Chocolate Cake Part 2

I made the chocolate cake again that I made previously and posted about on my blog. Here's the recipe from the Food Network website where I originally got it from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake-recipe/index.html, and here is my previous post on it: http://www.bakingwithz.blogspot.com/2012/01/chocolate-cake-well-sort-of.html. Beatty's Chocolate Cake turned out just as amazing this time around if not better. I can almost swear that it's the best chocolate cake recipe out there!!!

The reason why I'm doing ANOTHER post on this cake is because I did not use the same frosting recipe from the Food Network website. Also, I decorated my cake differently. (No chocolate curls!) This time, I used a chocolate buttercream frosting recipe from the following website: http://savorysweetlife.com/2011/04/chocolate-buttercream-frosting/. This is an AMAZING frosting...not too chocolatey, not too sweet, and smooth and creamy. The recipe can be found below.

The important note I would like to add is that for this particular cake, I changed up the frosting a little bit. From the chocolate recipe, I took out one third of the frosting BEFORE I added the cocoa powder. That left me with some vanilla frosting. After I took out some vanilla frosting, I reduced the amount of cocoa it says in the recipe and added it to the rest of the frosting mixture. For the decoration of the cake, I basically filled the inside of the cake with the chocolate frosting, and then I covered the outside with most of what was remaining (leaving a little bit aside to pipe some flowers). Finally, I piped some designs and flowers with the vanilla frosting I put aside and the remaining chocolate frosting. To make it look pretty, I even added edible pearls (It's an appropriate addition for a celebratory occasion such as an engagement or anniversary!)

Here's another view of the final product:

Chocolate Frosting Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

1. Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. 
2. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter.
3. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes.  (If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.)

ENJOY! :)