Triple Layer Chocolate Cake

Last week my dad came home and asked my sister and I if we wanted to bake a birthday cake for his secretary at work. Of course I said yes, practically before he had a chance to finish his sentence. Cakes are one of my all time favorite things, both to eat and bake, so I get super excited anytime I have the change to make one. When I asked him what kind of cake she liked his answer was so typical, "I don't know...but I like chocolate!" So of course, I baked a chocolate cake.

After browsing my options, I decided to make this cake. Lara had seen it on tastespotting a few months ago and decided she had to make it someday very soon. Since it looked like a good option I set about making it. It turned out to be a simple cake to make, nothing fancy, and it came together quickly. Since I only had two cake pans I ended up baking it in two batches, but this didn't seem to affect the quality of the finished product. The cake was delicious, but what I loved most of all was the frosting. This frosting was an unusual frosting for me. Basically only cream, butter and chocolate that are cooked for a short time on the stove and then left to cool completely. Before it cools all the way, it is hard to believe that this combination is going to harden up enough to be able to frost with, but have faith, it will work! In the end it reminded me of store bought frosting, only ten times better. Absolutely delicious, definitely a keeper. The only thing I would change about this recipe is to make a bit more frosting. I like a thick layer on my cakes and with the recipe as written I just scraped by with enough. But even so, everyone loved this cake, including me, and it will be making another appearance in my household, preferably soon!

A close up of the finished product

 The frosting, cooled and ready to go

 Had to sneak this in, this is how

my dad "helps" when I bake :)

 Start frosting

 Almost done

(look at the puppy sleeping in the corner, so cute!)

 Done, I squeaked by with 

just enough frosting

Finished it with some fun sprinkles

 Beautiful! Three layers are always

better than two (the more the better in my opinion)

Triple Layer Chocolate Cake

from desserts for breakfast

Ingredients 

Frosting

• 1 3/4 cups (350 gr) sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 7.5 oz (213 gr) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 12 Tbspn unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 tspn vanilla extract

Directions
In a saucepan, bring the sugar and heavy cream to a boil over medium heat.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer the cream and sugar for six minutes. Be careful not to let the saucepan overflow.

Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate and butter until they have completely melted.

Stir in the vanilla extract.

Let the frosting cool completely, whisking every now and then during cooling.  (You can do this step in the refrigerator to speed up the process)  Once completely cool at room temperature, the frosting will be spreadable.

Cake

• 3 cups (600 gr) sugar
• scant 3 cups (425 gr) AP flour
• 1 cup + 2 Tbspn (135 gr) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tspn salt
• 2 1/4 tspn baking powder
• 2 1/4 tspn baking soda
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cup hot coffee 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease, flour, and line the bottoms of three 8 inch round cake pans (9 inch cake pans also work, the cake will just be shorter).

In a mixer bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine the beaten eggs, vegetable oil, and milk. Stir to mix. Then, with the mixer on low, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on low until evenly distributed.

Pour the hot coffee into the batter and mix on medium low until smooth. The batter will be soupy.

Divide the batter between the cake pans.

Bake for 35-45 minutes. When a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out cleanly, the cakes are done. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Level the cakes if necessary. Stack the cakes, spreading a layer of frosting in between each cake layer and frost the outside of the cake.