Celebration Cake

- Amanda

I don’t think there’s much I need to say about this cake, except maybe to be careful if you try to nose-dive right into it. Just look at that frosting. This Celebration Cake is dreamy, silk-chocolatey-heaven on top of light and fluffy vanilla cake. For me personally, that combo right there, just might be the perfect cake or cupcake pair ever. It’s classic and the best of both worlds. Not too plain and not super chocolate overload (perhaps not really such a thing.) But this really offers something for everyone. And there’s no scooping cupcake batter, piping frosting or stacking cake layers to be done here. Just bake the cake in one pan, slather on said chocolatey goodness and shower it with sprinkles if you wish. (The sprinkles besides being beautiful and really adding to the “celebrate” part, give such a fun texture contrast with each bite.

We made this cake to celebrate two important birthdays that happened in the same week. The birth of my newest nephew, the cutest little lovebug ever and the 15th birthday of my only other nephew. I had planned to be in LA for the birth but that got derailed thanks to Covid-19. And I was excited to have been able to be in town at that time so I could make the cake for the big 15. I’ve missed his last few birthdays being here in Istanbul. Well, boo. A tough pill to swallow on both accounts but we still wanted to celebrate these awesome humans we are lucky enough to call family. And this cake seemed the perfect fit.

This is one of those cakes that I really have a hard time not eating the whole thing. Seriously. Especially since it’s more of a half-sheet cake than the bigger, more commonly seen, full sheet. But, as we’re not having visitors any time soon, I decided to scale it down a bit so there wasn’t quite so much for the four of us to be tempted to inhale.

Making this cake is pretty simple, even for the novice baker. That’s the beauty of a single-layer sheet cake. No intimidating stacking to do and only one layer to worry about baking. The process is also fairly easy. It’s kind of a creamed butter method in that the softened butter is combined with sugar and mixed until slightly fluffy. A little oil is added in then a couple eggs and vanilla. For this you can use a stand mixer, a hand mixer (my preference for this particulare cake) or a bit of elbow grease and do it all by hand with a spatula. (Make sure your butter is nice and soft if you’re going that route.). Then the addition of flour and milk, in alternating turns is done by hand no matter which tool you use for the butter creaming. This is important as it’s what gives the cake it’s light and fluffy texture. You want to barely incorporate the flour and liquid. Over-mixing at this stage results in a much more dense cake. No bueno.

And for that luxurious frosting, you can throw it together while the cake is baking. You simply melt some chocolate chips or your preferred chopped chocolate with a bit of cream. Then stir in a dash of corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Pop that in the fridge and pull out some butter to hang at room temp. Once the chocolate mixture is cold and a bit firm, (probably happening sometime while the cake is cooling,) you whip it with the softened butter and ta-da. Your creamy chocolate perfection awaits cake smothering. Try not to be too tempted to lick the whole bowl clean. It takes discipline. (I’m a sucker for frosting.)

Then to finish the cake, you can leave it in the pan or easily transfer it to a plate (with the help of the parchment you lined the pan with,) then plop that frosting all over the top. Smooth it out however you wish and shower it with sprinkles. And then dive right in. Or share, if you can manage parting with some of the deliciousness you’ve just created. It’s tough, I know, but your lucky recipients will be forever greatful. Though they’ll probably call on you to make it again and again.

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Celebration Cake

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Author Amanda @ A Treat Life

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Cake:

  • 9 oz (255g) unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1 1/2 cups + 3 tbsps (337g) granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp canola oil or grapeseed oil (or other mild-flavored oil)
  • 4 lg eggs, room temp
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 1/4 cup + 2 tbsps (423g) cake flour
  • 3 1/2 tsps baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

For the Chocolate Frosting

  • 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (or preferred chopped chocolate)
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsps unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • Colorful sprinkles & jimmies to decorate

Instructions

For the Vanilla Cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 177C/ 350F. Spray an 8×8" square cake/ brownie pan with baking spray and then line with parchment paper for easier removal.

  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, add the softened butter, sugar and salt. Using the paddle attachment or beaters, mix about a minute until combined. Then add the oil, and beat for about another 2 minutes until a little lighter and fluffier.

  3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla and beat about 30 seconds more.

  4. Now remove the bowl from the mixer or set the hand mixer aside, and using a big spatula, sift the flour directly into the bowl, folding 1/3 of the flour in alternating with the buttermilk just so that each are almost fully incorporated. Do 3 batches of the flour, with 2 batches of the buttermilk in between. (Folding for this last step as opposed to doing it with the mixer, really ensures a light and fluffy cake.)

  5. Once everything is folded in and you have a smooth batter, pour it into the square cake pan, and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. It should spring back to the touch slightly when done and a toothpick insterted into the center should come out with no wet batter. (Begin working on the frosting while the cake is baking.)

  6. Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to lift it out and finish cooling directly on the rack.

For the Chocolate Frosting:

  1. While the cake is baking, place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a medium glass bowl, big enough to sit over a pan of simmering water. Melt the chocolate and cream, carefully, stirring periodically to ensure the sides or bottom don't burn. (Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not directly touching the water.)

  2. Once the chocolate and cream are melted and smooth, remove from the heat and stir in the corn syrup and vanilla. Then set it aside (if your kitchen is cool) or in the fridge to chill and pull out the butter so it can soften.

  3. Once the chocolate mixture is firm and cool, using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer or a handheld mixer whip it until it begins to get fluffy and lighten a bit in color. Add the softened butter and salt and whip until smooth and creamy and no butter specks remain. It should hold somewhat of a peak, but whipping it too much will result in grainy frosting, so watch it closely.

  4. Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake with an offset spatula or spoon and top with sprinkles if using.

  5. The finished cake is best served fresh but can be kept, covered, at room temperature for a couple of days or wrapped in the fridge for a week. (though it prob won't last that long.) Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*It’s important that all your ingredients for the cake are at room temperature.  

*If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (or white) to a liquid measuring cup.  Then fill it the rest of the way with regular milk to equal 1 1/2 cups.  Let it sit while you measure everything else out.

*While I prefer cake flour for this recipe, all-purpose flour can work too.