4 year old, Chef Izabella, helps make this for her papa's birthday. It's easy and super delicious! Best of all, it's full of our favorite ingredient....chocolate! Izabella says "Mom... we are chocolate cravers". I say "Indeed".Serves 8-10
For the Cake You'll Need:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose
flour, 1/4 cup almond meal, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened), 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 2 large eggs*, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup milk (2% preferred), 1 cup coffee (room temperature), 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Frosting You'll Need: 4 oz semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks, 2 oz milk chocolate chips or chunks, 8 oz or 1 cup of sweet butter (room temperature), 2 cups + 2 Tbsp powdered sugar, 1.5 tsp vanilla extract, Optional: Add 1/2 Tbsp to 1 Tbsp milk if needed to thin the frosting, Extra powdered sugar for decorating cake if desiredHow to Prepare Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9" round cake pans and set aside. Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate large bowl, crack and whisk the eggs. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk well. Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Carefully pour the cake batter evenly into both cake pans. Place cake pans on a baking sheet for more even baking, and place into the oven on the center rack for 25-35 minutes. All ovens vary so start with 25 minutes. If toothpick is inserted and comes out clean then it's ready. If not, bake longer in 2-4 minute increments. You can add time, but you can't take it away. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes in the pans. Then transfer to cooling racks and let cool for 20-30 minutes. Once completely cool, transfer one of the cakes to a cake plate. You can line wedges of wax paper underneath it and remove them after frosting, for a cleaner look. Frost the cake and its sides. Add the other cake evenly on top and frost it and its sides. Add the frosting liberally as you will have a lot of frosting! Use a stencil and sift powdered sugar on top for your favorite design, if desired.
How to Prepare Frosting: Put 2" water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a soft boil. Place a heat safe bowl over top of sauce pan (it should be slightly bigger than sauce pan so it does not sink or fit into pan). Add chocolate and stir gently with a heat safe spatula. Use a towel or hot pad to hold the bowl in place to avoid burning your fingers. Once it starts to melt, stir the chocolate a few times and set aside. Cream the butter with a mixer. Carefully add the chocolate and combine. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Add milk if needed. Frost the cake.
* Remove eggs from refrigerator 30-60 minutes before using them and set them aside (do not crack them until ready to use them in the cake).
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