Some cakes make me want to dance.
Some songs make me want to dance.
Some days make me want to dance.
Do you have those days too? The ones that are impossible to describe because they’re too good to attach words or labels to…
Days when the only thing you can do is…eat cake…and dance…
Well, today, we have hit the jackpot!
Today, it’s all about DOM!
His 51st birthday.
A yellow butter cake with chocolate frosting.
And Pharrell Williams.
Oh yeah!!!!
Doesn’t yellow cake with chocolate frosting just scream, “Happy Birthday”?
This all-American layer cake is one of Martha Stewart’s recipes. It comes from her Baking Handbook. I loved the idea of making Dom a classic cake with a dreamy, decadent frosting.
And Martha delivers! I will give you one note of advice – make sure not to overbeat your batter – it can become a little tough. Perhaps I know a little something about this. 😉 Once you add the flour to the egg and butter mixture, beat until just combined. This will leave your cake fluffy and moist.
And what can I say about this frosting that will inspire you to get out of your chair and run to the store right now for the ingredients? Let’s just say – this frosting, alone, could be dessert. Serve it in a pretty bowl, stick a candle in it, pour your coffee, sing your song, and call it a party. This frosting evokes the same level of emotion that this song and this day, evoke for me… they make me want to dance…
And Dom doesn’t know it yet but by the end of his birthday he’ll know every word to “Happy”! And I’ll teach him some of my moves.
Isn’t that great?!
Don’t you think he’ll love it?
Happy Birthday, Dommi!!!!
Here’s to a day of decadence and dancing!
Buon Appetito!
Yellow Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 lb. best-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 6 Tbsp. cocoa powder
- 6 Tbsp. boiling water
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside.
- Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 – 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until just combined after each addition.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
- Bake, rotating the pans half-way through, until cakes are golden brown, and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 30 – 35 minutes.
- Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 20 minutes.
- Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment.
- Reinvert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
- In the meantime, make frosting.
- Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water.
- Stir occasionally, until chocolate is melted, about 15 minutes.
- Set bowl on countertop, and let chocolate cool to room temperature, 25 – 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile combine cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl; stir until cocoa is dissolved.
- In the bowl of the electric mixer, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy; 3 – 4 minutes.
- Add melted chocolate; beat on low until combined, 1 – 2 minutes; scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- Beat in the cocoa mixture.
- Place one cake layer on a cake plate, and spread top with 3/4 cup frosting.
- Place the other cake layer on top.
- Spread the entire cake with remaining frosting, swirling to coat in a decorative fashion.
- Cake can be kept in the refrigerator, covered with a cake dome, for up to three days.
- Let cake sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
(*Recipe inspired by Martha Stewart.)
“Clap along if you know what happiness is to you!” ~P.W.
Ciao!
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Yes Ann, I do think he loved it…you crazy girl. I’m laughing so hard right now. Yellow cake and milk chocolate frosting is my favorite. You frosted it so pretty too. Oh, and I agree…you can’t beat cake batter too long because if you do the layers don’t come out as high or fluffy. We will do a toast to Dom’s birthday Friday night…cheers, salute, nastrovia!!!
Ahahaha! As it turned out – he did love it! I’m lucky he’s such a good sport!! Next, I’ll have him sing the chorus of Happy to you on Friday…we’ll see how far that goes! Can’t wait! Cin Cin! 🙂
Sweeta!
Thank you for sharing your lovely birthday cake creation for Dom with us last night!! Absolutely delicious!!
Have a great time tonight and Happy Birthday Dom!!!
We love you guys!!
Mom, Ann, Agnes, Teresa & Gerard 🙂 XOXOXOXOXO
Hey Ann! Last night was a real treat for all of us! So happy to be together! We love you! 🙂
Happy birthday to my main man!! I know you’re gonna spoil him, mama! Wish I could be there to celebrate with you guys ♥ ♥ ♥
Your main man was so happy to hear from his favorite girls today!! We wish you could be here too, Sweeta! We’re keeping our birthday bus moving!! Love you <3
Happy Birthday to the big D…our favorite “Apple Dom”! This cake looks amazing…wow, I wish it was my birthday today! Please give him a big birthday hug from us!
I will happily give big hugs and he will happily accept! Thanks pally! 🙂
Yum yum yummy!!! The cake looks like perfection!! Yellow cake milk chocolate frosting is my favorite cake combination as well!! Happy birthday Dommy!! Here’s to 51 more!!!! Xoxo
Thanks, Nic!!! Cheers to that!!! XO 🙂