Ingredients
For the Yellow Cake
butter/non-stick cooking spray for pans
3 1/4 cups/425 g cake flour plus a little extra for dusting the pans
1 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup/225 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups/400 g sugar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups/360 ml whole milk
For the Fudge Frosting
1 1/2 cups/340 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 1/2 cups/690 g confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup /50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 cup/60 ml heavy cream
8 oz/ 225 g semisweet chocolate melted and cooled
1 tsp salt flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Grease and butter two 8 in/20 cm cake pans and set aside.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and mix over medium-high until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the sugar and mix over medium-high until the butter is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
- Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the vanilla and egg yolks, one at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on medium for no more than 30 seconds after the last streaks of the dry ingredients are combined.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes clean. Let them cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.
For the Fudge Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Pour in the cream and mix until incorporated. Turn the mixer to the high speed and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Add the chocolate and mix until smooth.
- To assemble the cake: After completely cooling the cakes, carefully halve them horizontally to create four even cake layers (I skipped this and did two layers instead). Level the cakes and choose which layer will be at the bottom. Place it on a plate or serving dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting with an offset spatula. Place the next layer of cake on the top and repeat. Frost with remaining fudge frosting. Sprinkle the top of the frosted cake with a little salt flakes if desired.
Notes
- I made a two-layer cake instead of four, as instructed in the book.
- I used dark, unsweetened cocoa powder for the frosting to give it a deeper chocolate flavor.
- You should have a soft and smooth frosting when making a chocolate-based fudge frosting. This is important when you frost the cake, or it will rip the cake as you move against the grain of the cake with the offset spatula. I usually add more heavy cream (1 tablespoon at a time) to the frosting until it feels smooth and silky. It should be thick enough to hold its shape yet soft enough to frost.
- Adding the salt flakes at the end is optional. Since salt is hygroscopic, it will absorb moisture from air, so watch out for that. You could also sprinkle salt flakes on each slice just before serving.
