CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH A MILK CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

You know how you start craving something and you need it right then and there?  Well, that's what happens to me at least once a month.  Sometimes it's peanut butter cookies or oatmeal cream pies but its always sweets.  Last weekend I talked about making a chocolate cake but never got around to it.  I continued talking about it throughout the week, so my amazing husband decided to whip one up while I was at work.  Coming home to the sweet smell of chocolate is always a nice thing.  Tyler used the chocolate cake recipe out of one of my favorite cookbooks Butter Baked Goods. If you love to bake and you don't already have this cookbook...I would strongly recommend you get it!

Cake

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups hot coffee (any blend)
1 cup dark cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla

Frosting 

I doubled this recipe for the frosting to make sure I had enough to get a nice thick coat between each layer.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree.  2. Onto a large piece of parchment paper, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, set aside.  3. In medium bowl, whisk the hot coffee with the cocoa until smooth, set aside to cool slightly.  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.  Add the cocoa and coffee and gently whisk to incorporate. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until well combined.  Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans.  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.  6.  During this time make the milk chocolate buttercream frosting.  7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.  You may need to run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan if the cakes do not easily fall when first inverted. 8.  Transfer the cakes to a cake stand and use a large serrated knife to cut each cake in half on the horizontal, to create four layers.  9.  Ice the cake with the milk chocolate buttercream frosting in the style of your choice. 

^here's a behind the scenes look haha^