Name: TOUS les JOURS Bakery Café - Ann Arbors Black Sugar Buttercream Cake #2 Recipe
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: 2.25 cups all-purpose flour; 1.5 cups granulated sugar; 0.5 cups dark brown sugar (packed); 1 tsp baking powder; 0.5 tsp baking soda; 0.75 tsp fine sea salt; 0.75 cups unsalted butter (room temperature); 3 to taste large eggs; 0.75 cups whole milk; 0.5 cups buttermilk; 2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 0.25 cups black sugar syrup (see section); 1 cups dark muscovado or kokuto (black) sugar; 0.5 cups water; 1 tbs light corn syrup or glucose; 1 to taste vanilla bean (scraped) or 1 tsp extract; 1.5 cups unsalted butter (room temperature); 4 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar, sifted; 0.75 cups black sugar syrup (cooled, from above); 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 0.25 tsp fine sea salt; 2 tbs heavy cream (or milk as needed); 2 tbs toasted sesame seeds; 1 tbs demerara or coarse sugar (for crunch); 0.25 cups small shards of tempered dark chocolate

Method

Black sugar syrup (kokuto-style)

1
Make the syrup
Combine dark muscovado (or kokuto) sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Add the corn syrup and scraped vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract). Reduce heat to low and simmer 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened but still pourable. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Measure out 1/4 cup for the cake batter and reserve 3/4 cup for the buttercream. Total yield approx. 1 cup.

Cake batter

2
Prepare and preheat
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with parchment and lightly butter the parchment.
3
Dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
4
Cream butter and sugars
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or using a hand mixer), beat the room-temperature unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and packed dark brown sugar and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, 3–4 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
5
Add eggs and flavor
Add eggs one at a time, beating each about 20–30 seconds until incorporated. Scrape the bowl and add vanilla extract. Beat briefly to combine. Add the measured 1/4 cup cooled black sugar syrup and beat just until incorporated.
6
Combine wet and dry
With the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add half of the milk–buttermilk mixture (combine milk and buttermilk before adding). Repeat with another third of the flour, the remaining milk–buttermilk, then the final third of flour. Scrape the bowl and fold gently by hand once or twice to ensure no streaks of flour remain; do not overmix.
7
Bake
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smooth tops, and tap the pans gently on the counter to release air bubbles. Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and the tops spring back lightly. Rotate pans halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.
8
Cool
Allow cakes to cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, invert onto the rack, remove parchment, and let cool completely before assembling (at least 1 hour).