Posted on Wednesday, 11th August 2010 by Grace
What a fantastic weekend! My niece, V, was married on Saturday. The wedding was amazing and V looked absolutely stunning! I think I cried throughout the entire ceremony (thank goodness I brought a few packages of kleenex).
It was a crazy busy weekend starting with the rehearsal party on Friday evening. My cheesecakes were a hit, unfortunately no time for photos but I will bake them again soon and share the recipes. They were super delicious and I know you will enjoy them.
I had a huge group (about 40 to 50) on Sunday for barbecue and amazingly enough I was able to time everything perfectly and we enjoyed a delicious meal.
My cousin Ann and her family are still visiting. Her daughter, Gina, celebrated her Sweet 16 a while back and I wanted to bake a special birthday cake for her. I decided to go with Donna Hay’s Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. I thought it couldn’t get better than the Chocolate Mud Cake I baked the other day but this chocolate layer cake is extra special.
I couldn’t believe how easy the cake was to make. Gina loves to bake so I gave her a little cake baking tutorial as I went along. I am sure this will be a cake she can easily make on her own when she gets home. The frosting couldn’t be easier either, cream the butter and cream cheese, sift the icing sugar and cocoa and add gradually.
Believe it or not the frosting is very light, fluffy and very creamy and tastes very similar to a Milky Way chocolate bar.
Indulge your sweet and chocolate cravings with this decadently rich, super moist and absolutely scrumptious cake!
Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake
(from Donna Hay, Donna Hay Magazine – 50th Issue Birthday)
Serves 6 to 8
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- 125 g unsalted butter, chopped
- 1/3 cup (35 g) cocoa, sifted
- 2 cups (300 g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of (baking) soda, sifted
- 2 cups (440 g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 160° C (325° F). Lightly grease 2, 18 cm round cake tins and line with parchment paper.
- Place the water, butter and cocoa in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted; set aside.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Add sugar and whisk to combine well.
- Add the cocoa mixture and whisk to combine. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Divide batter evenly between the 2 cake tins. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
(from Donna Hay, Donna Hay Magazine – 50th Issue Birthday)
- 100 g unsalted butter, softened
- 500 g cream cheese
- 2 cups (320 g) icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup (50 g) cocoa, sifted
- Place butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 6 to 8 minutes or until pale and creamy.
- Meanwhile, using a fine-mesh sieve, sift icing sugar and cocoa into a medium bowl. Repeat an additional 2 times.
- Reduce stand mixer to low speed and gradually add the icing sugar, cocoa mixture.
- Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat for a further 6 to 8 minutes or until light and fluffy.
To Assemble Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake
- Slice the cooled cakes in half horizontally.
- Place one cake layer on a plate and spread with one quarter of the frosting. Repeat with the remaining layers and frosting.
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Tags: cakes, chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate dessert, chocolate frosting, chocolate icing, cream cheese, frosting, icing
Posted in Baking & Pastry, Baking Mise en Place, Fillings, Frostings & Dessert Sauces, Pastry Doughs & Batter, Recipes
Comments (49)
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August 11th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
This looks both delicious and beautiful. Are you sure it’s easy? Either way, you have such a lucky family to have you cooking for them!
August 11th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Honestly Marly it was very easy, surprised me too.
August 11th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
This cake looks amazing! I have to find a way to work in desserts into my diet. Sigh. LOL Glad the wedding went well!
August 11th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Thank you Marjorie, V looked so beautiful
August 11th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Looks beautiful and I’m sure it was delicious.
August 11th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Thanks Michelle and yes it was.
August 11th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Well I hope you didn’t get tears all over your cheesecakes! Cake looks delicious.
August 11th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Grace, what an amazing-looking cake and I’m so glad the wedding went so well. I bake bread with buttermilk all the time but I don’t think I’ve ever baked a cake with it. I bet it adds a wonderful flavour. And that frosting……… (happy sigh).
August 11th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Brenda I’ve never tried buttermilk in bread, I think I will try it next time. I think this may be the best cake I have ever baked, everyone was just raving about it.
August 11th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Hey Ryan thank goodness the cheesecakes were for the night before.
August 11th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
This cake was absolutely DELICIOUS. I loved it so much and i’m most definitely making this at home. Thank you so much for everything Aunt Grace, it couldn’t of gone any better. I love you. xoxo
August 11th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
I’m glad you like it Gina, I love you too!
August 12th, 2010 at 12:13 am
These sweet stacks make me crazy…absolutely fantastic!!
Cheers,
Gera
August 12th, 2010 at 2:05 am
Thank you Gera!
August 12th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Oh, what a gorgeous, delicious cake… Get in my belly!
August 12th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
OK now I was there watched the whole thing go down!The concept of using a scale is foreign to me and I would think most Americans! I can say that I have been won over with this way of ” Reproducing” accurately a concoction from heaven. I must have a digital scale…arrggg.
The smell of this cake going together is to die for. I had a flash back to the Hershey factory!! No Joke! This is as short and sweet as I can make it with out being longer than Graces blog but the Cake is so very moist, sweet and not overly chocolaty but very smooooth. The frosting to me is what boost this heavenly creation into a Plutonian orbit. The frosting is very light and fluffy, but there is a tug on the tongue after the smooth chocolate flavor that says..”keep it coming what was that”
The whole family was sad when we had to leave the cake behind and go back to Jersey.
Trust me make this cake NOW.
August 12th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Oh I knew I left something out that is very important. Liana works very hard behind the scene to present the creations in an accurate fashion! Liana you ROCK the light BOX….LOL
August 12th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
Oh Tom you are too funny, miss you guys so much already!
August 13th, 2010 at 9:08 am
That’s a beautiful cake! The frosting sounds just fantastic. Love Donna Hay!
August 13th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
I love her too Lisa, working my way through a ton of her recipes right now.
August 15th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
[...] found a recipe for yummy chocolate cake from Grace Langlois’ blog, La Mia Dolce Vita. One kitchen tool that is a must for this recipe is a silicone spatula–just look at all that [...]
August 16th, 2010 at 12:02 am
I bought that magazine as soon as I saw the cover! Your cake looks just as beautiful, if not moreso!
August 16th, 2010 at 1:28 am
Thanks Ivonne, we so enjoyed the cake!
August 16th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Absolutely mouth-watering!
August 16th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Thank you Lea!
September 11th, 2010 at 5:49 am
pretty awesome!
September 22nd, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Did I read that right, you prepared a bbq for 40-50 people? Amazing. Just like that cake of yours.. I could just dive right into it!
September 22nd, 2010 at 1:31 pm
That’s pretty normal for me Roxan when the family comes for dinner. You get used to it after a while. I love it! The more the merrier.
October 4th, 2010 at 3:31 am
[...] Grace of La Mia Dolce Vita made a Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake from Donna Hay. [...]
October 4th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
This layer cake looks very beautiful.
October 4th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Thank you Katerina
October 20th, 2010 at 11:12 am
That looks beautiful.
October 20th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
I’m drooling. I can’t wait to make this cake!
October 20th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I felt the same way Lynn when I saw it in the Donna Hay magazine. You won’t be sorry, so delicious!
October 20th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
This cake looks stunning! I have got to seriously give this cake a try, the chocolate cream cheese frosting sounds awesome!
October 20th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Hi, just wondered if this would be ok baked the day before or do you think it’s better the same day? Thanks, Lisa!
October 20th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Hi Lisa, It would be best made and served the same day, that being said, the small piece we had left over was just as moist the second day. It is pretty tall so you may want to bake the cakes one day and then ice the day you are serving. This way you can keep the layer in a airtight container. I hope you enjoy it.
October 20th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Wow what a beautiful looking cake. I’m sure it tasted delicious! You make it look easy, but I don’t think I could do this
October 20th, 2010 at 11:50 pm
Nancy you can do this! It really is easier than it looks.
October 21st, 2010 at 3:07 am
Hi, thanks for getting back to me so quickly! I am making this for a combined 60th tomorrow night, using the frosting in the layers, and choc panels around the outsides. I am using a 25cm bottom cake and an 18cm top cake. I’m trying to work out quantities, wondering whether to do one mix just for the bottom cake or more? Am so unsure….thought maybe if I did 1.5 x the mix I would be able to use one batch for the bottom and a half batch for the top. Aaarrgghhhh….why do we get ourselves into these things?? Let me know what you think pleeeaassee!!! Cheers, Lisa!
October 21st, 2010 at 7:13 am
I think you might be just shy of what you need with on mix. I would probably do two just to be safe, you could bake an extra layer with any left ofter and freeze it to eat another time. You are brave Lisa, sounds like it’s going to be amazing. You’ll have to come back and let me know how it goes.
October 21st, 2010 at 7:17 am
Thanks for that Grace….much appreciated! Will let you know how it goes!
October 21st, 2010 at 9:35 am
Delicious chocolate buttermilk layer cake! I just baked one ferrero rocher white and dark chocolate cake and who can resist chocolate?
October 21st, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Thanks Elin, I just took a look at your cake, yummy! I love Ferrero Rochers, so does my son. I just picked up some Baci chocolates and I am planning to make some cupcakes with them. I definitely can’t resist chocolate!
October 23rd, 2010 at 8:31 pm
Heavenly.
November 9th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
ill be your best friend if you come make me alot of cakes
November 15th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
[...] one of them. I’ve baked 4 including this recipe, Chocolate Mud Cake (dense and rich), Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake (super moist with a light and fluffy frosting), and Chocolate Stout Cake with Peanut Butter [...]
December 11th, 2010 at 7:01 pm
[...] recipes. Donna has some amazing cake recipes as well. If you like chocolate Donna’s Chocolate Mud Cake and Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake are to die for [...]
February 1st, 2011 at 9:37 pm
[...] enjoy these other ways to say “I love you” with chocolate on Valentine’s Day - Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake, Robert’s Absolute Best Brownies, and Baileys® Chocolate Pots de Crème. Why not start the [...]