This is the chocolate cake I've been searching for. The chocolate cake of my dreams. Four layers of moist, dark, almost black cake, interspersed with rich chocolate ganache, frosted with silky chocolate buttercream.
For the cake:
Crisco, for greasing the pans Parchment paper 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans 2 cups sugar 3/4 cups Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup buttermilk, shaken 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup hot water + 1 T instant espresso coffee powder For the Chocolate Ganache Filling: 8 ounces Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate 2/3 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature For the Chocolate Buttercream: 6 ounces Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate 1/2 pound (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder |