Our Favourite Chocolate Layer Cake

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

156 people added this to their Recipe Box

This recipe makes 20 servings

Nutritional Info
Per each of 20 servings: about	-
cal	464464 cal
pro	4 g4g pro
total fat	31 g31g total fat
sat. fat	19 g19g sat. fat
carb	47 g47g carb
fibre	2 g2g fibre
chol	89 mg89mg chol
sodium	296 mg296mg sodium
% RDI:	-
calcium	55 calcium
iron	1111 iron
vit A	2323 vit A
folate	1414 folate

A favourite in the Test Kitchen, this cake is a classic that never goes out of style.

Ingredients

1 cup butter , softened1 1cup cupbutter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar 1-1/2 1-1/2cups cupsgranulated sugar
2 eggs 2 2eggeggs
1 tsp vanilla 1 1tsp tspvanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour 2 2cups cupsall-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/2 1/2cup cupcocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder 1 1tsp tspbaking powder
1 tsp baking soda 1 1tsp tspbaking soda
1/4 tsp salt 1/4 1/4tsp tspsalt
1-1/2 cups buttermilk 1-1/2 1-1/2cups cupsbuttermilk
Chocolate Icing:
1-1/2 cups butter , softened1-1/2 1-1/2cups cupsbutter, softened
1/2 cup whipping cream 1/2 1/2cup cupwhipping cream
1 tbsp vanilla 1 1tbsp tbspvanilla
3 cups icing sugar 3 3cups cupsicing sugar
6 6oz ozunsweetened chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled

Preparation

Watch us cook! Our 3-minute video takes you into our test kitchen where we'll show you how to make Our Favourite Chocolate Layer Cake recipe >>

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time; beat in vanilla. In separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of buttermilk.

Spoon into 2 greased then parchment paper–lined 9-inch (1.5 L) round metal cake pans. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool on racks for 20 minutes. Remove from pans; let cool completely on racks. (Make-ahead: Wrap separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Or overwrap in heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.) Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers.

Chocolate Icing: In bowl, beat butter until fluffy; gradually beat in cream. Beat in vanilla. Beat in sugar, about 1 cup (250 mL) at a time. Beat in chocolate until fluffy.

Place 1 layer, cut side up, on cake plate. Slide strips of waxed paper between cake and plate. Spread cut side with about 3/4 cup (175 mL) of the icing; cover with remaining half, cut side down. Spread top with another 3/4 cup (175 mL) of the icing. Repeat with remaining layers.

Spread remaining icing over side and top. Remove paper strips. (Make-ahead: Cover loosely and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let come to room temperature before serving.)

Additional information : Variation
Chocolate Cupcakes: Spoon batter into 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool. Spread tops with icing. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: March 2008