Starlight Yellow Birthday Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • Chocolate Buttercream
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar plus more if needed
  • 2/3 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled or 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease bottom and sides of rectangular pan, 13 X 9 X 2 inches, 2 round pans 9 X 1 1/2 inches, or 3 round pans, 8 X 1 1/2 inches with butter and lightly flour.
  2. In a large mixing bowl beat all ingredients using an electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
  3. Pour into pans, dividing equally if using two. Bake rectangle 35 to 40 minutes, 9-inch rounds 25 to 30 minutes, 8-inch rounds 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  4. 4. Cool rectangle in pan on wire rack; cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
    5. Buttercream
  5. In a medium bowl beat sugar and butter together on low speed until blended. Mix in vanilla and chocolate.
  6. Gradually beat in milk, just enough to make a smooth, spreadable frosting. If frosting seems too thick beat in more milk, too thin, beat in more sugar. Frost cake immediately.