is one of those Hawaii things and the only cake I want for my birthday!