For the Cake:
6 oz. chopped unsweetened chocolate
¾ cup whole milk
1 ½ cups brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 eggs at room temperature
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¾ cup buttermilk (or 3/4 cup whole milk + 1 Tbsp. vinegar)
1/4 cup brewed coffee at room temperature
For the Icing:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla (not immitation)
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
5-6 Tbsp. whole milk
*optional: 1/4 tsp. salt
For the Ganache:
1/3 cup heavy cream
2-2.5 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
Make The Cake:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees (F). Grease the sides of three 6" x 2" cake pans with shortening (or pan goop) and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 6 oz. chopped chocolate, 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup of the brown sugar. Stir constantly to prevent the chocolate from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
When all of the chocolate is melted, remove pan from heat and let cool to lukewarm.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. baking soda. Set aside.
Combine the 1 tsp. vanilla, 3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk + vinegar), and 1/4 cup cooled, black coffee. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream the 1/2 cup butter and remaining ¾ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add each of the 3 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
Add half of the flour mixture to the mixing bowl. Mix at low speed until just combined.
Add the melted chocolate mixture. Mix.
Add the rest of the flour mixture. Mix.
Add the milk mixture. Mix until well combined, scraping down the bowl at least once.
Pour 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups of batter into the prepared pan(s). (I use Bake-Even Strips to help keep my cakes more flat while baking. This helps later when you want to stack the cakes.)
Bake on center rack of 350F oven for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out dry with few crumbs on it.
Immediately place pan on cooling rack. After 10 minutes, invert the cake onto a cooling rack to cool.
Let cake cool completely.
Make the Icing/Frosting:
Melt all three sticks of butter on medium heat in a light-colored pan. (This is important because you need to see the color change.) -- Yes, there are only two in my pictures. That's because I didn't make enough to fill and cover this cake. You will likely have some extra with 3 sticks of butter, but it's fine, because you'll want to sit down and tuck into it with a spoon anyway.
Stirring constantly, watch the butter as it first forms a white foam...
REMOVE from the heat immediately, when the browning happens. It can burn quickly. You will smell a major difference when it starts to brown. It smells like heaven.
Immediately pour into a small heatproof bowl to cool (30 minutes or so).
2 cups powdered sugar. Mix. 2 Tbsp. milk. Mix.
2 cups powdered sugar. Mix. 2 Tbsp. milk. Mix.
1/2 cup powdered sugar. Mix. 1-2 Tbsp. milk + 1 tsp. vanilla. Mix. (Use 1 Tbsp. if you like the icing a little more thick. 2 Tbsp. if you like it a little more thin.)
Assemble the Cake:
Here's a tutorial on how to cover a cake with icing, if you're struggling.
Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to let the icing firm up and get cold.
Make the Ganache:
You will want to make the ganache right when you're ready to drizzle it, or else it will cool too much and not drip -- that wasn't exactly what I did wrong, but I've messed it up that way before.
