Cooked Vanilla Frosting (and my favourite chocolate cake)
This is a classic recipe for a vanilla frosting that’s made with (of all things) a roux of cooked milk and flour. When added to whipped butter and granulated sugar, the frosting whips up to resemble a silky whipped cream frosting. It’s among the best cake icings I’ve ever made, and it could not be easier! I’ve decided to include the recipe for my favourite extra-moist chocolate cake. Together, this makes a powerful cake that will disappear fast!
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur Flour unbleached flour)
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup black coffee, cooled (I used a dark roast coffee. You cannot taste the coffee, but the chocolate is deeper in flavor and richness with this ingredient
- 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice with milk to equal 1 cup; or 1 Tbsp vinegar with milk to equal 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the cooked vanilla frosting:
- 5 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur brand)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1-2 tsp vanilla
- NOTE: I doubled these ingredients to make sure I had enough to frost a cake.
Details
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 45mins
Adapted from foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com
Preparation
For the cake:
Prepare 2 9-inch cake pans (I at all times line mine with parchment paper and then use a non-stick baking spray with flour.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, & salt in a large bowl or in bowl of stand mixer.
Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, & vanilla.
Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. (Batter will be thin.)
Divide evenly into cake pans (this cake makes an awesome sheet cake or cupcakes).
Bake for 20 minutes (for cupcakes) or 27 minutes (approx) for a baking pan at 350°F or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool fully and frost.
FOR THE FROSTING:
Whisk together in a saucepan the flour and milk.
Cook over medium heat until starting to thicken and cook for a minute or two more– do not let it get too thick or it is going to be too stiff when it cools. (The roux has to boil for a little bit for the flour to cook and lose its starchy flavor.)
Pour into a wide bowl and permit to cool, stirring now and again. If the roux is lumpy when it cools, just press it through a fine sieve.
Beat together a cup of unsalted butter and a cup of granulated sugar until light (you actually need an electrical hand mixer or stand mixer for this).
Beat in the cooled roux about two tablespoons at a time. As you beat and add the roux, the frosting turns creamy (6-8 minutes) rather than grainy from the sugar — virtually like “magic”!
Add 1-2 tsp vanilla and beat some more until it is light and creamy.
TIP: Don’t chill the roux in the fridge or it is going to be too hard to beat stuff into.