Get the Recipe: The Brown Betty Bakery's Chocolate Sour Cream Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
- 3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (equal parts unsweetened cocoa powder and Dutch-processed, meaning that you should use 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder and another 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons of Dutched cocoa powder)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup water, boiling
For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
(makes 6 cups, or enough for one 9-inch cake)
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- 7 cups confectioner's sugar
- 3 to 6 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
Instructions
For the Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 (F). Coat two 9-inch round pans with nonstick cooking spray, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix together 3/4 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla until smooth.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together 2 1/4 cups cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar on low speed just until blended.
- Add 1 cup unsalted butter and half of the cocoa mixture (from the second step) to the flour mixture (from the third step) and beat until the dry ingredients are moist.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining cocoa mixture in 2 batches, beating well after each addition. Add 1/2 cup boiling water and beat until smooth.
- Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper.
For the Chocolate Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 6 ounces cream cheese and 4 teaspoons vanilla together on low speed until smooth. Increase the mixer speed to high. Add 1 cup butter and beat until incorporated, using a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl as necessary, about 1 minute.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in 1 cup cocoa powder and 1 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup. Add 7 cups confectioners' sugar and beat until blended. Add 3 to 6 tablespoons of whole milk, one tablespoon at a time, beating until the buttercream achieves a spreadable consistency. Set aside until ready to use.
Putting It All Together
- When the cake is completely cooled, use a large serrated knife to cut each of the 2 layers in half to make 4 thin layers in total.
- Place the first layer on a cake plate, and use an offset spatula to spread 1 cup of buttercream on top. Repeat with the next 2 layers.
- Place the final cake layer on top and spread the remaining buttercream on the top and sides of the cake.
Notes
Adapted from The Brown Betty Cookbook
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