Cake Ingredients
1 and 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
1 and 3/4 C sugar 3 large, whole eggs (room temperature)
1 egg yolk (room temperature)
6 oz all purpose flour
3 oz cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 C half-n-half
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Icing Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 C powdered sugar
1 C cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4-5 Tbsp milk, to desired consistency
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (335 degrees if using a convection oven). Prepare your 8" or 9" cake pans.
Cream the butter and sugar for about 3-4 minutes. Add in the eggs one at time, making sure the batter is well blended before adding another egg.
In a separate bowl, whisk or sieve the flours, salt, and baking powder. In a (2 cup) liquid measuring cup, mix the half-n-half and extract. Pour in a third of the dry and a third of the wet ingredients and continue to alternate, ending with the flour mixture. The batter should be thick.
Pour batter into cake pans, and bounce them on the counter to remove air bubbles and to make the batter even. Bake the batter for 30-35 minutes or until cake passes the toothpick test.
Chocolate Buttercream Icing
Blend the butter on high for about 1-2 minutes. On LOW, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the cocoa powder. Once mixed well, add the vanilla extract and milk until desired consistency.
