The chocolate cake to end chocolate cakes.  There’s nothing healthy about this cake, nothing unique about this cake, this is just a perfect chocolate cake.   Especially for a birthday with a little sprinkles love.  When the batters seems like it’s totally done a cup of hot espresso gets mixed in… it’ll feel super liquidy but it will taste so right.  The espresso makes the chocolate extra chocolatey and super moist.  The buttermilk helps with that too so do not skip it.  Also, the eggs have to be room temperature… this is non-negotiable.  If yours aren’t just throw them in some warm water for five minutes.

This cake is so moist it stays good in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.  Think Devil’s Food chocolate cake but 2938502835 times better.  I made the cakes one day, frosted the next and stored it in the fridge.  The frosting won’t be soft like when you first frost it when you eat it straight out of the fridge but it will be delicious.  You could make the frosting using a handheld mixer but I love how easy it is in a food processor.  If you’ve ever been nervous about making a cake this one is pretty much foolproof, insanely delicious and holds well.  If you make it for someone’s birthday like I did you can’t go wrong.

You’ll need:

For Frosting

• 1.25 cups (2.5 sticks or 290 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature (really at room temperature, left out overnight, not melted… soft)
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 0.75 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 0.7 teaspoon salt
• Optional: rainbow sprinkles

For Cake

• 1.75 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 1.75 cups (350 g) cane sugar
• 0.75 cups (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch cocoa powder)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup oil (vegetable or melted coconut oil)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot espresso (or strong coffee)

To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9 inch round cake pans with non-stick spray (or butter and flour).
2. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Give it a little whisk to make sure it’s well combined.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Slowly stir in dry ingredients until just combined.  Stir in espresso.
4. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans (I use a scale to make them even but eyeballing gets the job done). Bake for 27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, mine took 30 minutes.  Let cool completely.  I kept the cakes in the pans and covered tops in plastic wrap and stored on the counter overnight.  Otherwise just set aside to cool.
5. While cake cools, make frosting. Place all ingredients for frosting in a food processor.  Blitz for two minutes or until creamy.
6. Now it’s cake assembling time. I ran a pairing knife around the edge of the cakes in the pan and then inserted one of them directly onto a cake stand lined with parchment paper strips.  The parchment is just there so I can remove them after frosting and the bottom will be clean, but it’s not necessary.
7. With an offset spatula spread a layer of frosting on top of the cake. Place the second cake on top, dome side up.  Spread frosting on top of cake and working down sides of cake. Top with sprinkles if this is a birthday situation (or even if it’s not because… sprinkles). Store cake in an airtight container in fridge for up to a week.

Inspired by InaGarten