Perfect Dark Chocolate Cake with Coffee

Make Your Dark Chocolate Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease 2 round 9 inch pans.  Line them with parchment paper and then grease and flour the pans.  Set aside.

Combine Dry Ingredients:  Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon.

Combine Wet Ingredients:  In another bowl combine the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.

Slowly start adding wet Ingredients to the dry ingredients while mixing with an electrical mixer on low speed.  You may also use a hand mixer or a whisk.  Do not add the wet ingredients to the dry all at once.  It is best to add and mix gradually till all ingredients are well mixed

Add the hot brewed coffee to the batter and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. The coffee adds a subtle depth to the dark chocolate cake.

Once the batter is mixed well, slowly pour the batter into the 2 greased pans and bake in the oven, start checking for doneness after 25 minutes;  cake is done if cake tester placed in center of cake comes out clean.

Allow cake to cool in the pans for 30 minutes and then flip them over into 2 separate plates that are lined up with parchment paper.  Flip the cakes again into 2 separate plates lined with parchment paper so that the top of the cake is visible.  Allow to cool for 30 more minutes while you prepare frosting.

Make your Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

First mix your instant coffee with the 1 tablespoon of hot water in a cup and set aside for now.

Chop up your chocolate and place in your double boiler to slowly melt the chocolate.  Stir while the chocolate slowly melts.  As soon as it melts, set it aside until it is cooled at room temperature.

Place your butter in a mixing bowl and beat it with electric hand mixer at medium speed till the butter is light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.  Add the egg yolk and continue beating for a few more minutes.

Start adding your sifted icing sugar to the butter while beating at lower speed till all the sugar is mixed in the butter. Now, put your electric mixer away.  You will only need a mixing spoon now.

Using your mixing spoon mix, mix in the vanilla, instant coffee mixed with water, and the melted chocolate to the butter mix.  Just mix until all ingredients are evenly blended.

Cover Cake with Frosting

Carefully, using a spatula and your hands, move one of the two cakes into your serving dish, keeping the top side up.  Generously spread the top with frosting using a knife or rubber spatula.  Then, take the other unfrosted cake and carefully place it on top of the frosting.  Now, spread the remaining frosting on the top of the entire cake including sides.  Serve and enjoy!