bourbon mocha layer cake
30.
I like to think that my 30s will look good on me. Obviously, any certainty is impossible to achieve; but I’ve had so many folks claim that saying goodbye to their 20s was one of the sweetest farewells, it’s hard not to internalize that sentiment and hope it’s true for me, too.
If I were to create a highlight reel of my 20s, much of it would be blank screen. I don’t remember my early 20s very closely, aside from finishing college. I lived in Sweden for half a year in 2015 – even that feels like a fever dream, except when the photos pop up on my Facebook memories or I recall the locales I visited and show photos to friends. Still. Doesn’t seem real.
Mid to late 20s, I learned some morbid truths about life. Not everything is meant to last. People are utterly confusing. Mortality is real. You can’t help people who don’t want to help themselves. Friendships can be complicated. Not everyone will love you. Not everyone can admit they love you.
Then, the fun truths. Empanadas are fucking amazing. Exploring your own city is worthwhile. Friends are invaluable (especially those that stick around for 10+ years). People think of you, and when they do, they might just reach out and make you feel better. Breweries are wonderful places to chat with strangers. Frozen fries are a gift from the gods (eating some right now, actually). Sometimes a change in routine is the best thing you can do for yourself.
And the last fun truth? Cake is a surefire route to improving your day. Your whole week, really.
So, this is my 30th birthday cake. I could’ve gone elaborate and done up a really fancy shindig, but honestly, I don’t have the energy for that. I wanted chocolate, I wanted relative simplicity, and I wanted bourbon. So, Bourbon Mocha Layer Cake it is. A deeply rich chocolate cake with bourbon-infused buttercream. Really not complicated, but worthwhile of a celebration.
Takes the Cake
This cake is something of an improvement on a recipe I did a few years ago. It’s incredible: fudgy, chocolatey, and just sweet enough without overwhelming your tastebuds.
First, as we do with most baked goods, cream butter with brown sugar and regular sugar. The brown sugar adds a lovely caramelized depth, so I use a good amount of it. Whip in a few eggs, then some vanilla and plain Greek yogurt.
Next: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With your mixer a-mixin’, stream in buttermilk until fully incorporated, but take care not to fuck up and overmix your batter.
I use two 9-inch cake pans for this project. You can make this a triple layer cake, too, with 6-inch pans, if you wish – but I’ll be writing the directions for the 9 inch size. Butter your pans and divide the batter among them. Bake until the center is set, no longer jiggly, and an inserted toothpick emerges mostly clean.
Cool your cakes (and your jets) for about 10 minutes in the pans, then flip onto a wire rack to continue cooling. You might need to run a butter knife around the edges to loosen them up before you complete the transfer.
Cream of the…Butter…
Make sure there is no trace of warmth in your cake. This means it’s great to make the layers ahead of time: I often bake mine up the day before and pop them in Ziploc bags before stowing in the fridge for later consideration.
Now, because it’s my birthday and I do whatever the fuck I want, I sliced each cake layer in half to create a ridiculous 4 layer monstrosity. You don’t have to go this far if you’re nervous about mangling your two layers, but I promise you’re more capable than you think you are and the layers needn’t be perfect. Mine sure as shit aren’t.
The buttercream is a fucken taste explosion to behold, people. The bourbon isn’t so strong that you’ll think you’re sipping a chocolate old fashioned, but you can definitely detect it in the frosting.
When the cakes are cooled and sliced to your liking (if you slice them), make the frosting. Mix up butter with bourbon and vanilla, then gradually add your powered sugar and cocoa powder with the mixer still running on low speed.
Once the sugar is incorporated, crank up the speed to high and mix until good and floofy. In the process you will need a couple splashes of heavy cream to loosen up the stuff.
To Frost Or…To Frost
There is no question cos you’re gonna frost this bitch.
Place one layer on a flat plate or a cake stand. Frost the top until generously covered. Add another layer and repeat – repeat this process until you’ve used all your layers, 2 or 4 depending on how ballsy you were prior. Just kidding. Not shitting on a 2 layer cake.
Use up the rest of that frosting by slathering it all over the cake. Get in every crevice of that baby.
Now, as far as garnish goes, I’m not the greatest decorator on the planet. As is apparent whenever I make cake. For birthday purposes it’s not a huge deal because I just want to slice it and devour, you know? I typically have flowers around, though, to prettify the scene. Any sort of sprinkles or chocolate candies or anything of the sort work great, too.
Here’s to 30. Here’s to starting with good memories. Here’s to cake. Here’s to me, to you, and shit, to the New Year, too.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Big cake energy:
Swirled Cranberry Champagne Cake
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Sheet Cake with Coffee Frosting
Spiced Carrot Sheet Cake with Bourbon Vanilla Bean Frosting
bourbon mocha layer cake
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp instant espresso
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
bourbon chocolate buttercream
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 3-4 tbsp bourbon
- 4 – 5 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- heavy cream, to thin as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter 2 9-inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Whip in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then the vanilla extract and Greek yogurt. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running, stream in the buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter among the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes until an inserted toothpick emerges with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then run a knife around the edges and flip the cakes onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
- When the cakes are cool, make the buttercream. In a large bowl, beat the butter, bourbon, and vanilla on low speed until combined. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing to incorporate. Turn the mixer to medium high and add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Beat on high speed until very soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- If desired, carefully slice the cake layers in half to create 4 layers. You can also leave it as 2 if you wish. Lay one layer on the bottom of a flat plate or cake stand. Frost with some of the buttercream. Lay a second layer on top; frost that one. Repeat with the remaining 2 cake layers. Spread the remaining buttercream all over the cake. Slice and serve!
