Fudgy Chocolate Layer Cake

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 cup less 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
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• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk

Frosting and Garnish:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 oz. (3 squares) unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• Chocolate shavings (opt.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottoms of 2 - 9 inch round cake pans with waxed paper. Grease paper and sides of pans. Dust with flour. Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. At low speed, alternately beat flour mixture and buttermilk into butter mixture just until blended. Divide batter equally between prepared pans.

Bake cakes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Remove paper. Turn layers topside up and cool completely. To prepare frosting, beat butter and confectioners' sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add melted chocolate and vanilla; continue beating until shiny and smooth. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with frosting. top with remaining cake layer. Spread frosting on top and sides of cake. Let cake stand for at least 30 minutes before sprinkling with chocolate shavings and slicing.

By Robin from Washington, IA