Homemade Chocolate Birthday Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Image shows full on a pink cake stand. It's decorated with ink ribbons and an assortment of biscuits.

5 from 1 vote

Homemade Chocolate Birthday Cake with Buttercream Frosting

This delicious chocolate cake recipe makes two layers of moist chocolate sponge, sandwiched together with caramel, and covered in a delicious chocolate buttercream frosting.

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time35

Cooling Time4

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 733kcal

Author: Cat Spiller

Equipment

2X 22cm round cake tins (9 inches)

Ingredients

Moist Chocolate Cake

100 grams unsalted butter
100 ml sunflower oil
340 grams sugar white, granulated
4 eggs
340 grams self-raising flour
50 grams cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
160 ml strong, brewed coffee
250 ml sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream

100 grams dark chocolate
100 grams milk chocolate
90 grams unsalted butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
450 grams icing sugar sifted
90 grams sour cream
2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 tin Nestle caramel treat for filling
Assorted biscuits for decorating

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 2 x 22cm (9 inches) round cake tins with oil and parchment paper.
Add the oil, butter, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium to high speed until light and fluffy, for about 4 minutes.
Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time. Beat well between each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
Sift together the salt, cocoa, and self-raising flour, then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
Add the sour cream, warm coffee, and vanilla extract to a jug and whisk to combine. Slowly pour this into the cake mixture while the mixer is running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
Divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans and bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 20 minutes before turning them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream

In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and butter. Once melted, set the mixture aside to cool slightly, then add to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
Add the golden syrup and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture and mix briefly.
Sift half of the icing sugar over the frosting mixture and whisk to combine.
Add the sour cream and beat until the frosting is well combined and homogeneous. It will look lumpy at first, just continue beating.
Sift over the remaining icing sugar and beat at medium-high speed until the frosting is fluffy.
With the mixer running at medium-high speed, add the cream 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until fluffy. Add the frosting to a piping bag.

Assembly

Use a sharp knife to trim the domed tops off the cake layers if necessary.
Secure the first cake layer onto a cake plate with some frosting. Pipe a layer of frosting over the surface of the cake and smooth it with an offset spatula.
Pipe a ring of frosting around the circumference of the bottom cake layer and fill this with the Nestle caramel treat.
Place the second layer of cake onto the first layer with the cut side facing down.
Pipe the frosting over the tops and sides of the cake and use a knife to create swirls in the frosting.
Decorate the tops and sides of the cake with your chosen biscuits. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

I multiplied this recipe's quantities by 1.5 to make a larger birthday cake pictured here and baked the layers in 3 x 25 cm cake tins.
Press the cookies into the frosting just as you have frosted the cake. Frosting hardens and you want to cookies to stick into the frosting while it is still 'wet'.

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