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Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

The Dough Mamma • Sep 12, 2016

Birthday season has arrived at the Doughmamma household, so let the festivities begin.   Over the next 8 weeks, 6 family members including myself, have birthdays to celebrate, which means several cakes to bake and an end to this summer’s waistline.

We recently celebrated our son’s 9th birthday with this delicious, mouth-watering, buttermilk chocolate cake. Buttermilk is one of my favorite ingredients to use.  Subtle in flavor, offering the slightest hint of tang to complement any sweetness, buttermilk is one of those secret ingredients that can elevate almost any dessert.  At high altitudes, buttermilk also helps maintain moistness as well as supply a touch of leavening.  Buttermilk’s acidity breaks down tough strands of gluten, creating a rich, tender and moist crumb in baked goods. An interesting side note, buttermilk can also prevent the blue tinge from occurring when baking with walnuts and/or cherries.  Ode to Buttermilk!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves:  8
 
I took a few liberties and made some substitutions, but the basic structure of the recipe is true to the original. If you live at high altitudes, I highly recommend purchasing this book, Pie in the Sky by Susan Purdy. High Altitude Adjustments : Place rack in center of the oven, 375 F, Bake for 25-30 minutes, or when the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Add 3 Tbsp of flour, decrease baking soda to 1¼ tsp, increase salt to ½ tsp, reduce sugar to 1½ cups, increase buttermilk to 1½ cups. I reduce sugar in most of my recipes, trying not to exceed 1 cup as a general rule. For added moistness in any climate, I often use a simple syrup lightly brushed on top of each layer and in between layers too.
Ingredients
  • Cake
  • 4 oz of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 cups of all purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp of freshly grated nutmeg (use zester)
  • ½ lb of unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ cups of granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp of Grand Marnier
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1⅓ cup of buttermilk, room temperature
  • Chocolate Mocha Buttercream Frosting
  • 8 Tbsp of unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar
  • ⅓ cup of unsweetened cocoa
  • ½ cup of coffee
  • 1 tsp of Grand Marnier
  • 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Set your oven to 325 F and position your rack on the bottom ⅓ of your oven. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently pressed. Spray 2-9inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. In a microwave proof bowl, heat chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring inbetween until chocolate is smooth and fluid. You may also use a double boiler instead of a microwave. Set chocolate aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and slightly fluffy. Beat in the Grand Marnier, the eggs, adding one egg at a time. Use a spatula to clear the sides of the bowl and blend.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture then ⅓ of the buttermilk, continue alternating until both are incorporated. Slowly add the chocolate and mix on low until there are no streaks - do not over mix. It's better to use your spatula a few times to fold the batter than it is to over mix.
  6. Divide the batter evenly between two pans. Bake for 35 minutes or more.
  7. Allow to cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and continue to cool on racks for about 1 hour.
  8. Frosting
  9. In a bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add two cups of sifted sugar and beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides of bowl. Add two more cups of sugar, the cocoa, coffee and Grand Marnier and beat until smooth and creamy.
  10. Frost cakes once completely cooled.
  11. It's easiest to frost cakes after they have been refrigerated for a couple of hours or overnight. If you prefer this option, just wrap cakes tightly in plastic wrap once they have completely cooled, refrigerate and frost the next morning.

 

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