Sunday Best

 Pink Birthday Cake

 

You are lying to yourself if you've never wanted a pink cake. What I love most about this recipe is that no food coloring is involved. Instead, raspberry puree gives this plain buttercream a rosy hue.

 

 

For the cake: (3) 8 in cake pans, sprayed and lined with parchment paper circles


4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 boiling water
3/4 cup full-fat sour cream
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups All-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated  sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
3 egg yolks (Save the whites for the buttercream)
3 whole eggs


1. Place chopped chocolate and cocoa in small bowl and pour boiling water over, allow to steep for a minute and then whisk mixture to combine thoroughly. Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla and set aside.

2.  In a bowl combine flour, salt, and baking soda and use a whisk to combine together.

3. In mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. On low speed drizzle oil into mixture. Add eggs and yolks one at a time until fully incorporated.

4.With mixer on low speed, add flour in 3 parts, alternating with chocolate mixture. You should start and end with the flour mixture. Don't overmix-after you have added the last flour addition, stop the mixer and with a rubber spatula, scrape the bowl and blend by hand.

5. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 prepare cake pans and bake for about 25 min at 350, or until the tops of the cake spring back when lightly touched. When the cakes are done cool in their pans on a wire rack. When completely cool, use a mini offset spatula and gently slide around inside of pan to loosen cake out. Make sure cakes are completely cool before assembling.


I made an Italian Meringue Buttercream and then folded in the raspberry puree. To make the puree, simply mash and strain about 4 cups of  raspberries so you dont get those annoying little seeds in the frosting. Fold in the puree after the buttercream is completed.