Homemade Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Icing

Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day and yesterday I was looking to order for a cake from the local cake shops including the made to order or customized cakes from online sellers but didn't have any luck. So I've decided to make one for myself and two sisters to celebrate this very special day. Still in qurantine, most of the cake shops and food stores only operates on a skeletal workforce hence reduced in their store hours and minimal employees working for them.

So here, I am sharing my very first non-pro home made chocolate cake with vanilla icing.

Homemade Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Icing

Preparation: 30 mins     Cook: 35 mins      Servings:12       Yield: 1-4 layer 8inch cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 cups white sugar

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ( I used Ricoa, a local brand)

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda (I used Queen's Pure baking soda)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder (I used Calumet)
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

For the Vanilla Frosting:
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
3-4 Tbs. granulated sugar (or more dependingon your preferred sweetness)
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

For the cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two inch cake pans. Here I cut 4 pieces 1x1 parchment papers and placed in an X position with the corner tips beyond the pan. This will make it easier for you to take out the cake later.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer.

4. Stir in the boiling water by hand. The mixture will become watery at this point but it's normal.

5. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans.

6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.

7. Chill the cake while preparing the icing.

For the Vanilla Icing:

1. Put your bowl on top of a bigger bowl with ice cubes underneath. Pour the heavy cream into the bowl and whisk on medium-high speed until it just starts to thicken.

2. Slow the speed down to medium and gradually pour in the sugar. Continue to whisk until soft peaks form.

3. Add the vanilla extract and continue to whisk by hand until the cream is smooth, and stiff peaks form (the cream will stand up straight when the whisk is raised).

4. Get the first cake face up, spread about 1/4 of icing and spread generously. Put the second cake face down and frost the entire cake liberally with buttercream. You may pipe the remaining icing/frosting.

5. You may add candy sprinkles or add decorations as you wish. Below is my non-pro version (with limited tools and resources). 

6. Chill (at least for 2 hours or overnight) and enjoy!