The Most Perfect Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 2 cups boing water
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 ½ cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup light cream
- 1 cup butter
- 2 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream chilled
- ¼ cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mix with whisk until smooth. Cool completely. Sift flour with soda, salt, and baking powder.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease well and flour three 9 inch layer cake pans.
- In a large bowl mix beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla at high speed until light--about 5 minutes. At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternating with cocoa mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Do not overbeat. Divide evenly into pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
- Cool in pans 10 minutes. Then loosen sides with spatula; remove from pans; cool on racks.
Frosting:
- In medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces, cream, butter, stir over medium hat until smooth. Remove from heat.
- With whisk, blend in 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar. Then beat over ice until mixture holds its shape.
Filling:
- Whip cream with sugar and vanilla; refrigerate.
To assemble:
- Place one layer top side down; spread with half of the cream.
- Place second layer, top side down; spread with the rest of the cream.
- Place third layer, top side up. Frost sides, then top. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.