Sunday Night Cake

Today is Father's Day! It is also my Dad's Birthday!! Also, it just happens to be my 2nd anniversary with my husband!!! Haha that's right.. I got married on my Dad's Birthday- Yes, I happen to be a Daddy's girl  : D

So, this post is for you Dad!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Birthday!


Love You!

I made him a cake : ) Unfortunately, he will not be able to enjoy it because he is in NY and I am in Alabama... but don't worry, I'll it enjoy it for him, I promise. 

Okay... I'll save him a piece.

His favorite cake is carrot cake. I was going to make a carrot cake in honor of that, but then I decided that no, I wouldn't. I would make an ode to the cake we used to make for all of our Birthday's while I was growing up- yellow boxed cake with a can of chocolate frosting haha this way the cake is more reminiscent of what would actually be his Birthday celebration. 

However, this is homemade. It is no where near what you get from a box mix or from a can of frosting. It is about 1,000 times better! It is a basic yellow cake bottom with a chocolate frosting on top, which is where the similarity begins and ends I suppose. I would have loved to have just left it in the cake pan and frosted it along the top in the pan, then stored it like that, gradually chipping away at it over the next few days (within 3 most likely, since I am a glutton...haha). Then things would have again been reminiscent of our old Birthday cakes, but I just didn't think that would make for the most appealing photos.... so I lifted it out of the pan and frosted it nicely on a platter. 

The cake is simple in ingredients and rather easy to put together. That is why the author's call this cake "Sunday Night Cake"- it's so casual that it could just be whipped up and served for an ordinary Sunday night. Although the day may be ordinary, the cake is not. It is incredibly moist, thanks to sour cream, and deliciously flavorful, thanks to the luscious frosting. The frosting is basically a pudding base that has had butter beaten into it and then mixed until the desired lightness is reached. I let my mixer beat it until it was fairly light, just my preference- an extra 2 to 3 minutes. Also, when they say use good quality unsweetened chocolate, they mean it. I used poor quality unsweetened chocolate that was at least a year old to boot. You could definitely taste it- the chocolate flavor just tasted old... anyways, learn from my mistakes and don't do that. But aside from that, I really enjoyed the frosting. Nice and creamy.


Here's a tip for you too- whenever you frost a cake on a platter and want the sides to be clean, stick some pieces of parchment or waxed paper under the edges. After you've frosted the cake, remove them gently and your platter will be clean and ready for a beautiful presentation!

See, nice and clean!

Here are a few pointers. Whenever I make a recipe, I try and go threw it exactly as written the first time. After that, I make any changes that I think might improve it or give it a different personality. With this cake I would omit the cinnamon and instead add 1 tsp vanilla extract. Maybe 1/2 tsp vanilla extract to the frosting too. I just feel like vanilla balances things. And even if you have a different frosting recipe you are partial to, make this yellow cake and use that to frost it. The cake is sooooo good, I am telling you, it is one of the best yellow cake's I have ever made. Moist, moist, moist!

Sunday Night Cake
Adapted from "Baked: Explorations" by Matt Lewis & Renato P
Print Recipe

Cake
1 3/4 cup cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
10 Tb unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup sour cream

Frosting
3/4 cup plus 2 Tb granulated sugar
3 1/2 Tb cornstarch
2 Tb cocoa powder
3 oz good quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 Tb unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9" square pan with parchment paper and butter the sides and bottom of the parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few seconds. Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl and beat for a few more seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes, loosen the sides of the cake from the pan the turn the cake out onto the rack. Remove the parchment paper and flip the cake right side up. Let the cake completely cool.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa powder. Add the chopped chocolate. Pour 1 cup boiling water into the pan, wait 30 seconds, then whisk until the mixture is combined and the chocolate is melted.

Turn the heat to med-high and whisk continuously for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. (Once the pudding begins to thicken, it will come together very quickly).

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high until the steam escapes and the mxiture is room temperature. Add the butter and mix for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the frosting is light and puddinglike. If you prefer a fluffier, more spreadable frosting, continue to mix for just a few minutes longer. Frost the top of the cake, allowing a little of the frosting to drip down the edges. Chill for 5 minutes to set the frosting. Serve immediately.

The cake can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring it back to room temperature before serving.