Chocolate Cake, 1 Layer & 3 Layers

One-Layer Chocolate Cake

Makes one layer, 9" square. Use high quality cocoa powder.

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup homogenized (whole) milk, at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, dust sides with flour.
3. Combine in large bowl of electric mixer, on low speed: butter, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Beat 1 minute.
4. Add eggs and beat until fluffy, 2 minutes.
5. Beat in milk and vanilla. Batter may look curdled.
6. Beat in flour, just until blended.
7. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
8. Bake until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean, 30-35 minutes.
9. Let cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes.
10. Remove from pan onto wire rack.
11. Cool completely before frosting.

3-Layer Chocolate Mocha Cake

Makes a light, triple-layer 9-inch chocolate cake to serve 10-12.

• 3 cups cake flour
• 4 cups white granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 9 oz unsweetened chocolate (OR melt 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp butter or shortening and stir in 1-1/2 cups + 3 Tbsp sifted cocoa powder)
• 2 cups hot freshly brewed coffee (OR 1/2 cup espresso + 1-1/2 cups hot water)
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 recipe Chocolate Buttercream icing (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter three 2" deep 9" round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, then butter again and lightly flour the pans.
3. In a stand mixer bowel fitted with paddle attachment, combine: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt.
4. Mix on low speed 2-3 minutes.
5. Finely chop the chocolate and put in a medium bowl OR in a medium bowl, combine the sifted cocoa powder and melted butter.
6. To the chocolate mixture in the medium bowl, pour in the hot coffee and vanilla, let stand 2 minutes to melt any chocolate bits then stir till smooth.
7. In another medium bowl, whisk eggs and oil together. Whisk in sour cream but leave some streaks of white, don't overmix.
8. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, stirring until just combined.
9. With mixer on medium speed, add the chocolate-sour cream mixture to the flour mixture in three portions, mixing until combined each time. Stop to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed, until batter is well blended.
10. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom of the sides of the bowl, completely mixing all the batter.
11. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
12. Tap the pans on the countertop to remove any air bubbles.
13. Bake on centre rack of oven at 350 degrees F 40-50 minutes, or until the centre springs back a little when touched and a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
14. Let the cakes cool in the pans on racks for 20 minutes. Then remove cake layers from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
15. To assemble the cake, level the tops of two cake layers with a serrated knife.
16. Place one layer cut-side down on cake plate or stand. Slide strips of parchment paper under the edges of the cake to keep the plate clean while you frost the cake. Use an icing spatula to spread a large dollop of frosting evenly over the top.
17. Place the second cake layer cut-side down and frost the top.
18. Place the third cake layer on top, rounded side up, and frost the top and sides, swirling the spatula.
19. Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for a Layer Cake

Makes about 7 cups of icing, enough for a 3-layer 9-inch cake. Frosting can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. To keep unused frosting longer, spoon frosting into a mound on plastic wrap, wrap airtight, put in a freezer bag and freeze. To use, let defrost on the counter, then remix in mixer before frosting cake.

• 9 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped (OR 9 Tbsp melted butter mixed with 1-1/2 cups + 3 Tbsp cocoa powder)
• 3/4 lb. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp whole milk or cream
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 to 3 cups confectioners' (icing) sugar, sifted

1. Stir chocolate in a bowl held over but not touching a pot of simmering water until chocolate is completely melted, OR stir cocoa powder into 9 Tbsp melted butter. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Fit stand mixer with paddle attachment (or use medium mixing bowl and handheld mixer).
3. Beat 3/4 lb. softened butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy
4. Add milk or cream, mixing until completely blended.
5. Add cooled chocolate, mixing 2-3 minutes or until completely incorporated, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
6. Add vanilla, beat just until mixed.
7. With mixer on low speed, gradually add 2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar and continue beating, adding more sugar as needed, until frosting is creamy and silky.