Espresso Cake
Cake Layers 1 cup salted butter 3 tablespoons espresso powder 1 cup water (boiling for the espresso powder) 2 cups granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup buttermilk (if you do not have the buttermilk, make your own with 1/2 cup milk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar) 2 eggs 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Cream Filling 1 8-ounce package cream cheese , softened to room temperature 1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup heavy cream Espresso Frosting 3/4 cup salted butter (1.5 sticks) 2 tablespoons espresso powder 4 cups powdered sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract 4 tablespoons half-and-half Instructions: 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the two sticks of butter in a saucepan over medium heat (saving your butter wrappers for the next step). Grease and flour 2 round 9 inch pans (8 inch will work just as well but your cake will be taller). I like to use the wrappers of the butter to grease the pan and then shake a light l...