Chocolate Cake
Yield - 12-16 slices per cake
Adapted from Bakerella
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa, I use Ghiradelli (good cocoa makes a difference!)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup whole milk
2/3 cup hot water
Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease the bottom of a 8” round by 3” tall cake pan. Place a round piece of parchment paper cut to size at the bottom. Grease the parchment paper and the sides. Add in about a tablespoon of cocoa powder and evenly distribute the cocoa powder on the bottom and sides, shake out the extra.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, soda, powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix together on low with the paddle attachment. Beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl and add to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and then scrap down the sides. Turn on the mixer and add the hot water slowly until well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes and test for doneness. A skewer should come back without any liquid and a few crumbs. I ended up baking mine for about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then turn out of the pan until it cools completely.
Salted Chocolate Buttercream
Pale Yellow Original
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
Melt the chocolate chips and cream together in a microwave safe bowl at 30 second intervals until all the chocolate chips are melted, stirring in between. Set the chocolate aside to cool.
Beat the butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, every other time, beat on high speed and then scrap down the bowl. The mixture will get very dry, no worries. Beat in the salt and vanilla. Slowly add the chocolate mixture and whip on high speed.