Impromptu birthday party: Ina Garten's Chocolate Cake

Today's baking idea came from a carton of outdated buttermilk.    I googled a recipe for buttermilk chocolate cake and found this fun blog using Ina Gartens double chocolate cake recipe.  The blog was very easy to follow. I've attached her link below.

http://www.alexandracooks.com/2013/10/29/beattys-chocolate-cake-plus-two-fair-trade-giveaways-lake-champlain-chocolates-hot-cocoa-bag-of-fair-trade-goodies/

Butter, for greasing the pans

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed 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 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 the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting:
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

I weighed the chocolate and melted it in the microwave.

Chocolate Frosting:
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. On low speed, add the chocolate to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

I separated the batter into three pans evenly. The cooking time was the same as the recipe stated.

Outfit change!  Our little monkey requires about three outfit changes a day...but he is VERY happy!

I inverted the cakes and removed the parchment circles. I used a serrated knife and trimmed a bit off of the top of each cake to make them flat. This wasn't a necessary step.

I put enough icing between each layer to just go to the edge then i pressed each cake layer firmly.  Then I put the remainder of icing on the top of the cake and used an offset spatula to smooth it evenly down the sides and around.

Tada! The icing was the perfect amount. I decided to use up the strawberries in the fridge and make it a little fancy for my impromtu birthday party.

 Its pretty funny that a carton of buttermilk turned into me throwing myself a birthday dinner!  I did a dinner party shout out and my sisters were in!

Cher took the kids to the park while I was organizing dinner and they returned with balloons in tow.  3 year olds can't have a party without balloons! 

 Jan provided the vegetable pasta ziti, I cooked some pork chops and made a salad.  Turned out to be a wonderful birthday dinner; the kids loved the meal.

 Now for the cake....it was a hit!  I forgot to reveal that there was coffee in the cake until the had almost finished their pieces...oops!  It sure was tasty.   I already have a "go to" chocolate cake recipe but I may have found a new one.  I am not one for sweet icings, I usually make cream cheese icing for everything.  This butter-cream recipe will definitely be going into my repertoire.

 There were even gifts involved!  Now that's my kind of party.

Is this not perfect for me? "Stressed is Desserts backwards" on a spatula.

No wonder Aubrey just woke up one day and decided to have a birthday party for herself! Wow she comes by it honestly.  Why not?!  Just make a cake and invite some friends over; you'll be sure to have a fun time.