Deluxe Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup butter, room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting

• 2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Ganache

• 1/2 cup unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease 2 round 9 inch cake pans.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.
4. Sift cocoa into another medium bowl. Pour 1 cup boiling water over cocoa; whisk to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Add butter to egg mixture and beat until blended. Beat in cocoa mixture. Add buttermilk and vanilla; beat to blend.
6. Add dry ingredients and beat on low just to blend. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top.
7. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pan on rack. Cut a thin layer off the top, to make the crumbs.
8. To make the frosting, n a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
9. In a large bowl, cream butter, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.
10. To make the ganache. Place chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Heat the cream and sugar, bringing to a boil in medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Carefully pour hot cream mixture into bowl with chocolate. Let stand 1 minute. Whisk until melted and smooth. Chill ganache until cool, the put into a piping bag.
11. To Serve, place one cake on a serving plate, spread a thin layer of frosting then top with second cake, smooth frosting over top and sides of cake, chill until firm.
12. Pipe the ganache onto the top of the cake to garnish.
13. Use a cake ribbing tool for the sides of the cake, then gently press the cake crumbs onto the bottom half of the cake.