Chocolate Cake with Italian Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup soured milk (add a tablespoon of lemon juice to sour the milk)
- 1 cup black coffee
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
- 1-pound chocolate, at least 50% cocoa, chopped in small pieces
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup water
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
- ¼ tsp. cream of tartar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
For the Ganache Drizzle:
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips
- 1-½ tbsp. whipping cream
Instructions
To prepare the chocolate cake:
- In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients; beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
- Pour into 2 greased and floured 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans.
- Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool in the pans for 5 minutes.
- Remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare the frosting:
- In a double boiler, combine the chocolate and 1/2 cup butter; melt, but do not over heat; set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Combine the granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.
- Continue to boil, over medium heat, without stirring until the mixture reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer.
- Meanwhile, beat together the egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla extract and salt to stiff peaks.
- Slowly pour in the sugar syrup in a thin stream, hitting the side of the bowl and not the beaters.
- Continue beating the frosting for 10 to 15 minutes until the meringue is completely cool.
- When completely cool, slowly begin to add the butter, a few tablespoons at a time; beat until smooth after each addition.
- Add the melted chocolate to the meringue mixture in about 4 additions; beat well after each addition.
- Continue beating until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency; this may take 15 minutes or so and may be necessary to chill the frosting, for several minutes, before beating it again to get it to stiffen; aternatively, place the frosting bowl in an ice bath while continuing to beat constantly until the icing stiffens sufficiently.
To prepare the chocolate ganache:
- It's best to add the drizzle when the frosting has been chilled on the cake for an hour or so.
- In a double boiler, combine and melt the chocolate and cream but be careful not to overheat.
- Spoon the ganache into a Ziploc bag and snip off a corner with sharp scissors.
- Use the bag to drizzle the chocolate in continuous circular motions all over the surface of the cake.
To construct the cake:
- Split the cake layers in half, horizontally, making 4 layers in total.
- Fill layers with frosting and spread over the entire cake.
- Garnish with chocolate ganache or chocolate curls, if desired.
