Make The Vanilla Cake:

Preheat The Oven and Prepare The Pans

• Preheat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grab two 8-inch round cake pans and, using a pastry brush, grease the bottoms and sides of each pan with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Dust the sides of the pans with flour and shake off any excess. Set the pans aside for later use.

Mix The Dry Ingredients

• In a medium-sized bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Whisk the mixture with a spatula and set the bowl aside.

Prepare The Wet Ingredients

• In a separate large mixing bowl, add butter and oil.
• Add granulated sugar and, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the mixture until creamy and smooth.
• Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition.
• Add vanilla essence mix again until fully incorporated.

Alternate Buttermilk and Flour Mixture

• Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in 2 or 3 batches, alternating with 1 cup of buttermilk.
• Add the flour mixture first, folding it in with a spatula, and then add some buttermilk. Repeat the steps for the next batch.
• Divide the cake batter evenly between the two cake pans.

Bake and Cool The Cake

• Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes.
• Check the cake’s doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean with a few crumbs, it means it’s done.
• Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
• Once cooled, remove the cake from the pan using a butter knife.
• Flip the cakes upside down and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare The Chocolate Frosting:

Mix Butter and Cream Cheese

• Grab a mixing bowl and add butter and cream cheese to it.
• Beat the butter and cream cheese using a standing mixer or handheld mixer and beat again until smooth.

Add Sugar, Cocoa, and Flavorings

• Gradually add powdered sugar into the mixture and beat on low speed until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
• Add cocoa powder and beat again until fully combined.
• Beat the frosting mixture until it’s light and fluffy,
• Add vanilla essence and heavy cream/milk to the butter and cream cheese mixture.
• And beat the frosting mixture until it’s light and fluffy to reach your desired consistency.

Assemble and Frost The Cake:

Layer The Cake

• Grab a serving plate and place one of the prepared cakes on top of it.
• Spread a generous amount of the chocolate frosting on top.
• Place the second cake layer on top of it and frost the top and sides evenly.

Finish and Decorate!

• Use a spatula to create smooth or swirl patterns for a textured look.
• Decorate the vanilla cake with chocolate sprinkles, chocolate shavings, crushed cookies, and a dusting of cocoa powder.
• Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes for nice, cleaner cuts when serving.