Chocolate Layer Cake

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 large eggs

  (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup full-fat sour cream
• 1 cup whole cultured buttermilk
• ¾ cup vegetable or canola oil
• ½ cup boiling water

  (or freshly brewed hot coffee)
• 1 cup vegetable shortening or unsalted butter

  (softened)
• 5-6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 ½ cups cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup evaporated milk

Instructions

• 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• 2 Use a pastry brush with vegetable shortening to grease and flour two (9-inch)
  round baking pans. Tap out any excess flour. Set aside.
• 3 Mix the dry ingredients. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large mixing
  bowl. Add the sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder and soda. Whisk the dry
  ingredients together.
• 4 Add the wet ingredients. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream, buttermilk,
  and oil. Use an electric hand mixer with beaters to combine ingredients on
  medium. (You can use a stand mixer or a whisk by hand.)
• 5 Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally.
• 6 Add the boiling water. Carefully add the boiling water to the batter and whisk
  on low/medium to combine. Or incorporate with a rubber spatula. Batter is thin.
• 7 Divide cake batter evenly between the pans.
• 8 Bake for 35-40 minutes. Baking times vary based on your individual ovens. Watch
  the cakes carefully towards the end of baking. They're done when a toothpick
  when inserted comes out mostly clean, with a few chocolatey crumbs.
• 9 Be careful not to overbake the cakes.
• 10 Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the baking pans.
• 11 Carefully turn over cakes onto wire cooling racks. Let cool completely before
  frosting.
• 12 Make the buttercream. In a large mixing bowl, using either a stand mixer with
  whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer. Combine powdered sugar, vegetable
  shortening (or softened butter), cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract on low to
  medium speed. Pour in evaporated milk. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom
  and the sides of the bowl occasionally.
• 13 Once incorporated, beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes. Add ½ cup more powdered
  sugar if frosting is too thin. Add a few tablespoons more of evaporated milk or
  heavy cream if frosting too thick.
• 14 Assemble and frost. Place one cooled cake on your stand or serving plate. Top
  with an even layer of frosting using an icing spatula. Top that with the second
  cake. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Use the
  icing spatula to make a swirl pattern on the top.
• 15 Refrigerate the cake either uncovered or covered in a cake holder for 1 hour
  prior to serving. This will help set the frosting. Serve immediately after
  refrigeration or store up to 5 days.

Nutrition Info