Yellow Birthday Cake with Chocolate Icing

Posted byhelenspencerpantazisPosted inCakes

I couldn’t find a yellow cake that made everyone happy. So during Covid isolation, I turned to my baking show friends and asked for their favorite yellow cake recipes and did a taste test. This is the cake that was unanimously voted the best by the D. Spencer family and the Pantazis family. It is a Rose Levy Berenbaum recipe that was given to me by fellow baker, Carlos. With a silky smooth chocolate icing, it is everything I want in a birthday cake.

Helen

Cake:

  • 6 egg yolks (110 grams)
  • 1 cup sour cream (240 grams), divided
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups cake flour (300 grams)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar (300 grams)
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 18 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Chocolate Icing:

  • 10 ounces chocolate, chopped or chips
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup corn syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 8″ cake tins with parchment.

Combine egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the sour cream and vanilla in a small bowl.

Sift cake flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt into the mixing bowl. Add butter and remaining 3/4 cup sour cream to the flour mixture and mix on low until mixed. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl well.

Add egg yolk mixture to the batter in three additions, blending well and scraping the bowl as needed. Divide into prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes, until just done in the center. Do not over-bake.

Icing: Place chopped chocolate in the food processor. Bring the cream, corn syrup and salt to a boil and stir to combine. Pour hot cream over the chocolate and process until smooth.

Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and process. Cut the butter into tablespoons. With the processor running, drop the butter through the feed tube, one piece at a time. Process until the icing is smooth and there are no more butter pieces. Refrigerate until thick, about 2 hours. Or refrigerate overnight and whip in the mixer until spreadable and smooth.