Amy's Recipes

½ cup cocoa powder

1 ¼ cup buttermilk (divided use)
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, separated (divided use)
¾  cup butter (divided use)

1 cup light brown sugar
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼  teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

In a small saucepan, mix cocoa powder and sugar until well blended. Add only 1/2 cup of the buttermilk, ¼ cup of the butter, and one of the egg yolks. Stir and whisk for about 3 minutes over low heat to dissolve the sugar. Mixture should be shiny and thick. Set aside to cool. This should take about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 9-inch cake pans and put a round of parchment on the bottom of each.

Beat the butter and the remaining egg yolk until creamy. Beat in the brown sugar.

Sift together the cake flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the remaining 3/4 cup buttermilk. Stir the cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla into the batter.

Beat the 2 egg whites with the cream of tartar until they are stiff but not dry. Fold into the batter. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake cakes for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake just begins to leave the sides of the pans or centers spring when cool to touch. Cool in pans set on a rack for about 10 minutes, then turn from pan and cool completely.

Spread layers with frosting.