This vanilla cake with Kahlua raspberry buttercream is the perfect quarantine dessert. The cake is moist and light while the buttercream is rich and tasty.
I don’t bake that often and when I do, I opt for cupcakes because they’re so easy. I have always been intimidated by cakes and particularly layer cakes. But after making this vanilla cake with Kahlua raspberry buttercream, I am hooked. So hooked, in fact, I had to give half this cake to my neighbor so I didn’t eat it all!
The basis of this recipe is a simple vanilla cake. The frosting is a standard buttercream that I add Kahlua, vanilla extract, and a bit of powdered freeze-dried raspberries.
After the cakes have baked and cooled, I frost it and then dust a lot more powdered raspberries on top. The raspberries have just a little bit of tartness to them to offset the richness of the buttercream.
You can use other freeze-dried fruits in place of the raspberries if you like. I think freeze-dried strawberries would be amazing in this recipe! If you have fresh strawberries or raspberries, you can decorate the top of the cake with sliced fruit.
I think you will absolutely love this vanilla cake with Kahlua raspberry buttercream. It’s so delicious and would be an all-season cake that will be a hit with anyone who tries it.
If you made this recipe, please rate the recipe below. Leave a comment to tell me how you liked it! If you take a picture of it, please tag me on Instagram so I can feature you in my feed!
Vanilla Cake with Kahlua Raspberry Buttercream
Equipment
- 2 Bowls
- Electric hand mixer (or standing mixer)
- Two round 9'' cake pans
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups cake flour plus more for coating pans
- 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- Baking spray or butter for coating the pans
- Flour to dust the pans
Kahlua Raspberry Buttercream:
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup Kahlua
- 16 ounces powdered sugar plus more, if needed
- ½ cup freeze-dried raspberries
- Whole milk or heavy cream a splash or two, if needed
Instructions
Before Starting the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Spray two 9'' cake pans with baking spray or coat with butter. Sprinkle flour over each pan.
Start the Cake Batter:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix with a spoon to combine.
- Add the butter and use a hand mixer on the lowest setting to blend for 1 minute or until a grainy consistency has been reached.
- Add the vanilla and the milk and use the hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until combined and smooth. Do not over-mix.
- Add the first egg and mix for thirty seconds. Add the next egg and mix for 30 seconds. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and incorporate.
Bake the Cakes:
- Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes. Check the doneness with a toothpick and if it doesn't come out clean, bake for an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to set for 10-15 minutes.
- Carefully turn the cakes on to a wire rack and cool for at least 1 hour.
Prepare the Kahlua Raspberry Buttercream:
- Place the freeze-dried raspberries in a food processor and pulse until they reach a fine powder.
- Add the room temperature butter to a bowl and mix with a hand mixer for 1 minute. Add the vanilla and Kahlua and and mix for 2 minutes more. Add the powdered sugar and mix for 3-5 minutes until well-combined and smooth.
- If the buttercream seems too stiff, add a splash of milk or heavy cream and mix until well-combined and smooth.
Frost the Cake:
- Place a cake on a stand and frost the top of it with 1/3 of the buttercream frosting and use a stainless steel icing spatula to create an even layer. Using a fine mesh sieve, add half the the raspberry powder to the top of the buttercream. (Adding through a fine mesh sieve allows you to avoid adding the seeds to the buttercream.)
- Place the second cake on top and add another 1/3 of the buttercream and smooth it out with an icing spatula. Using the icing spatula, frost the outside of the cake with the remaining 1/3 buttercream frosting.Note: Some people prefer to do a crumb coat but I skipped that because I wasn't too concerned about little pieces of cake in my frosting.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the top of the cake with the rest of the powdered freeze-dried raspberries.