The Best Cake I Ever Ate!

As a cake decorator, I am often asked "What is your favorite cake flavor" ?
​Well when I was four years old, my mother made me a birthday cake. It was a sheet cake with four candles for me to blow out. After blowing out the candles, I was served a slice of heaven; a melt in your mouth butter yellow cake with dreamy chocolate frosting on top.​ Ever since that day, it is still my favorite cake and frosting flavor combination. 

Whenever I wanted to take a trip down memory lane, I would take a trip to the grocery store purchase a box of cake mix and a can of frosting. I would bring it home add eggs, water, and oil and voila! I have since made a grown-up version of my favorite cake. 

Yellow Butter Cake

2 1/2 cups of sifted flour
1 3/4 cups of sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons of softened butter
4 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3/4 cup of milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour (2) 8 inch cake pans. Line each pan with parchment paper. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside. Cream butter in the mixer. Add sugar gradually to butter is fluffy and light. Add eggs one at a time. Make sure eggs are well incorporated before adding each egg. Add flour and milk alternately to the mixing bowl, stirring by hand until combined.

Bake for 35-45 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool cake for about 10-15 minutes and remove cakes from pan. Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Ganache

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla
pinch of salt

Heat heavy cream in saucepan until hot but not scalding.  Place chocolate in a bowl and pour hot heavy cream over the top. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in vanilla and salt. Set ganache aside to cool. Once it is spreadable, frost cooled cakes and enjoy 

Recipe make 2 layers. Single layer shown.