Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
 
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 3 cups
Ingredients
For the cake:
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water
For the buttercream frosting:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or ½ pound), softened (but not melted!)
  • 3½ cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
For the cake:
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans.
  3. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt in large bowl.
  4. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
  5. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
  6. Pour batter into prepared pans.
  7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  8. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.
  9. Cool completely.
  10. While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting.
For the buttercream frosting:
  1. Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed.
  2. Turn off the mixer.
  3. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl.
  4. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter.
  5. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes.
  6. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar.
  7. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
To assemble:
  1. Once the cake is cooled you may begin to frost your cake.
  2. Start by skimming of the tops of the cakes with a large serrated knife to ensure the cakes are even and do not puff up in the center.
  3. Add a little bit of frosting on your cake stand.
  4. Add the first layer of your cake onto the dollop of cake frosting. This helps your cake to stay in place.
  5. Add a thick layer of frosting on top of your first cake. Even out the frosting using an offset spatula. Make sure you frost all the way to the edge of the cake.
  6. Add the other cake layer on top and frost the top layer.
  7. You can frost the sides of the cake or leave it bare for a rustic naked cake look.
  8. I added chocolate shards on top, but you can use chocolate shavings if you like or leave it bare.
Notes
The cake recipe makes one two-tiered 9 inch cake.
The frosting recipe yields 3 cups of frosting. If you are making a naked cake, divide the frosting between your middle layer and top layer.
Recipe by sprinkles and sauce at https://sprinklesandsauce.com/chocolate-cake-with-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/