Dark Chocolate Cake & Icing

Dark Chocolate Cake & Icing

3 c. cake flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. good quality cocoa

2 1/2 c. strong coffee

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

5 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda & Salt.

Whisk coffee and cocoa together until smooth

Cream butter and oil for 1 minute.

Add both sugars; beat 10 minutes.

Add eggs; beat 5 m inutes

Add vanilla; blend well.

Alternately add coffee/cocoa mix and dry ingredients. Scrape the bowl often.

Divide into pans.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

Cool completely.

Icing

2 3/4 c. confectioners sugar

6 Tbsp. cocoa

6 Tbsp. butter, softened

5 Tbsp. evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together confectioners sugar and cocoa.

Cream the butter; add the sugar/cocoa mix and the milk.

Blend in vanilla.

You may need to add a bit more milk to get the right consistency.

**I always double the icing recipe.