Chocolate Layer Cake
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups sugar
14.5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, 4 ounces coarsely chopped & 10.5 ounces finely chopped
15 Tblsps unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces & chilled
1/4 cup plus 2 Tblsps unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
4 tsps pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven & preheat to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper, then grease the parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda & 1/2 tsp salt.
In a saucepan, dissolve 2 cups sugar in 2 cups water over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, add the coarsely chopped chocolate & 6 Tblsps butter & whisk until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder. Beat in the eggs, then stir in 2 tsps vanilla. Add the flour mixture, whisking until incorporated. Divide the batter between the prepared pans & bake until the cakes are springy to the touch & have pulled away from the sides of the pans, about 30 minutes. Transfer to racks & let cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans & place on the racks. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the finely chopped chocolate & the remaining 9 Tblsps butter, 2 tsps vanilla, & 1/8 tsp salt. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream & remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar to a boil. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate & let stand for 2 minutes, then stir the mixture until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until thickened to a spreadable consistency, about 1 hour & 15 minutes.
Lay 4 strips of parchment paper around the border of a cake stand. Remove the parchment from 1 of the cake layers & place the layer on the cake stand. Place about 1 cup of the chocolate frosting in the center of the layer & spread to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Remove the parchment from the second cake layer & place the layer on top of the first. Apply a thin coating of frosting around the sides of the cake, rotating as you go. Top the cake with the remaining frosting & spread from the top of the cake down & around the sides. Discard the parchment paper strips.
Serves 10.
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