Spring Celebration Cake

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 1-3/4 cup All-purpose Flour, Plus More For Dusting
• 2 cups Sugar
• 3/4 cups Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1/2 cups Vegetable Oil (I Used Canola)
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Freshly Brewed Hot Coffee
• _____
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• 1/2 cups Unsalted Butter, Softened And Cut Into Small Pieces
• 2 packages (8 Oz. Package) Cream Cheese, Softened And Cut Into Small Pieces
• 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 4 cups (about 1 Lb.) Confectioners Sugar
• _____
• FOR THE ROYAL ICING:
• 3 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
• 6 Tablespoons Warm Water
• 3 cups Confectioners Sugar (may Need More, Taste To Test)
• Food Coloring

1. FOR THE CAKE:
2. 1. Preheat the oven to 350u0b0F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper; butter the paper. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
3. 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly beat the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee until fully incorporated.
4. 3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.
5. 4. Set a cake layer on a plate with the flat side facing up. Evenly spread one-third of the frosting over the cake to the edge. Top with the second cake layer, rounded side up. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.
6. FOR THE FROSTING:
7. Mix together softened (room temperature) butter and softened (room temperature) cream cheese until well combined. Add vanilla. Combine. Slowly add in powdered sugar.
8. (After the 3rd cup of powdered sugar, taste the frosting and see if you would like it sweeter. I tend to use a full 4 cups, but some prefer the frosting less sweet.)
9. FOR THE ROYAL ICING:
10. Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer).
11. Note: keep all utensils completely grease-free for proper icing consistency.
12. * For stiffer icing, use 1 tablespoon less water.
13. * When using a large countertop mixer or for stiffer icing, use 1 tablespoon less water.
14. * Thinned Royal Icing: to thin for filling, add 1 teaspoon water per cup of royal icing. Use a grease-free spoon or spatula to stir slowly. Add 1/2 teaspoon water at a time until you reach desired consistency.
15. I just created the colors I wanted to use, put them into a plastic piping bag, and started with the letter 'H'. Then I made 4-6 more 'H' (s) directly above my base 'H'. Continue this around the cake, varying how high each strand of grass (or row of letters) goes.
16. Be sure to click the link for more pictures!

cake, allpurpose flour, sugar, ube, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, freshly brewed hot coffee, frosting, unsalted butter, cream cheese, vanilla, confectioners sugar, meringue powder, water, confectioners sugar, coloring

Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/spring-celebration-cake/ (may not work)