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Ingredients
- 3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 9 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped (recommended: Scharffen Berger Unsweetened 99% Cacao Baking Chocolate Bar)
- 2 cups hot freshly brewed coffee
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 recipe Chocolate Buttercream (recipe follows)
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9x2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, then butter and lightly flour pans.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes to beat air into flour.
Meanwhile, put chocolate into medium bowl, and pour in hot coffee and vanilla. Let stand for about 2 minutes to melt chocolate, then stir until smooth.
In another medium bowl, whisk eggs and oil together. Whisk in sour cream, being careful not to overmix. (You should still see some streaks of white.) Add melted chocolate mixture, and mix until just combined.
With mixer on medium speed, add chocolate-sour cream mixture to dry ingredients in thirds. Mix until well blended.
Remove bowl from mixer and, using rubber spatula, scrape bottom and sides of bowl to make sure batter is completely mixed.
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, and smooth tops with spatula. Tap pans on counter top to remove any air bubbles.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until center of cake springs back little when touched and cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cakes cool for 20 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
To Assemble Cake: Level tops of cake layers with serrated knife. Place one layer cut-side down on flat serving plate (you can keep edges of plate clean by sliding strips of parchment under cake while you frost it). Using offset spatula, spread top with big dollop of frosting.
Place second cake layer cut-side down, and spread top with another big dollop of frosting.
Place final cake layer on top, right-side up, and frost top and sides with remaining frosting, making big luscious swirls with spatula.
STORAGE: Cake can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
*+Chocolate Buttercream:+*
Makes about 7 cups
9 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Put chocolate in heatproof bowl set over simmering saucepan of water (don’t let bottom of the touch the water), and stir occasionally until chocolate is completely melted. Set chocolate aside to cool to room temperature.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or in medium mixing bowl using handheld mixer), beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Add milk, mixing until completely blended.
Add cooled chocolate, and mix until completely incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as necessary.
Add vanilla, and beat just until mixed.
With mixer on low speed, gradually add 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar and continue beating, adding more sugar as needed, until frosting is creamy and silky.
STORAGE: Frosting can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.