The Best Marble Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

The Best Marble Cake with Chocolate Buttercream - Well, as she started the frosting, things went south fast…ending with a whole teaspoon of salt as opposed to 1/4th of a teaspoon that the recipe called for. I wanted to cry.

Luckily after some taste testing and some additional powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream it turned out better than the original. We won’t discuss the use of tips and piping bags, just know that I had to take it over because apparently icing a cake has yet to be discussed in class.

The Best Marble Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

INGREDIENTS
MARBLE CAKE

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks butter room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 4 egg yolks room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup buttermilk room temperature*
• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 1/2 sticks butter room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans, set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl mix together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using a stand mixer cream together the butter and sugars.
4. Once creamy, after about a minute, add in the eggs, one at a time, with the mixer on low. Making sure that each one is incorporated before adding the next.
5. Add your dry ingredients and buttermilk next. - Make sure to alternate - dry, buttermilk, dry, buttermilk, dry.
6. Mix until they are all incorporated. Don't over mix, this batter is thick. Set aside.
7. Melt the 4oz of chopped chocolate in the microwave, in 20 second increments, stirring after each, until it's melted.
8. Stir in one cup of the cake batter, until it's thoroughly incorporated.
9. Evenly distribute the cake batter into the cake pans, and give a slight drop on the counter to sort of "smooth" it out.
10. Drop 4 spoonfuls of the chocolate batter across the batter in each of the cake pans.
11. Using a knife or skewer, swirl the batter several times back and forth until you get chocolate and yellow batter swirls all over.
12. Place in the oven and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
13. Cool on cooling racks for 10 to 15 minutes, before removing from the pans.
14. Once removed from the pans, allow to cool completely before frosting. (speed this process, as I did, by placing them in the fridge right on the cooling rack)

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

1. Start by creaming your butter and vanilla in the mixer until it's nice and creamy. Mix in the heavy whipping cream.
2. Place your mixer on low and add your powdered sugar, slowly until you've added it all.
3. Beat in the cocoa powder and salt.
4. With the speed on medium to high, continue to beat until your frosting is nice and airy.
5. You are now ready to frost and assemble your cake!

NOTES
*if you don't have buttermilk-use a measuring cup, place 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and pour milk in to the 2/3 cup line. Stir and allow to sit for no more than 2 minutes.