Death by Chocolate Cake

Pour 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously until the mixture starts to boil.

Remove from heat and whisk in 1 Tbsp dark cocoa powder. Pour into a medium-sized bowl to cool to room temperature, then cover and set aside. This will be brushed onto the cake layers right before we assemble the cake. If you're making this in advance, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. 

Preheat oven to 350 F / 175 C. Grease and line four, seven-inch or three eight-inch cake pans.

Sift or whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl. Set aside.

Into a separate bowl, add 1 cup warm water, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, and 1 tsp instant espresso into a separate bowl and whisk together until fully incorporated.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until they're incorporated into the batter.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, and bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Remove the cake layers from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 15 minutes. Gently run an offset spatula around the rim of the cake pans to loosen them, then flip them onto wire racks to finish cooling. If you're in a rush, you can pop the cake layers (pans and all!) into the freezer for 30 minutes. I love doing this because it actually traps some of the steam inside the layers and makes them extra moist.

Once fully cooled, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer. If you are making these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

Beat 2 cups or 4 sticks of butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth. 

Add in 1 cup dark cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.

Gradually mix in 5 cups of powdered sugar and 2/3 of a cup of heavy cream on a low speed.

Then mix in 1 1/3 cups of melted and cooled dark chocolate on a low speed until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. The chocolate should still be fluid, but no longer hot to the touch. I let mine sit for about 10 minutes before adding it to the frosting. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. You want to make sure all the melted chocolate is mixed in, or else you can end up with lumps of hardened chocolate in your buttercream. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent crusting and set aside.

Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of chocolate buttercream to help stick the first cake layer to the board.

Before you stack each cake layer, use a silicone brush to soak the top of the cake layer with chocolate simple syrup.

Spread an even layer of chocolate buttercream on top of each cake layer as you stack them with a large offset spatula. If desired, sprinkle 2-3 Tbsp of mini chocolate chips on top of each layer of frosting for a bit of texture.

Repeat with the remaining cake layers, then freeze the cake for about 10 minutes. This will help the buttercream between the cake layers firm up, reduce crumbing, and make the cake way easier to frost.

Then cover the cake with a thick, even layer of chocolate buttercream and smooth using a large offset spatula. Don't worry if the frosting isn't perfectly smooth!

Carefully press mini chocolate chips into the frosting around the cake until it's completely covered.

Then decorate as desired! I like to use the leftover buttercream to pipe swirls on top of the cake with an open star tip (like a Wilton 1M). Then cut yourself a big slice and enjoy! This cake can sit at room temperature for up to 2 days, or be stored in the fridge for up to a week.