Golden Butter Cake With Chocolate Ganache Frosting

I got this delicious recipe from Lindsey, and it’s one of our favorites ~ for good reason. The cake is light and buttery with a sweet vanilla flavor, and the ganache frosting is rich and smooth. One of the best things about this frosting is that it isn’t too sweet, and it’s very chocolaty.

Golden Butter Cake With Chocolate Ganache Frosting

2016-08-11 15:04:02

Serves 12

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Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

25 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

25 min

Cake Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups cake flour (NOT self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups whole milk

Frosting Ingredients

16 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 ½ cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (NOT melted)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Colored sprinkles (optional)

Cake Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottoms of three 9 inch round cake pans parchment paper. Generously coat sides and parchment with non-stick spray for baking ~ OR ~ butter sides and parchment then dust with flour. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and salt. Whisk, and set aside.
Measure 1 ¼ cups milk. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. (3-4 minutes) Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs, and beat for another 3-4 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
Add the flour mixture in three parts, and alternate with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat until combined after each addition.
Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then invert cakes onto rack, and peel off parchment. Reinvert cakes and allow to cool completely with top sides up.

Frosting Directions

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over, but not touching, simmering water. Turn off heat, and allow chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally. (about 15 minutes)
Making sure no water drips into chocolate, remove bowl to countertop, and let chocolate cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. (about 30 minutes)
Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, beat cocoa powder, butter, confectioner’s sugar, and salt until smooth and creamy. Add the cooled, melted chocolate, and whip for another 1-2 minutes, until completely combined.
Using a long serrated knife, trim rounded tops from cakes to make them level. Place three 4-inch strips of waxed paper or parchment on the edges of a cake plate, and place the first layer, top side down, on the plate. Spread with ¾ cup frosting. Add the second layer, top side down, and spread with another ¾ cup frosting. Add last layer, top side down, and frost all sides, and top with remaining frosting. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
Then gently remove waxed paper by pulling in opposite directions, simultaneously. This will keep the cake from moving.
Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Trace the bottom of a 9 inch round cake pan onto a piece of parchment, and cut 3 circles.

Line three 9-inch cake pans with parchment, and grease the sides and parchment with non-stick spray for baking ~OR~ butter the sides and parchment, and dust with flour.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups cake flour (NOT self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Whisk thoroughly, and set aside.

Measure
1 ¼ cups milk
Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
Beat until light and fluffy. (3-4 minutes) Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

Add
4 larg eggs
Beat for another 3-4 minutes.

Beat in
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Add one-third of the flour mixture, and mix until completely combined, scraping down sides of bowl.

Add one-half of the milk and mix until completely combined, continuing to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Alternate mixing in another third of the flour mixture, …

… the other half of the milk, …

… and the last third of the flour. Mix well, and scrape the sides of the bowl between each addition.

Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Watch carefully. You can tell they’re done when they’re golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Take care not to over-bake because the layers will get dry.
Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Then invert them onto rack, and peel off parchment.

Re-invert cakes and allow to cool completely with top sides up.

When completely cool, make the ganache frosting.

In a heatproof bowl set over, but not touching, simmering water, place
16 ounces high quality semi-sweet (or milk) chocolate

Turn off heat, and allow chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally. (about 15 minutes)

Making sure no water drips into chocolate, remove bowl to countertop, and let chocolate cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. (about 30 minutes)

Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl,
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 ½ cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (NOT melted)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Beat until light and creamy.