Kittencal's Best Deep Dark Chocolate Layer Cake

Kittencalskitchen's Note:

This will probably be the only layer cake you will ever use, it's a rich, moist chocolate cake that tastes more like chocolate fudge than a cake, you will be making again and again! --- I have also made this using room temperature Crisco butter-flavor shortening in place of butter --- to take this to yet another level add in 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur in place of the vanilla, I like Kahlua! --- also see my Kittencal's Chocolate Frosting/Icing

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 1 cup butter , softened
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla (or use 2-3 tablespoons favorite liqueur)
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cocoa powder (sifted)
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt

FROSTING

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1⁄3; cup whipping cream (unwhipped)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup cocoa
• 4 cups icing sugar , sifted

Directions:

1. Set oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line bottoms of two buttered 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
4. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Beat in vanilla and coffee granules.
6. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
7. Add the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, in three additions, scraping down the sides of bowl each time.
8. Divide batter between prepared pans.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake tests done.
10. Turn onto a rack and remove paper.
11. Cool and frost.
12. FOR FROSTING: Beat butter until creamy.
13. Blend in cream and vanilla; beat until very smooth.
14. Add the cocoa and icing sugar.
15. Beat on high for 45 seconds.

Reviews

[AttiMLW]

Goodness! So caught up in lauding the cake I forgot to give it the five stars it deserves- sheesh, newbie.

[klkscanner]

Perhaps I did something wrong, but mine was dry. It tasted good, but just not the moist cake I was looking for. My dad didn't seem to mind at all - it was his birthday cake and he was a happy man! :-) Thanks.

[cheesynei]

wow. very nice! I made it using three 8 in pans, and it fit perfectly in them. I have not put it together yet, but am looking forward to the ooos and ahhhhs when I serve a 3 layer cake! I did the reg amount of icing, hope it is enough...