Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Buttercream

I'm not going to sugarcoat this . . . well, at least not figuratively: baking and icing a layered cake is a project. That's why most will rely on store-bought cakes, because in truth, cakes require some heavy (icing) lifting. But there are several advantages of making your own cake — namely you get to lick the remnants of the batter bowl, arguably the best part. You challenge your abilities and skills as a home baker. And if you're sharing (let's hope so!), people will marvel at this cake like they have never seen chocolate before. Don't be surprised if you hear a few unexpected "I love yous" and "Will you marry mes" when tasters try their first bite.

I owe this recipe to my dear, dear friend who happens to be a professional baker and has worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world. This particular chocolate cake, developed to be a wedding cake, took her over 35 batches to perfect. Calling for two chocolates (both cocoa powder and melted chocolate), the cake is so moist, it's almost fudge-like. The frosting is a sturdy cake companion. Due to the addition of cocoa powder, it's not too tooth-achingly sweet but also not too bitter and dark.

INGREDIENTS

• Chocolate cake
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting pans
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pans
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Chocolate buttercream
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) salted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) package powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 ounces cocoa powder, sifted
• 8 tablespoons milk or heavy whipping cream, plus more if needed

DIRECTIONS

1. To bake cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare 3 8-inch cake pans by greasing with butter, adding parchment paper circles to the bottom. Butter the papers and dust with cocoa, tapping out any excess.
2. In a medium-size bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. .....................................

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