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Rosette Chocolate Cake with Purple Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 530 reviews

This Rosette Cake recipe features moist, rich chocolate cake layers infused with espresso and buttermilk, complemented by a luscious purple buttercream frosting piped into elegant rosettes. Perfect for special occasions, this visually stunning cake combines classic chocolate flavor with beautiful decorative detail made simple through easy-to-follow steps.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Cake Layers

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 grams)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (75 grams)
  • 2 tsp baking powder (8 grams)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (9 grams)
  • 1 tsp fine salt (6 grams)
  • 1 cup very hot water (237 grams)
  • 2 tsp instant espresso or coffee (6 grams)
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature (240 grams)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil (120 grams)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8 grams)
  • 1 tsp vinegar (4 grams)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature (112 grams)

Purple Buttercream Frosting

  • 3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (678 grams)
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12 grams)
  • 1 tsp fine salt (6 grams)
  • 10 cups powdered sugar (1250 grams)
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (75 grams)
  • Purple food coloring, to desired intensity

Additional Tools

  • Open star piping tip
  • Large piping bag
  • Offset spatula
  • Greaseproof cake board or plate

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line three 8-inch or four 7-inch cake pans with parchment paper rounds and lightly grease them with non-stick baking spray. If you don’t have enough pans, you can bake the layers in batches; the batter will hold well at room temperature for up to two hours.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined.
  3. Dissolve Espresso in Hot Water: In a separate medium bowl, stir the instant espresso or coffee into the very hot water until fully dissolved.
  4. Combine Wet Ingredients: To the espresso mixture, add the buttermilk, vegetable or canola oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Stir briefly to combine all wet ingredients evenly.
  5. Incorporate Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix gently by hand until just combined without overmixing.
  6. Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, thoroughly incorporating each before adding the next. The batter will be thin—that’s the right consistency to ensure a moist cake.
  7. Divide Batter and Bake: Evenly distribute the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 24 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Cool the Cake Layers: Remove pans from the oven and let them rest for about 5 minutes. Run an offset spatula around the edges to loosen, then transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes to speed cooling. Once cooled, remove the cake layers carefully and use a serrated knife to level their tops.
  9. Make Purple Buttercream Frosting: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat softened unsalted butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract and salt on low speed. Gradually add powdered sugar, and halfway through, add the heavy cream to ease mixing. Continue blending on low until the frosting is creamy and spreadable. Add purple food coloring a few squirts at a time, mixing well and scraping the bowl to ensure a uniform color. Cover frosting with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
  10. Assemble the Cake: Place a cake board or plate under the first cake layer, securing it with a small dab of frosting. Spread an even layer of purple buttercream on top. Repeat stacking and frosting with remaining cake layers.
  11. Crumb Coat and Chill: Apply a thin, smooth layer of frosting over the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Use a bench scraper to smooth the sides and top. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 10 minutes, until the frosting firms.
  12. Pipe Rosettes: Fill a large piping bag fitted with an open star tip with the remaining frosting. Seal the top of the bag with a rubber band. Using an offset spatula, create two evenly spaced horizontal guide lines circling the cake’s sides. These lines help pipe three rows of evenly sized and spaced rosettes.
  13. Decorate with Rosettes: Pipe rosettes starting from the bottom edge, following the guide line and moving in the same direction for consistency. Repeat for the next two rows, then pipe rosettes on top, working from the edges inward. For a seamless look, end each rosette at the point where the next will begin, hiding any frosting tail.
  14. Final Chill: Refrigerate the fully decorated cake for at least 30 minutes to set the rosettes firmly before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • If you don’t have instant espresso powder, substitute with instant coffee granules but be mindful of the flavor intensity.
  • Allow the butter and eggs to come to room temperature for better mixing and texture.
  • The thin batter consistency is key to achieving a moist chocolate cake, so do not add extra flour.
  • Chilling the cake layers after baking helps with cleaner slicing and easier assembly.
  • Use gel-based food coloring for vibrant colors without altering frosting consistency.
  • A serrated knife is best for leveling and cutting cake layers without tearing.
  • This cake can be made a day ahead; store wrapped tightly in the refrigerator.

Keywords: Rosette Cake, Chocolate Cake, Buttercream Frosting, Cake Decorating, Elegant Cake, Chocolate Layer Cake, Espresso Cake

Find it online: https://dinewithlily.com/rosette-chocolate-cake-with-purple-buttercream-frosting-recipe/