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Buttercream Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 116 reviews

This recipe creates a rich and decadent cocoa buttercream cake featuring a moist, thin chocolate sheet cake layered with fluffy, creamy cocoa buttercream. Perfectly sized mini cakes are assembled from thin cake rounds layered with luscious frosting and decorated with shaved dark chocolate, fresh raspberries, and fragrant rosemary sprigs for an elegant dessert presentation.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted (unsweetened, not dutch processed)
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda / bi-carb
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup milk, preferably full fat, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup plain oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 tsp instant coffee powder (optional)

Buttercream Ingredients

  • 250g / 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 5 tbsp milk, preferably full fat

Decorations

  • Dark chocolate, finely shaved using a knife (white chocolate can also be used)
  • Raspberries
  • Rosemary sprigs

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced) to prepare for baking the cake batter.
  2. Prepare Baking Pan: Butter a 40 x 28.5 x 2.5 cm tray (15.8 x 11.3 x 1 inch jelly roll pan) and line it with baking paper to prevent sticking.
  3. Whisk Dry Ingredients: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda into a bowl. Add sugar and salt, then whisk everything to combine evenly.
  4. Add Wet Ingredients: Into the dry mix, add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
  5. Dissolve Coffee: Dissolve the instant coffee powder in boiling water, then add this to the batter. Whisk again; the batter will be very thin.
  6. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 13 minutes until set.
  7. Cool Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then use the paper overhang to lift it onto a wire rack and cool for another 30 minutes, still on the paper. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour to firm up before cutting.
  8. Cut Cake Rounds: Cover the sticky cake surface with parchment paper, flip the cake upside down onto a cutting board (sticky side down), remove the base parchment paper, then cut 21 rounds of 6 cm (2.4 inch) diameter or your preferred size and shape.
  9. Prepare Buttercream: Beat the softened butter on high speed for 3 minutes until soft and fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar in three batches, beating on low then increasing speed to combine fully, avoiding sugar clouds.
  10. Add Cocoa and Flavor: Once all icing sugar is incorporated, add cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low increasing to high speed for 3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  11. Assemble Cakes: Place one cake round on a small paper square and use a dab of frosting underneath to hold it in place. Pipe coils of chocolate buttercream on each layer, stacking three rounds per mini cake.
  12. Frost the Sides and Top: Pipe frosting around the sides and cover the top layer with a smooth finish. Use a small offset spatula or knife carefully to avoid crumbs.
  13. Decorate: Garnish the top with piles of finely shaved dark chocolate shards, raspberries, and rosemary sprigs for a beautiful presentation.

Notes

  • Using full-fat milk in both the cake and buttercream enhances the richness and texture.
  • Refrigerate the cake sheet after cooling to make it easier to cut neat rounds without crumbling.
  • The instant coffee powder is optional but helps deepen the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste.
  • Choose a firm butter for the buttercream to achieve the light, fluffy texture required for piping.
  • For best results, sift all dry ingredients to avoid lumps and ensure even mixing.
  • Customize the size and shape of the cake rounds according to preference.
  • Use parchment or wax paper to help in handling the sticky cake layers and prevent breakage.

Keywords: cocoa buttercream, chocolate cake, mini cakes, layered cake, buttercream frosting, dessert recipe, chocolate dessert, easy buffet cakes

Find it online: https://liamjayne.com/buttercream-cake-recipe/