My Favorite Birthday Cake
Rich chocolate espresso cake filled with fresh raspberry and topped with whipped vanilla buttercream make this My Favorite Birthday Cake! And I didn't even have to make it! It's been at least 15 years since anyone has made me a cake for my birthday. My mom used to make me one every year until I...
Rich chocolate espresso cake filled with fresh raspberry and topped with whipped vanilla buttercream make this My Favorite Birthday Cake! And I didn't even have to make it!
It's been at least 15 years since anyone has made me a cake for my birthday. My mom used to make me one every year until I became an adult and then I typically made my birthday cake myself.
(Pardon the camera phone pictures... I wasn't planning on posting this recipe!
This year, however, my husband asked if he and the kids could make me a birthday cake and I immediately answered YES.
With one caveat...
... he had to use my favorite cake recipe from my blog!
He said no problem and printed out the recipe from the link I gave him. Dave has watched and helped me so many times over the lat 7-8 years in the kitchen that I knew he had the skills to bake.
What I didn't anticipate was how delicious the cake would turn out. In fact, it was so good that I didn't share any of the leftovers with my family for the days after my birthday.
Nope! That cake was all mine!
My Favorite Birthday Cake features a dense, rich, chocolate cake flavored with coffee and espresso.
Inside the cake is a compote made with fresh raspberries and citrus. I could really eat that compote with a spoon... or on toast... or on ice cream... or off my fingers.
On the outside of the cake was a perfectly sweet, whipped, light and fluffy vanilla buttercream. The secret to this buttercream is the heavy whipping cream.
I don't make any of my frosting without heavy cream... it truly makes all the difference!
With that said... I hope you make this cake for yourself some day. It is truly heavenly!
My Favorite Birthday Cake
Instructions
Chocolate Espresso Cake:- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease and flour 2 8in cake pans.
- In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the coffee, espresso powder, cocoa powder, and vanilla and whisk until combined. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream and the eggs. SLOWLY add a few tablespoons of the chocolate mixture to the sour cream and eggs. Whisk to combine. In a slow stream, whisk in the remaining chocolate mixture until combined completely.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in wet. Using a whisk, stir until no more lumps remain.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Each pan should get half of the batter. Bake 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pans to cool on a wire rack.
- Once the cakes have cooled, but are still warm, using a cake leveler to cut off the round mound on the top of the cake. Make sure all four layers are the same size.
- In a large pan, melt the butter.
- Add the raspberries, sugar and lime and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir continuously so that the raspberries begin to break down.
- Add the corn starch and stir to combine. Continue to cook until the raspberries thicken, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the salt.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before filling cake.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
- One cup at a time, add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and pinch of salt.
- Add enough heavy cream until you reach your desired consistency. You're looking for light and soft but still holds its shape.
- Mix on high for about 3-5 minute until light and fluffy.
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand/board. Trim the top until it is flat.
- Pipe a small border of frosting around the outside edge of the cake. Fill the middle with the raspberry mixture.
- Trip the top of the second cake layer until flat. Gently press it trimmed side down onto the raspberry layer.
- Pipe or spread the remaining frosting onto the outside edge of the cake and smooth out with a spatula.
- Decorate as desired.
Kindly advise what quantity of powdered sugar you use in the buttercream as it is not stipulated, thanks.
Sharon,
Thanks for catching that! I'm using a new recipe card and I think it got cut off. I've updated it now. 🙂 Happy baking!
Wow it so nice as we try it in our home your idea is amazing & thanks for sharing the recipe
Aw, man. I was excited by your description of this cake and tempted to make it right away but the recipe itself seems to be missing!
Thanks for catching that! Something went wonky on the back end but now it's fixed! 🙂
First there was her German Chocolate Cake with Broiled Coconut Frosting that was out of this world good. I mean broiled … She wants it to be sacred and only served on her birthday… it is HER birthday cake after all. In fact, she has …. this for her birthday! Thanks for sharing at What’d You Do This Weekend.
Thanks for catching that! I’m using a new recipe card and I think it got cut off. I’ve updated it now. ???? Happy baking!
First there was her German Chocolate Cake with Broiled Coconut Frosting that was out of this world good. I mean broiled … She wants it to be sacred and only served on her birthday… it is HER birthday cake after all. In fact, she has …. this for her birthday! Thanks for sharing at What’d You Do This Weekend.
This looks so yummy but it seems the ingredients and quantities are missing again. 🙁
Very Nice blog and yummy cakes
I just wanted to say how much I love this post! The combination of rich chocolate espresso cake, raspberry filling, and whipped vanilla buttercream sounds divine. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe – I can't wait to try it! 😊
Thanks for the comments!! Let us know how it turns out!