Dive into a world of chocolate bliss with this sumptuous cake, featuring a velvety pudding filling and a rich chocolate frosting.
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅔ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee
For the Chocolate Pudding Filling:
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup cornstarch mixed with a little water to make a slurry
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ teaspoon kosher salt
- 120 g dark chocolate, chopped
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 30 g unsalted butter
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 200 g unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 50 g dark chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions:
- Cake Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare two 8-inch baking pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
- Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix until just combined.
- Pour in hot coffee, blending until smooth.
- Distribute batter evenly into the pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes completely.
- Chocolate Pudding Filling:
- In a saucepan, combine milk, sugar, salt, chopped chocolate, and sifted cocoa powder. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Add cornstarch slurry, whisking until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter, strain, and let cool with plastic wrap on the surface.
- Chocolate Frosting:
- In a mixing bowl, cream together butter, sifted cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Add melted chocolate and heavy cream. Whip until smooth and fluffy.
- Assemble the Cake:
- Trim cooled cake layers to create flat surfaces. Crumble trimmed tops for decoration later.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Pipe a frosting border and fill with pudding. Top with the second layer.
- Frost cake with remaining chocolate frosting.
- Press cake crumbs into the frosting on the sides and top for a textured look.
Notes:
- Use cake strips for even baking and flat layers.
- Room temperature ingredients are crucial for a smooth batter.
- Spoon and level flour when measuring to avoid a dense cake.
- Don't overmix the batter to maintain a tender crumb.
- Cool cakes thoroughly before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Be patient and allow the cakes and pudding to cool for the best texture and flavo
