Southern Diner Cake is a homemade brown sugar cake cake soaked with a cherry syrup and frosted with a buttercream icing. This delicious cake recipe is perfect for birthday celebrations, bridal showers, or baby showers!
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and side of the pan(s). Dust with flour to coat, then invert and tap out any excess. (If making cupcakes, use liners instead of greasing and coating the tins.)
Whisk together the cake mix, baking soda, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the butter, yogurt, water, molasses, vanilla, salt and eggs until moistened and no lumps remain (be careful not to overmix).
Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the layers are domed and a few moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the center of the cake. Bake for 35 minutes.
Remove the cakes from the oven and pierce in one inch intervals the top of the cakes with a skewer or knife. Pour or generously brush the cherry syrup over the hot layers, dividing it as evenly as you can.
Transfer the soaked layers (while still in their pans) to a wire rack to cool completely. When they are cooled and no longer wet to touch, one or two hours, carefully turn them out of their pans and assemble and frost.
For the Cake Magic Mix
Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together well to combine. Whisk the mix again before measuring NOTE: It’s important to use table salt in the cake mix; other types will eventually settle out of the mix.
To make the syrup:
Combine the sugar, water, jams, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then stir in the vanilla and liqueur, if using. Remove from the heat and set aside to steep, covered, for at least 20 minutes. Strain the syrup, use the syrup warm or at room temperature.
Cherry syrup will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week. Reheat in a small saucepan over low heat before using.
To make the frosting:
Combine the butter, cream cheese, salt, and 2 cups of the sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
Add the remaining sugar and beat on medium speed until the frosting is pale and no longer grainy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat until the frosting is very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for 1 week. Before using, bring it back to room temperature and stir it vigorously or beat it again for best results.
Notes
Makes one 8 or 9-inch two layer cake (or one 10-inch bundt cake, one 13x9-inch sheet cake, or 24 cupcakes)If you don’t have full fat yogurt you can substitute buttermilk or sour cream. Greek yogurt can be used as a substitution but should be thinned with milk or water to the consistency of regular yogurt.