Chocolate Cake

Last week was the Crazy Cook's Challenge.  I was fully planning on participating, had made my recipe and everything.  Just needed to edit the photos and get it ready to post.  Then life intervened and Baby M (who I guess isn't really a baby anymore. . .turning two in a month!) ended up in the hospital with RSV for a WEEK.  That totally messed up my plans, go figure. And my sleep schedule.

(since it was K-girls 4th birthday, she put the candles on the cake!)

But I really wanted to share this recipe with you still, because it was so tasty!  I'm not a huge cake person, or frosting.  But this cake and frosting were both SO tasty.  The frosting didn't have that sugar-over-loaded stick-to-your-mouth type of texture.  It was smooth and full of creamy flavor from the whipping cream.

I mean, really.  Look at that frosting just dripping out of the cake.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COCOA WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
From: The Food Pusher

• 1 cup Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa (or use 1/2 cup ground cocoa powder and increase amount of sugar to 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cream of tarter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Cocoa Whipped Cream frosting (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350degs.  Prepare two 9" round cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper circles.  Mix together the dry ingredients then add the butter and 3/4 cup buttermilk.  Beat on low speed to combine.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat on low-medium for 2 minutes.  Add the rest of the buttermilk (1/4 cup), eggs, and vanilla.  Beat for another 2 minutes.  Divide the batter between the two pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  Cool in pan on racks for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pans.

COCOA WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

• 3/4 cup powdered cocoa
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp hot tap water
• 3 cups cold heavy whipping cream

In mixer with wire whisk attatchment, mix cocoa, sugar, and hot water, mixing to form a paste.  Allow to cool before adding cream.  Add the cream and start mixing on low to incorporate cream into cocoa paste.  Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl.  Mix on high until stiff peaks form.

To Assemble The Cake:
You can cut each cake into 2 layers, to make a four layer cake, OR leave the cakes as they are and have a two layer cake.  Spread 3/4-1 cup frosting between each layer, then frost the stop and sides.  Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles or shaved chocolate, if desired.  I used crushed Andes Mints.