My Dad's Birthday Cake

Every year I ask my dad what kind of cake he wants for his birthday. He will tell me yellow cake with chocolate icing 95% of the time. It was always his choice growing up and is still just as classic now. This year I thought I would try out a new recipe for his cake and consulted one of my new cookbooks. This book is Sweetapolita's Bakebook - and it is just gorgeous! I decided to make her "Best Ever Buttermilk Cake" with "Glossy Fudge Frosting". 

This cake is incredibly delicious with so much vanilla and butter flavor. The butter is mixed in cold which created an incredibly fine crumb texture to the cake - we all really loved it. I have to admit though, I was ALL about the icing! It has such a rich chocolate taste and the consistency was just as described - glossy fudge. This will be my go-to chocolate frosting recipe from now on! 

Best Ever Buttermilk Cake:

• 3 cups cake flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tbs plus 1tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup cold, unsalted butter cut into cubes
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms of chosen cake pans. I chose to bake mine in a bundt pan!

1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer running at low speed, add the cold butter one piece at a time. Beat until all is incorporated. The mixture will have a fine crumbly texture like sand. 
2. In a separate bowl combine half of the buttermilk and vanilla. In another bowl whisk the eggs and remaining buttermilk.
3. Gradually add the vanilla mixture to the butter mixture and let mix at medium speed for about 5 minutes. Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 additions and beat until well combined - about 2 minutes. 
4. Divide batter into prepared pans and bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto a cooling rack and let come to room temperature before icing.

Baking times will vary depending on what kind of pan you use. A 8 or 9 inch pan will take about 20 minutes. I found my bundt cake took about 35-40 minutes. 

Glossy Fudge Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 cup dutch process cocoa powder - can use milk or dark
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbs light corn syrup (Karo)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• pinch of salt

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until pale and creamy.
2. Sift together cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar and gradually add to butter. Add the corn syrup, milk, water, vanilla and almond extract, and salt. Beat for about 3 minutes until fluffy.

Sweetapolita also sells her own sprinkles mixes which I also used to decorate my dads cake! They are available on her website. 

I hope whoever's birthday you make this for, is that much more special with this gorgeous cake! What is your favorite flavor cake on your birthday?