Awesome Chocolate - Chocolate - Chocolate Cake

(Please read the whole recipe & directions before you start!!!)

Cake:

6 squares Baker’s semi-sweet baking chocolate

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter

1 ½ cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 ½ cups flour, divided

¼ cup Hershey’s unsweetened coco powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup buttermilk

¾ cup water

Microwave chocolate & butter in large bowl on high for 2-3 minutes until butter is melted.

Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Stir in sugar until well blended.

Add eggs beating with electric mixer on low until well blended.

Stir in vanilla, add ½ of the flour, baking soda and salt, and chocolate powder &  mix well. Add remaining 2 cups flour alternately with buttermilk and water, beating until well blended.

Pour evenly into 2 - 9” pans – line the bottom of the pans with circles of  waxed paper – spray with a little olive oil and lightly flour - and your cake will come out looking professional.

Bake 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pans, leaving waxed paper on and place on cookie sheet, waxed paper up to keep from getting dry, and freeze hard. (about an hour)

Filling:

1 lb. C & H powdered sugar

½ cup Hershey’s coco powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup butter

Combine al ingredients in mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer  until smooth and creamy, scrape bowl often.

Cover with plastic wrap until ready to fill cake.

Frosting:

1 pkg. (8 squares) Baker’s semi-sweet baking chocolate

3 Tablespoons Hershey’s coco powder

1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar

½ cup (1 stick) butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/3 cup milk

Melt chocolate in microwave for 2 minutes, and stir until chocolate is melted.

Cool 5 minutes or to room temperature.

Add  cocoa powder, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until well blended.

Gradually add milk, beating until well blended, light and fluffy.

Makes 3 cups, enough to frost the top and sides of cake well.

Directions to assemble:

Bake the cake layers first.

While cake layers are freezing, make filling, then frosting.

Make sure to cover bowls in plastic to keep them from drying while the cake is freezing.

Cut frozen cake layers with large sharp knife to make 4 layers.

Brush off any loose cake crumbs.

Place first layer on waxed or parchment paper on cake plate.

If you cut the wax paper in 4 pieces and lay them just under cake overlapping to cover the plate you will be able to gently pull them after you frost leaving the cake plate clean.

Fill the layers evenly to about 1” of the edge of the cake.

Frost quickly while the caked is still frozen to make it easier to work with the cake.

When you are done frosting, pull out waxed paper slowly.

Allow to sit just for a bit for the frosting to set.

Now – PIG OUT!!!