One-Bowl Chocolate Cake With Mocha Buttercream
One-Bowl Chocolate Cake With Mocha Buttercream
INGREDIENTS:
- Unsalted butter, room temperature, for pans
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pans
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup warm water
- 3 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mocha Buttercream
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; dust with cocoa, tapping out excess. Sift together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl.
Beat on low speed until just combined. Raise speed to medium; add eggs, buttermilk, water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks to cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks to cool completely (Unfrosted cake layers can be stored, wrapped in plastic, at room temperature or refrigerated overnight.)
3. Place bottom layer on a cake stand or platter, and spread evenly with about 1 cup buttercream.
Top with remaining layer; frost top and sides with another 2 cups buttercream, smoothing sides with an offset spatula. Divide remaining buttercream among pastry bags fitted with open and closed star tips, such as #16, #22, #30, and #35. Pipe swirls of buttercream on top of cake.
Frosted cake can be refrigerated overnight; bring to room temperature before serving. NOTE: For cupcakes, divide the batter evenly between 2 lined 12-cup muffin tins, filling each cup two thirds full.
Bake, rotating pans halfway through, about 20 minutes. For a sheet cake, butter a 9-by13-inch pan and dust with cocoa; bake about 35 minutes.
