Spring Has Sprung!

Dark Chocolate Espresso Cake

Seems like spring always brings big change. 

Last spring we made this Lemon Poppy Seed Cake and met this angel for the first time. 

This spring, we made this Dark Chocolate Espresso Cake and that angel is our favorite kitchen helper!

    

But seriously y'all, this cake.

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup hot, dark coffee
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups full fat, sour cream
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Icing Ingredients:

• 200 grams dark chocolate*
• 1 1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsbp espresso
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder

*The best quality chocolate you can find! I used 100 grams unsweetened and 100 grams bittersweet.

Cake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3 x 6-inch or 3 x 8-inch cake pans.
2. Whisk the coffee and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl until no lumps remain. Set aside. 
3. In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda)
4. In electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs together until smooth and pale yellow in color (I use level 6 on my Kitchen Aide for a good 6 minutes). Stir in the sour cream, followed by the coconut oil. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir until combined. Stir in the cocoa mixture and mix until smooth.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25-35 minutes. 
6. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes - This is vital unless you want the bottoms to stick! Then remove and place on a wire rack to cool.

Icing Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler then remove from heat and let cool.
2. Whip butter until light and fluffy (Again,I use level 6 on my Kitchen Aide but this time for a7 or 8 minutes).
3. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder until smooth.
4. Add the melted chocolate and whip until incorporated. 
5. Add espresso and vanilla and mix until the icing is smooth and super fluffy.

Assembly:

1. Take a spoonful of icing and put it centered on your cake plate. 
2. While cake is barely warm, place the first cake down and make sure it is firmly placed on the plate. Ice the top and sides. Followed by remaining cakes and ice the full cake with a thin layer of frosting.
3. Refrigerate until icing is set.
4. Remove cake from fridge and use remaining icing to frost the whole cake smoothly.
5. Refrigerate until icing is set.
6. Eat chilled!