Birthday? Anniversary? Going-away party? This super-easy, one-bowl
layer cake is the perfect dessert for any gathering of chocolate buffs.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter - softened, for greasing
- 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder - plus more for pans
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 3 tbsp safflower oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 ounces cream cheese - room temperature
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter - softened
- 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate - melted and cooled slightly
- 3/4 cup creme fraiche - or sour cream
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F/170C.
- Butter two 8-inch round cake pans (2 inches deep); dust with cocoa.
- Sift cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low speed until just combined.
- Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, buttermilk, water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Divide batter between pans.
- Bake until set and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
- Let cool for 15 minutes. Turn out from pans.
- Transfer, faceup, to wire racks. Let cool completely.
Frosting
- Sift together sugar, cocoa, and salt.
- Beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
- Reduce speed to medium-low; gradually add sugar-cocoa mixture, and beat until combined.
- Pour in chocolate in a slow, steady stream.
- Add creme fraiche; beat until combined.
- Spread 2 cups chocolate frosting onto the top of 1 cooled layer of cake.
- Top with remaining layer; frost top and sides with remaining 2 cups frosting.
Nutrition
Calories: 927kcalCarbohydrates: 115gProtein: 11gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 568mgPotassium: 526mgFiber: 7gSugar: 85gVitamin A: 1096IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 137mgIron: 5mg