Page 75 - Passion4Baking The Magazine

2 ½ CUPS (315 g) CAKE FLOUR Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans.
⅓ CUP (40 g) UNSWEETENED COCOA Line the bottoms with parchment paper and grease the paper.
POWDER (NOT DUTCH PROCESS) Sift the flour, cocoa, and baking soda into a bowl and whisk briefly
1 tsp BAKING SODA to combine; set aside. Stir the red food color into the buttermilk and
2 tbsp LIQUID RED FOOD COLOR set aside.
1 CUP (230 ml) BUTTERMILK In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar, vanilla, and
2 ½ STICKS (285 g) UNSALTED BUTTER, salt on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs
SOFTENED and egg yolks slowly, beating and scraping the bowl to ensure that they are
2 CUPS (400 g) PACKED DARK BROWN completely incorporated. On low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with
SUGAR the colored buttermilk. To prevent streaking in the cake, be sure to scrape the
1 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT sides of the bowl well as you mix the batter. Finally, stir in the vinegar by hand.
½ tsp SALT Divide the batter between the cake pans.
2 WHOLE EGGS PLUS 2 EGG YOLKS Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the
1 tbsp DISTILLED WHITE OR CIDER center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then
VINEGAR turn them out onto a wire rack, peel off the paper, and let cool completely.
Make the frosting. Place the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely blended. Sift the
8 oz. (225 g) CREAM CHEESE, SOFTENED confectioners' sugar onto the mixture in several additions, beating thoroughly
1 STICK (115 g) UNSALTED BUTTER, in between. Add the vanilla and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy but still
SOFTENED holds its shape, 3 to 5 minutes. Use immediately.
4 CUPS (500 g) CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR To decorate the cake, place one layer bottom side up on a cake plate. Spread
2 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT 3/4 cup of the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake right to the edges.
Add the second layer and use the remaining frosting to decorate the sides and
top by gently swirling it over the cake.

Excerpted from Desserts
From the Famous Loveless
Cafe by Alisa Huntsman
(Artisan Books). Copyright
2011. Photographs
by Karen Mordechai.

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