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Ingredients for Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Frosting
- All-purpose flour: Your go-to flour for a soft, spongy cake.
- Sugar: The caramel notes in brown sugar make a yummy combination with chocolate.
- Baking soda: Gives the cake mix the necessary lift and airiness during baking.
- Baking cocoa: Use a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder for that assertive chocolate flavor.
- Salt: Just a little is enough to bring out the other flavors.
- Baking powder: Using baking powder and baking soda secures that light texture. The two need each other for lift.
- Canola oil: We prefer oil to melted butter for a cake that stays moist for longer.
- Brewed coffee: Choose a full-bodied dark roast or espresso for the bitterness and aroma.
- Milk: You want a cup of whole milk with sufficient fat content to bind the cake mixture.
- Eggs: Start with large eggs at room temperature and whisk them for a thick cake mix.
- Vanilla extract: Gives the cake its floral, almost tropical aroma.
Frosting:
- All-purpose flour: You’ll need a little flour to make the batter that starts this particular frosting.
- Whole milk: Some whole milk starts off the batter that you’re going to thicken.
- Butter: This helps emulsify the mixture and absorb the sugars and flavorings.
- Shortening: This is a key ingredient to give that clean, glossy and smooth frosting that won’t melt.
- Sugar: Use white sugar to give the frosting its necessary sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: You want the vanilla flavor in the cake layers to be present in the frosting too.
- Sprinkles: An optional touch to give the cake surface a little decoration.