Dark Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened
  
• cocoa powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk*
• Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting (see recipe below)
• White and dark chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature
for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease bottoms of
three 8x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of
pans with waxed paper. Grease and lightly flour
bottoms and sides of pans. Or, grease one 13x9x2-inch
baking pan. Set pan(s) aside. Preheat oven to 350 de-
gree F.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour,
cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt;
set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric
mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. In a
small bowl, combine granulated and brown sugar.
Gradually add sugar mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time,
beating on medium speed until well combined (3 to 4
minutes). Scrape sides of bowl; continue beating on
medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time,
beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

4. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to
beaten mixture, beating on low speed just until com-
bined after each addition. Beat on medium to high
speed for 20 seconds more. Spread batter evenly into
the prepared pan(s).

5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden tooth-
pick inserted in the center comes out clean, or bake
45 to 50 minutes for the 13x9x2-inch pan. Cool cake
layers in pans for 10 minutes on wire rack. Remove
from pans. Peel off waxed paper. Cool thoroughly on
wire racks. Or, place 13x9x2-inch cake in pan on a
wire rack; cool thoroughly.

6. To assemble, place a cake layer on a cake plate.
Spread with 1/2 cup of the Cocoa Mascarpone Frost-
ing. Top with second cake layer; spread with another
1/2 cup of the frosting. Top with the remaining cake
layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. Top
with chocolate shavings, if you like. For the 13x9x2-
inch pan, frost just the top of the cake with half of the
frosting; cover and chill remaining frosting for another
use. Top with chocolate shavings, if you like. Cover and
store frosted cake in the refrigerator. Makes 12 to 16
servings.

Making Sour Milk: If you don't have buttermilk on hand
when preparing baked goods, substitute sour milk in the
same amount. For each cup of sour milk needed, place 1
tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring
cup. Add enough milk to make 1 cup total liquid; stir. Let
mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.

Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat
one-half of an 8-ounce tub mascarpone cheese or one-half
of an 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup
butter, softened; 1/3 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened
cocoa powder or unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 tablespoons
milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla with an electric mixer on
medium to high speed until creamy. Gradually add one
16-ounce box powdered sugar, sifted (4-1/4 to 4-1/2 cups),
beating until smooth. Beat in enough additional milk, 1 tea-
spoon at a time, to reach spreading consistency. Makes 3
cups.