Chocolate DAD Cake
You can turn a regular 2-layer cake into something AMAZING for dad! This Chocolate DAD Cake is so easy the kids can make it!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 1207kcal
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (240g) buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup (112g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237g) freshly brewed hot coffee, I use decaf
Coffee Chocolate Buttercream
- ½ cup (1 stick, 113g) butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (260g) confectioners sugar, sifted
- ¾ cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ teaspoon McCormick® coffee extract
- ½ cup (120g) heavy whipping cream
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 227g) butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 32 ounces confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons whole milk, up to ½ cup for desired consistency
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare 2, 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
- In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into two 8-inch round prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean (not wet).
- Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely before cutting and adding frosting.
Coffee Chocolate Buttercream
- To a large bowl, add butter, confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, and coffee extract.
- Using a hand mixer, combine on low for about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream in 2 or 3 installments, mixing well after each addition. (The recipe calls for ½ cup but you can use up to 1 cup of heavy cream depending on the consistency you prefer)
- Once all ingredients are incorporated, mix on high for 1-2 minutes until frosting is creamy and smooth.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Beat butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Add vanilla and almond extract.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in confectioners' sugar, milk, and salt, frequently scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Once incorporated, whip frosting for at least 3 minutes on medium-high to high speed. (My mixer went for 7 minutes.) If frosting is too thick to spread, gradually beat in additional milk.
- Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.
Cutting the Cake
- Set one of the cake rounds on a cutting board. With a long serrated knife, slice the cake down the center, creating two halves. These two halves will be the 'D's' in DAD.
- The other cake will be the "A". Make one cut along the right edge and one along the left edge. Then cut out the under portion of the letter "A". Position the cakes to spell out the letters D A D. (Think about what you want to serve your cake on; these cakes will most likely not fit on a traditional cake stand.)
- Frost the cakes with the coffee chocolate buttercream, followed by the vanilla buttercream.
Nutrition
Calories: 1207kcal