Joanne's Chocolate Cake

Makes 1 triple layer cake

Velvety mocha filling is sandwiched between triple layers of dark, moist, semi-sweet chocolate cake. Dramatically tall and iced in white, it will draw lots of oohs and aahs.

ingredients

For Cake:
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 2/3 cups brown sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
6 eggs
3 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups cocoa
2 cups hot water
For Mocha Filling:
1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar
4 Tbsp butter, softened
4 Tbsp very strong cold coffee
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
For Whipped Butter Icing:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup boiling water

directions

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1. Preheat oven to 350’F (180’C). Line the bottoms of three 9-inch layer pans with parchment, or butter and dust with flour.
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2. In a large mixing bowl cream together butter, mayonnaise, brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
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3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl sift together, 3 times, the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Alternately add the dry ingredients and hot water to the mayonnaise mixture, starting and ending with 1/3 of the dry ingredients. After each addition beat only enough to blend ingredients thoroughly.
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4. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a cake comes out almost clean. A few bits of cake should still cling to the toothpick for a truly moist cake. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, invert onto cooling racks, remove parchment and cool completely before icing.
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5. To make mocha filling, blend icing sugar, butter, coffee, chocolate and vanilla in a small mixing bowl. Add egg and stir just until blended.
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6. Fill a larger bowl with ice cubes and place small bowl containing filling on top of ice. Stir until mixture thickens to spreading consistency. If necessary, add a little icing sugar.
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7. To make butter icing, cream together butter, icing sugar and whipping cream with an electric beater until well blended.
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8. Add boiling water, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating constantly until all water is incorporated and icing is light and fluffy.
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9. To assemble, place one layer of cake on cake plate. Spread with half of the mocha filling. Place a second layer on top and spread with remaining mocha filling. Top with third layer. If layers begin to slip, insert skewers vertically through layers to hold in place. Spread whipped butter icing over top and sides, covering cake completely. This icing is very smooth and silky. Remove skewers (if using) and serve cake at room temperature. If cake is refrigerated, bring back to room temperature before serving or icing will be very hard.