Classic chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream ruffles for a touch of whimsy. This cake is extremely moist and rich without being bitter. The piped ruffles are relatively easy to make using a cake turner, piping bag, and small rose piping tip.
Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
2/3 cup dark cocoa powder
1 cup hot strong coffee
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup whole milk + 1 Tbsp vinegar)
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
Steep cocoa in hot coffee for 5 minutes. Whisk oil and sugar on medium-high until well combined. Add eggs and whisk again until well combined. Add buttermilk, cocoa-coffee mixture, and vanilla. Sift together remaining dry ingredients and then add to batter, whisking until just combined. Bake on parchment-lined cake pans for 28-35 minutes at 350 degrees F (check after 28 minutes in case your oven runs hot). Chill in the fridge at least 4 hours.
Chocolate Buttercream
Ingredients:
1 cup dark cocoa
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 ½ sticks butter, softened
½ cup buttermilk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream butter in stand mixer for 1 minute on high speed. Sift in cocoa and sugar. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix on high for another 2-3 minutes until fluffy and slightly shiny.
Assembly
Frost chilled cake layers and exterior with room temperature buttercream.
Ruffles Piping
Add a small rose piping tip (get it here on Amazon) to piping bag and fill with buttercream. Pipe concentric circles (like rings in a tree) of buttercream starting with the inner circle. Smooth outside circle to sides of cake with an offset spatula. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
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