Bake this incredible white cake with rich chocolate frosting for any special occasion!
I have three children. Randi is my oldest; she’s 25 years old. Next is Danny- he’s 22. And last but definitely not least is Benji- he’s 18. When my children were little, I started the tradition of cooking a special birthday dinner for them, which of course had to include a birthday cake. I adapted this recipe from a recipe of my mother’s (Nana to my kids). I have so many wonderful memories of all these birthday dinners that all ended with this amazing cake. The combination of the fluffy, buttery cake with the incomparable dark, glossy, chocolaty icing is so good, you will not be able to stop eating it! I know one thing for sure. To this day when I bake this cake, even though my kids are pretty much grown, they still fight over who’s going to get to lick the spatula or the bowl when I make the icing! I promise you – if you make this cake once for your family, you will want to start your own family tradition of making this cake for your children’s birthdays!
Recent note on Dec.11, 2020: I made this for Ezra’s 10th birthday, and Randi called me last night to tell me that it was the best it’s ever been, and that Ezra said, “Safta’s cake is my favorite cake in the world!”
For the cake:
- 3 cups Swans Down or Pillsbury Softasilk cake flour (I sift it first, then measure it)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (I try to use aluminum free such as Rumsford)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (If using unsalted butter, use 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. If using salted butter use 1 teaspoon salt.)
- 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans ( not from the original recipe but since 2020- I’ve been totally!! using 1 stick plus 4 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) over the last year or so for a moister cake) Hint- if you take the butter right out of the freezer or refrigerator, put it in the microwave one minute at a time on power level 1 until it is just soft, but not melted. It will probably take you about 1 or 2 min. Do not put the 2 tablespoons in the microwave with the 1 stick because it will melt down; do it separately for less than 1 minute) Your best bet is to let the butter sit out at room temperature for a few hours.
- 2 jumbo or extra-large (choose the biggest ones in the box) or jumbo eggs at room temperature ( not from the original recipe but I also add 1 extra egg white which makes the cake fluffier!) If the eggs are all not looking extra large or jumbo, just use 3 eggs.
- 1 1/4 cups regular or whole milk (room temp)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (not artificial)
For the icing:
-
- 1 pound (about 4 cups) confectioners’ sugar (I always sift it if I have the time ) not the original recipe but lately after I sift the sugar, I minus 1/2 cup from the 4 cups so in essence I’m using the whole box less 1/2 cup. )(If the sugar is really fresh you don’t have to sift it, but if it seems lumpy, sift if to get the lumps out.)
- 6 1 oz. squares of unsweetened chocolate Important note: (I use Baker’s) *****Not the original recipe but for the last few years I’ve been using 7 oz. Baker’s chocolate, and I liked the results, and now that is what I’m doing.)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter (even though the next note talks about margarine, I’ve been using butter for years! or margarine (margarine works just as well, but I can only recommend Fleischmann’s- the last time I baked this I did use the Fleischmann’s salted margarine, and the icing was exquisite!!!! (Thanksgiving 2009))
- 10 tablespoons whole milk (occasionally, I need to use 1 or 2 Tbls.extra)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (if you are using unsalted butter or margarine, increase salt to 3/4 teaspoon)
Note – The last few times I made the cake, I increased the chocolate in the icing to 7 oz. of unsweetened chocolate. I liked the result and now that is what I’m doing permanently.
Of course, my critic Benji suggested that I make this as a layer cake the next time. But I told him I wouldn’t- it is so much more labor intensive, and you don’t get as many pieces out of the cake- but today, Dec. 11, 2020, I’m seeing this note, and it’s inspiring me to make it as a layer cake. P.S. – We are now at Jan. 2, 2022. 2 cakes ago, I did make this as a layer cake, and the consensus from Benji and Randi was that it’s better in the 9 by 13 pan!! I just made the cake tonight for Benji’s birthday, and it has never come out amazing!!! I actually used 3 eggs, because they weren’t extra large or jumbo enough. I used Whole Foods organic butter, which was so yellow! The cake has NEVER come out this fluffy!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 non-stick baking pan or 2 nine inch cake pans (If I am making a layer cake, I use the most amazing 9 in. pans- they have removable bottoms, so I never have to worry about getting my cake out). I usually bake the cake in the 9 x 13, because it is so much easier to frost, and no one will care that it isn’t a layer cake because the only thing they will be noticing is the amazing taste!
Measure out your flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside.
In large bowl of electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the room temperature butter until it is light and fluffy. This takes a few minutes. Add the sugar, and cream on high speed till fluffy again. This takes a long time. Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, and mix each time, just until mixture is light and fluffy(This doesn’t take long!) On low speed, add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in three or four parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. This is very important and will insure a light and fluffy cake: When you add your dry ingredients, just mix until blended! Add your vanilla in after your last addition of milt. You may need to scrape down the bowl during mixing. Mix until just combined and smooth. Do not overmix!
Pour the batter into your prepared pan or pans. Bake 35-40 minutes (about 20-25 min for the round pans) until the top is slightly browned, the cake has separated slightly from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for about 50-60 minutes until cool.
Now, make the icing. I do not use a double boiler, but you may use one. Put butter or margarine in the bottom of a 2 or 3 quart heavy bottomed saucepan (I love using my 28 year old Farberware saucepans) on the tiniest flame possible. When the butter begins to melt and has coated the bottom of the pot, put the squares of chocolate in. Keep moving the chocolate around as it melts to make sure it doesn’t burn.
As soon as the chocolate and butter are completely melted, pour the confectioners’ sugar in and immediately pour the milk in. Whisk together on lowest flame possible until sugar is dissolved, and mixture is smooth. This will take a very short time! Add salt and whisk in. Take pan off stove and whisk in the vanilla.
If you are using the 9 x 13 pan, immediately, pour icing over cake and smooth with either a knife or a a rubber spatula. I like to use a small rubber spatula. If you are using round cake pans, then place one cake layer on your flat serving plate, and spread with the icing. Place the second layer on top, and frost the top and sides. Cover with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature until you serve this masterpiece.
Note: When you make the cake in the 9 by 13 pan, you may want to reduce the icing. I make the entire recipe of icing, and the layer of icing on top of the cake is quite thick. That’s how my family likes it. But if you like less icing, here are your quantities: 3 cups of confectioners sugar, 5 oz. unsweetened chocolate, 6 tablespoons margarine or butter, 8 tablespoons regular milk, scant 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.