Chocolate Cake ~ Barefoot Contessa

Source: Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour ~ plus more for pans

2 cups sugar

¾ cups cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 extra-large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Frosting:

6oz semi-sweet chocolate

250g unsalted butter

1 extra-large egg yolk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 ¼ cups sifted confectioner sugar

2 tbsp hot coffee (2 tbsp water + 1 tbsp coffee)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter two 8” round cake pans.  Line with parchment paper then butter & flour the pans.
2. Sift all the dry ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment & mix on low speed until combined.
3. In another bowl, combine all wet ingredients.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.  With mixer still on low, add the coffee & stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans & bake for 35-40 mins until a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool in the pans for 30 mins, then turn them out onto a cooling rack & cool completely.
5. Place one layer, flat side up on a flat plate.  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 & sides of the cake.

Method for Frosting:

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

We'd great time having our 1st family portrait taken by a friend of mine, Juriah Mosin Photography. Appreciated for her tight schedule to slot us in, I'd baked a Chocolate cake with a deco of "Duck Marshmallow"