Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cream Cake

By ezunich

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbs buttermilk
• Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cream Frosting
• 2 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
• 10 tbs sugar
• 6 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
• White chocolate shavings and bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate shavings

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour of two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper; butter and ._ flour parchment. Sift cake flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Stir cocoa and 1/2 cup water in large bowl until very thick paste forms. Set aside.

Beat unsalted butter, sugar and brown sugar in another medium bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beat well after each addition. Gradually add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions each, beating well after each addition.

Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off parchment. Cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.)

Using serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half (layers will be thin). Using 9-inch tart pan bottom as aid, transfer 1 cake layer, cut side up, to platter. Spread generous 1/2 cup Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cream Frosting over. Repeat layering 2 more times, using 1 cake layer and generous 1/2 cup frosting for each layer. Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top with white and bittersweet chocolate shavings. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Slice cake.

Frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar and cocoa in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold in chocolate chips.