Haley ran across this recipe from a book that she read at school and she made it in our kitchen to rave reviews from the rest of the family (who all seem to love anything chocolate).

Prepare two 8″ or 9″ pans or one 9″ x 13″ pan by lining with parchment paper or greasing and dusting with flour. Preheat oven to 325°

Cake:
In a large bowl, mix together:

• 1 1/2 cups Sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 4 tbls buttermilk powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a medium saucepan, melt over low heat:

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

Remove from heat and add:

• 1 cup water
• 4 beaten eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Whisk ingredients into the dry ingredients, just until blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans, bake on the middle rack of oven, about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with moist crumbs adhering to it (do not over bake). Cool thoroughly on a rack before icing.

Easy Frosting
This frosting can also be tinted with food coloring for decoration or writing.

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat until smooth. If using an electric mixer, beat at low speed. Add more sugar for a stiffer frosting.

Ingredients:

Brownies:
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup butter
3 fl oz boiling water
3 eggs
4 oz chocolate chips

Frosting:
1/3 cup butter
8 oz semisweet dark chocolate
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoon hot very strong coffee

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
2. Line a 13 x 9 in. cake tin with parchment paper.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
4. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract.
5. Add eggs, melted butter and hot water and mix until smooth.
6. Add chocolate chips.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 20-30 minutes.
8. Cool the cake. Glace with the chocolate frosting.
9. For the frosting, mix butter, chopped chocolate, syrup and coffee and heat in a double boiler until melted. Stir until smooth and spread over the cake.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. cocoa powder
• 2 c. boiling water

• 1 c. unsalted butter (room temp) (cake ingredient)
• 2 1/2 c. granulated white sugar
• 4 eggs (room temp)
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2 3/4 c. all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

• 6 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 1/4 c. heavy cream
• 2 to 6 Tbs. milk
• 3/4 c. unsalted butter (frosting ingredient)
• 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare 3 9″ round cake pans by either using the grease and flour method or line pans with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl prepare chocolate by stiring the cocoa powder and boiling water together until smooth, then set aside.
3. In a seperate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift together and set aside.
4. Using an electric stand mixer and bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar for 5 min. or until well creamed.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla.
6. Turn the mixer down to low speed. Alternating between the dry ingredients and the chocolate mixture, add these to the creamed mixture beginning with and ending with the dry ingredients. (Dry ingredients in 3 parts and chocolate mixture in 2 parts). Do NOT over beat the mixture once the flour is added.
7. Pour batter in equal parts into the 3 prepared cake pans and bake for 20 to 25 min.
8. Cool in pans for 10 min., then invert onto cooling racks and remove pans. Cool completly before frosting.
9. When ready for frosting, prepare chocolate frosting as follows:
10. Combine semi-sweet baking chocolate, butter and, cream in a heavy saucepan.
11. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted thouroghly blended.
12. Gradually add powdered sugar stirring well
13. Cool saucepan containing chocolate in an ice bath and beat on low speed with a portable electric mixer until frosting begins to loose it’s gloss and holds it’s shape.
14. Add milk a tablespoon at a time to achieve proper spreading consistancy.
15. Trim curved tops of cake layers as necessary with cerated bread knife.
16. Stack cake layers using a layer of frosting in between each layer.
17. Use remaining frosting to coat sides and top of cake.
18. Store covered for up to 3 days.