This saffron yellow cake with chocolate swiss meringue frosting is a fancy, overachiever version of a yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Make this saffron yellow cake when you want to celebrate something or impress someone!

Saffron Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

how to make your "yellow cake with chocolate frosting" recipe a little more special

my favorite birthday cake is a yellow cake with chocolate frosting. to amp up the yellowness in the cake, i thought, why not steep the butter in saffron??

saffron is pretty expensive, so the way to stretch this investment spice is to use only a bit, but steep it in the butter overnight so it really infuses its flavor.

how to make a saffron yellow cake

the basic idea here is that we're making a standard yellow cake but infusing the butter with saffron overnight so it gets a really nice floral flavor. if you don't have the whole night to steep the butter, its okay.

Prepare the saffron butter. In a small saucepan, melt butter and 1 teaspoon of saffron. Once the butter has melted, remove from heat and cover. Let it sit overnight.
The next day, make the cake. Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans with cake spray and a parchment liner.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine together 4 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, and 1 ¼ cup of the buttermilk. Mix to combine. With the mixer on its lowest speed, add the saffron-infused butter (from the night before) and then increase speed and mix until it’s all light and fluffy and well-incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine 3 cups cake flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 4 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in thirds, and only mix until just combined so as to not over-activate the gluten.
Pour the batter into the 3 prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Let the cake layers cool completely before frosting the cake.

how to make chocolate swiss meringue frosting

swiss meringue frosting is a bit of a science project. you're basically stabilizing egg whites and sugar at a high temp, then blending in butter. you will need a pot, candy thermometer, and your life is easier with a stand mixer.

Prepare your tools - a wide pot with water, a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, and the bowl of a stand mixer with a candy thermometer.
Heat/stabilize the sugar and egg whites. Combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in said bowl of a stand mixer. Set this bowl on/in the water, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 185°F (85°C). Once ready, transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip at high speed for 10 minutes. (I set a timer and let it run).
Add butter to turn the egg whites + sugar into frosting. With the mixer still running, add butter in, a little at a time until it’s all combined. Mix in vanilla extract on low speed until well combined.
Add chocolate. Add in the cocoa powder in ⅓rds. Scrape down sides to ensure it’s all incorporated.
Finish your cake. Frost the frosting onto the 3 layer cake.

more layer cakes

📖 Recipe

Saffron Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Mimi Newman

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 18

Cook Time 30

Total Time 18 30

Course Cake

Cuisine American

Servings 2" slices

Ingredients

Saffron Yellow Cake
Adapted from Hummingbird High
1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
1 teaspoons saffron
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
3 cups cake flour
2 cups granulated sugar
4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Chocolate swiss meringue frosting
Adapted from Serious Eats
6 eggs’ egg whites
11 ounces about 1 ⅔ cups light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
16 ounces unsalted butter 4 sticks softened to room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 ounces a little less than 2 cups good-quality powdered cocoa

Instructions

Prepare the saffron butter for the cake the night before you're baking/decorating. In a small saucepan, melt butter and 1 teaspoon of saffron. Once the butter has melted, remove from heat and cover. Let it sit overnight.
The next day, make the cake. Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans with cake spray and a parchment liner.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine together 4 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, and 1 ¼ cup of the buttermilk. Mix to combine. With the mixer on its lowest speed, add the saffron-infused butter (from the night before) and then increase speed and mix until it’s all light and fluffly and well-incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine 3 cups cake flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 4 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in thirds, and only mix until just combined so as to not over-activate the gluten.
Pour the batter into the 3 prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Let the cake layers cool completely before frosting the cake.
Prepare your tools for the frosting - a wide pot with water, a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, and the bowl of a stand mixer with a candy thermometer.
Heat/stabilize the sugar and egg whites. Combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in said bowl of a stand mixer. Set this bowl on/in the water, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 185°F (85°C). Once ready, transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip at high speed for 10 minutes. (I set a timer and let it run).
Add butter to turn the egg whites + sugar into frosting. With mixer still running, add butter in, a little at a time until it’s all combined. Mix in vanilla extract on low speed until well combined.
Add chocolate. Add in the cocoa powder in ⅓rds. Scrape down sides to ensure it’s all incorporated.
Finish your cake. Frost the frosting onto the 3 layer cake.

Notes

Its okay to not steep the butter overnight w the saffron if you don't have the time. But you must let the cake layers cool completely!

Keyword saffron yellow cake, yellow cake, yellow cake with chocolate frosting

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