Hey strangers, it’s been a few days since I posted a recipe! Thought I’d offer up one of my favorites as a good gesture. I read this recipe a year ago in the newspaper and it is sublime.
Did you know the majority of people prefer vanilla over chocolate? I was never one of those people. Chocolate all the way! But I think I’m becoming more grown up because things like creme brûlée, vanilla french toast, and this cake completely resound with me.
And anyway, there’s like, half an inch of chocolate frosting on top.
By the way, I am completely shameless when it comes to licking the frosting off the beaters once the cake is frosted. How could you not?
And this frosting is such an applicable and classic chocolate frosting that is perfect on this cake and a dozen other things. Brownies, cupcakes, chocolate cake, or, ya know. Plain. “Mousse,” you might say.
So silky smooth…
I am not good at frosting cakes, by the way. This chocolate frosting is extremely forgiving. It makes my terrible icing techniques look good.
It’s also nice that you can frost it right in the pan, unlike round cakes which require a lot more attention!
So many sprinkles… Aren’t they fun?! They remind me of making hot fudge sundaes as a kid!
This cake received Jim and Joe’s nod of approval and they said it tasted like a donut. That’s a pretty high compliment coming from them. If I had to pick a mascot for my husband and his twin to represent a pair of people ready to take over the world, it would, without a doubt, be a flying donut.
The cake is very vanilla-y, by the way. I should have named this a yin yang cake. It’s perfectly compatible and equal parts vanilla and chocolate. I have noticed any recipe with more than 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract are packing extra vanilla flavor and it’s a total delight!
It’s a perfect forkful and I hope you go crazy for it. Take it for a picnic now that the weather is getting nicer or make it for a birthday! It couldn’t be tastier OR cuter!
You could also dye the batter blue or pink, frost as usual, and use this for a gender reveal cake! Oh, boy. You can tell where my mind is at these days!
Have a sweet day!
Picnic Cake
Ingredients
Yellow Cake
- 3/4 cup Butter softened
- 1¼ cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 1½ cups Flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Sea salt
- ¾ cup Whole milk
Chocolate Frosting
- ¾ cup Butter softened
- 2½ cups Powdered sugar
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- ½ cup Sour cream or Greek yogurt (full fat)
- 2 oz Bittersweet chocolate melted
- 1½ tsp Vanilla extract
- pinch Sea salt
Instructions
Yellow Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add in vanilla extract and mix.
- In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Alternate adding this dry mixture and the whole milk to the rest of the batter, mixing gently in between each addition.
- Pour batter, which will be thick, into a greased 9" x 13" pan. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
- With electric beaters, slowly combine softened butter, sugar, and cocoa powder. When it resembles large crumbs, add the sour cream, melted chocolate, vanilla, and sea salt. Increase mixing speed and whip until fully incorporated.
- Spread frosting over cooled cake and top generously with sprinkles.