Ingredients
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Unsweetened Black Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 ounces Semisweet Chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Instant Coffee Granules
- 1 ½ cups Boiling Water
- ¾ cup Sour Cream
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3 Large Eggs
- 2 cups Sugar
Frosting
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 ½ cups Whole Milk
- 1 ½ cups Sugar
- ¾ cup Unsweetened Black Cocoa Powder
- 3 tablespoons Cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 ounces Semisweet Chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 ½ sticks Unsalted Butter, room temperature
Directions
- Cake: preheat the oven to 350F; coat the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans with oil and dust with flour, tap out the excess
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl; in a separate medium bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and instant coffee; pour in the boiling water and let stand 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth; combine the sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla in a glass measuring cup
- Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until combined; increase the speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes; reduce the mixer speed to low; slowly add the coffee-chocolate mixture; mix until combined
- Mix in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the sour cream mixture in two batches, until just incorporated; keep the mixer on low as you add the ingredients, increase the speed to medium briefly between additions to beat out the lumps
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans; bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle, 35-45 minutes; let cool 15 minutes in the pans then remove cakes to rack to cool completely
- Frosting: whisk the eggs, ¼ cup milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl until smooth; heat the remaining 1 ¼ cups milk in saucepan over medium heat until just steaming; slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture, then pour the entire mixture into the pan; bring to a boil while whisking;
- Continue cooking 30-60 seconds more to thicken further, whisking vigorously, then remove from heat; pour into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface; refrigerate until cold, 3-4 hours
- Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted; let cool slightly; beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and creamy, 3-5 minutes; stir the cocoa mixture to loosen, then gradually beat into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition; beat in the melted chocolate; continue beating, scrap the sides of the bowl, until fluffy 1-2 minutes
- Put one cake on a platter; spread 1 cup of frosting on top then top with the other cake layer; spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake; refrigerate 1 hour before serving