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Ingredients

CAKE

    THREE 6" rounds or TWO 8" rounds

    • 180g (1 1/2 c.) AP flour
    • 300g (1 1/2 c.) white sugar
    • 55g dutch-process cocoa powder sifted
    • 10g black cocoa powder sifted
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • t tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 60g (1/4 c.) vegetable oil
    • 180g (3/4 c.) buttermilk room temp
    • 3/4 cup hot water
    • 2 eggs room temp
    • 2 tsp vanilla

    FROSTING

    • 115g (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 300g (1 1/2 c.) white sugar
    • 130g dutch cocoa powder sifted
    • 20g black cocoa powder sifted
    • pinch of salt
    • 180ml/g (3/4 c.) heavy whipping cream
    • 120ml/g (1/2 c.) sour cream
    • 2 tsp vanilla

    Instructions

    CAKE

    • Butter baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with a circle of parchment.
    • Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Sift in flour and cocoa powder. 
    • In a separate bowl, whisk to combine all remaining wet ingredients; set aside.
    • Begin stand mixer on a stir-speed with just your dry ingredients to fully combine. 
    • Add wet ingredients and increase to medium speed for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
    • Portion evenly between your cake pans. Bake at 350°F 22-28mins for 6inch; 30-35 for 9inch. Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. Not wet, some damp crumbs.
    • Once cool enough to handle, turn out cakes, peel off parchment, and double wrap in saran wrap. Freeze until ready to frost.
    • Optional: Before wrapping with saran wrap, you can apply a cake soak for an extra-moist cake. Combine some sugar and milk or heavy cream and brush over the cake, allowing it to soak in.

    FROSTING

    • In a bowl, combine cream and sour cream. Whisk to combine; set aside.
    • In a separate bowl, combine sugar, salt, and sift in cocoa powders; set aside. 
    • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
    • Once melted, add dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until fully combined. The mixture will be very thick, clumpy, dry and grainy.
    • Add the wet ingredients and whisk frequently/continuously for about 5 minutes – until sugar is fully dissolved. Keep the flame over medium/low. Do not allow the mixture to bubble or boil. Use a spatula to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.
    • Remove from the heat, transfer to a heat-proof bowl and whisk in the vanilla. Cover with cling wrap pressed against the top of the frosting and refrigerate for 3-4 hours minimum, or overnight – until thickened enough to spread. 

    ASSEMBLE

    • Assemble the cake using your cake layers and frosting straight out of the freezer & fridge. Frosting is very thick and sticky. Use an offset spatula or knife to frost in an old-fashioned manner. Do not expect clean frosting lines. If frosting is too difficult to work with, let it sit at room temp to soften up a bit. Keep frosted cake refrigerated until a few hours before serving.
      Keep cake out of the sun & heat.