Nonna's Chocolate Cake

prep time:: 30 min
total time:: 1 hr 35 minutes

Makes 8 servings

This is my daughter and her friends all time favorite dessert treat. Us girls had a fun 4th of July party, finished off with this decadent Chocolate Cake you could die for. Your family will be begging for more just like Cassie and Caitlyn did.

ingredients

Chocolate Cake

Unsalted Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups of sugar
3/4 cups of cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Chocolate Frosting

6 ounces good semisweet chocolate
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 extra large egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

directions

Chocolate Cake

1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8 inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour pans.
2
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With mixer still on low, add coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with rubber spatula. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
3
Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting

1
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
2
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Source: Nancy