Valentine's Day Decadent Three-Layer Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 cup Buttermilk or Whole milk
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs, large
1/2-3/4 cup coffee, room temperature

Whipped Chocolate Frosting

4 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream
12 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Oil and flour the bottom and sides of three 8” round cake pans and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine buttermilk or whole milk, olive oil and eggs until fully incorporated. Add dry ingredients to wet in three parts, mixing until just combined and scraping down the bowl each time.

4. With mixer on low, slowly add 1/2 cup coffee until just combined. Add last 1/4 cup if mixture is too thick (should be fairly thin).

5. Pour batter evenly among the three oiled and dusted cake pans and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

6. Let cool completely before running a knife around the edge of each pan to loosen the cake from the pans. Flip each one carefully onto a wire cooling rack.

7. Level the top of all three cakes so they are cylindrical.

Ganache

1. Heat 1 cup of heavy cream until it comes to a low boil. Pour over chocolate (in a small bowl by itself) and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir and set aside until room temperature.

2. While that’s cooling, using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk salted butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, remaining heavy cream and vanilla on low until combined, and then on high for 3-5 minutes until airy and whipped.

3. Add cooled chocolate ganache into frosting and whip until mousse-like in texture. Assemble with frosting between each layer using an off-set spatula to level edges.

4. Slice, serve and enjoy!