Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F(175C). Grease (2) 6” baking pans and line the base of each pan with 6” parchment paper circle cutouts.
- Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Alternatively, the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt can be added into a large mixing bowl and whisked to combine.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Next, whisk the buttermilk into the wet batter to combine.
- Pour the wet batter into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a hand mixer at low speed or a wire whisk, mix the wet batter into the dry ingredients followed by the coffee/espresso just until you have a smooth cake batter, about 1-2 minutes. Take cake to not overmix the cake batter.
- Equally divide the batter into the prepared baking pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool chocolate cakes in the pans for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
Chocolate Buttercream
- In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, cream the butter and salt (optional) at medium high speed until it is smooth and fluffy in appearance, about 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder into creamed butter. Gradually increase the mixer speed back to medium.
- Once all the sugar and cocoa powder have been incorporated into the butter, mix in 2 tablespoons of the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract into the buttercream.
- If buttercream appears too thick, mix in additional cream 1/2 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency (thick but spreadable) is reached.
- If buttercream appears to be too soft, mix in additional confectioners’ sugar 1/4 cup at a time until a thick but spreadable consistency is reached.
- Increase mixer speed to medium high and mix chocolate buttercream for an additional 30-60 seconds. The resulting buttercream should be smooth and fluffy in appearance.
Assembly
- Level cooled chocolate cakes with a serrated knife or cake leveler. This will allow cakes to be evenly stacked and assembled.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup of the buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a round piping tip. I used a Wilton 1A piping tip.
- Position the first cake layer faced up on a cake stand or serving plate of choice.
- Spoon about a 1/3 cup of the buttercream onto the cake and spread into an even layer using an offset (angled) spatula.
- Use reserved buttercream to pipe a border of buttercream around the other rim of the cake layer.
- Spoon the cherry jam into the center of the piped border and smooth into an even layer using the back of an offset spatula.
- Place the final cake layer faced down on top of the first layer.
- Using an offset spatula, apply a thin layer of the buttercream over the entire surface of the cake starting at the top and working down to the sides of the cake.
- Smooth out the crumb coat using an offset spatula (top of cake) and bench scraper (sides of the cake).
- Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the crumb coat to firm up before applying the final coat of buttercream in a similar fashion like the crumb coat. I used this tutorial for textured buttercream design.
- Top frosted cake with fresh cherries and blackberries (optional) before serving.