Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

        There is not much to say about this cake recipe.  It is a basic yellow cake topped with chocolate buttercream frosting.  I have used the creaming method here, which requires you first cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  It is delicious!

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 xl egg yolks, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 Tb + 1tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• Frosting:
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, recommended: Ghirardelli
• 4 Tb heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Line two 9" round cake pans with parchment paper.  Butter and flour the pans.  Be sure to knock out the excess flour.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar over medium-speed for 5-10 minutes; until the butter is light yellow and fluffy.  Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

With the mixer still on medium speed, add the egg yolks one at a time; blending thorougly after each addition.  Scrap the bowl if needed.

With the mixer on low speed and beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternately add the flour and buttermilk in three additions.  After the last addition of the flour, scrap the bowl and add the half cup of whole milk.  Mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and place on the middle rack.  Let them bake for about 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the frosting, prepare a double-boiler.  Melt down the chocolate with the heavy whipping cream.  Add the vanilla extract and let cool.  Cream the butter and powdered sugar, but do not whip.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the chocolate to the butter and powdered sugar.  I like to run the mixer on low for five minutes or so just to make the frosting really creamy and smooth.

When the cakes finish baking, let them stand in the pans for about 20 minutes.  Turn out and cool completely before frosting.