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The Most Perfect Chocolate Cake

Shelley H.
Course Dessert

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.