Earlier this month, upon realizing that I had officially become my mother, not only in my preferences, but also in how I impose my preferences on others — dark meat chicken, cakes without frosting — I decided it might be wise to branch out a bit, to bake a cake with not one but two layers and to guild it not with a delicate dusting of powdered sugar but with a slathering of silky frosting. It was a healthy exercise. You see, I didn’t know that frosting — chocolate buttercream in this case — has the ability to silence a table surrounded by both toddlers and adults and afterward to elicit unprompted comments such as: “You are such a good cooker.” This cake, made with buttermilk and oil — no butter — and exclusively cocoa — no melted chocolate — is incredibly light and moist and stays this way — tasting freshly baked — for days. It’s another Ina Garten recipe, one she begged for from a friend, the grandson of Beatty, after taking one bite. I’m so happy I branched out. Because while I am completely embracing that I am my mother’s daughter, adoring almond tortes and torta capreses, I understand there is a time and a place for layers of cake and frosting. A silent table is always (or almost always) a sign of success.
How to Make Beatty’s Chocolate Cake, Step by Step
First, sift the dry ingredients together: flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt: Next combine the wet ingredients: buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla, coffee: Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine.
How to Make a Parchment Paper Circle Cake Bottom:
Transfer the batter to two buttered and parchment-paper-lined baking dishes. Bake until done.
How to Make Chocolate Buttercream:
Frost the cake by spreading just under half of the frosting over one layer. Top with the other layer; then spread the remaining frosting over the cake and on the sides.
5 from 16 reviews This chocolate cake, made with buttermilk and oil — no butter — and exclusively cocoa — no melted chocolate — is incredibly light and moist and stays this way for days. It’s an Ina Garten recipe, one she begged for from a friend, the grandson of Beatty, after taking one bite. It has become a family favorite — a real crowd pleaser with adults and children alike.
A few notes:
Ina uses the stand mixer, but I find it works great just by mixing with a whisk and spatula. I now make this in one bowl: whisk together the dry ingredients; then add the wet one by one, being sure I beat the eggs prior to adding them to the bowl. I’ve added weight measurements, because that’s how I prefer to bake. The original frosting recipe calls for a raw egg yolk, but I omit it and don’t notice a difference.
