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Cake tip: A crumb coat is the first layer of frosting that goes all over your cake before the final layer of frosting is put on. If you have a mixer be sure to use it for this recipe, however, using a hand whisker with attachments will work too.

Let's Get Started…

Ingredients To Gather:

For The Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting pans
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pans
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
• 1 1/2 cups milk

How To Make Chocolate Buttercream: 

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) salted butter, softened

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) package powdered sugar, sifted

• 6 ounces cocoa powder, sifted

• 8 tablespoons milk or heavy whipping cream, plus more if needed 

Step By Step Directions To Follow 

To Bake The Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare 3 8-inch cake pans by greasing with butter, adding parchment paper circles to the bottom. Butter the papers and dust with cocoa, tapping out any excess.

2. In a medium-size bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. Heat milk and vanilla over medium-low heat, until small bubbles begin to form. Remove from heat, and whisk in melted chocolate until combined.

4. In a bowl or mixer, beat butter and sugar (on medium), until combined. Beat in eggs, turn mixer on low, and add flour mixture in 3 parts and milk mixture in 2 parts, until mixed in well.

5. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pans for a few minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pans and turn out cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.

How To Make Icing:

1. In a bowl or mixer, beat butter (medium speed) until whipped and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Turn mixer to low, and alternate between mixing in powdered sugar and cocoa powder (in 1-cup increments) and milk (in 1-tablespoon increments).

2. Add a little milk if icing is dry. Mix until at desired consistency.

3. Transfer 2 heaping cups of frosting to a separate bowl for the crumb coat.

To Assemble:

1. Use a serrated knife to trim the tops of the cake layers to make level. Dab a bit of frosting onto the center of a large cake plate so that the first cake layer can stick to it. Using a spatula, place a third of the reserved crumb coat frosting in the center of the cake, and spread it over top until it starts to spill over the edges then spread over the sides of cake. Stack the second cake layer and repeat process with another 1/3 of the frosting. Add the third cake layer and spread the rest of the reserved frosting over the top and sides. Either place cake in fridge for 30 min or freezer for 15 min.

2. Remove cake when the frosting has completely set. Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake.

Finished!

Before serving, however, if you would like to top your cake with fresh fruit or have some fun decorating with frosting and icing be sure to do so. Everyone who tries this cake will wonder how the frosting is so good and it's all thanks to the buttercream. It's rich, but not too rich. A slice of this cake will definitely fulfill your sweet tooth and satisfy all you chocolate lovers.

Happy Baking & Enjoy!

Article Source: Popsugar