Dark Mocha Buttermilk Cake with Marscarpone Chocolate Frosting

This afternoon I wanted to bake something that I have never done before. (With success that is!) I saw this recipe in this month's issue of Country Home magazine. I thought the picture looked beautiful and figured I would give the triple layer cake a go. I was so pleased with the outcome of the cake. For once it came out fluffy and perfectly even! No one side shorter than the other or holes in the middle that needed to be filled with even more frosting. Just perfect layers. The frosting is the only thing I have actually tasted yet. I am waiting for the boys to get back home before cutting it. I have to have witnesses you know that my cake looks good! I will let you know how the flavor of the cake turns out.. In the meantime I thought I would throw in a picture of the cake halfway through frosting so you can see the beautiful colors.


Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Marscarpone Frosting

2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
3/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C butter, room temperature
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 Cup buttermilk

Lightly grease bottoms of three 8" round cake pans. Line pan bottoms with waxed paper. Grease and lightly flour bottoms and sides of pans. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. In a small bowl , combine sugars. Gradually add sugar mixture to butter, beating on medium speed 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beating on low just until combined after each addition. Beat on medium speed 20 seconds more. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake in 350 oven for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans 20 minutes on wire rack. Remove from pans. Peel off waxed paper . Cool thoroughly on wire racks. To assemble place a cake layer on a plate. Spread with 1/2 Cup frosting. Top with second layer and spread another 1/2 cup frosting. Top with remaining layer and frost top & sided.

Marscarpone Frosting
Beat 4 ounces marscarpone cheese, softened: 1/2 Cup butter , softened : 1/3 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder: 2 tabs milk, and 2 tsp vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add one 16-oz box powder sugar, sifted, beating until smooth. Beat in additional milk, 1 tsp at a time, to reach spreading consistency.

Source: Country Home Magazine Feb 2006