Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream
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- Prep Time 35 minutes
- Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield Serves 12
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light-brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
For the Buttercream
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 jars (7.5 ounces each) marshmallow cream
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions
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Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
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In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Beat in vanilla.
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Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape bowl as needed.
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Pour batter into pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before inverting cakes onto rack to cool completely.
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Make the buttercream: In mixing bowl, beat butter and marshmallow cream until fluffy. Beat in cocoa, chocolate, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water. If too thin, refrigerate about 5 minutes.
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Place one layer on platter. Spread top with 1 cup buttercream. Place second layer on top. Frost entire cake with remaining buttercream.
Cook's Note
To melt chocolate, heat in the microwave for 15-second intervals until almost melted, then stir to finish melting. The cake can be frosted in advance and refrigerated.
This was an incredibly easy yet delicious cake. Added in a melted square of bittersweet chocolate for extra flavor and increased cooking time. The whole family devoured it. Will definitely make again.
can this buttercream hold up under fondant?
Easy cake, I made it for my husband's birthday. Great texdtures, I loved the frositing... will definitely make the frosting again. I think the cake could use a little more flavor. I might add more cocoa powder next time or add chocolate chips to the batter just before baking.