I think Chocolate is one of the most loved sweets on earth, I am not that big of a fan…(I know everyone thinks I am crazy) but let me tell you I surprised myself after I tasted my own creations…this chocolatey cake is one of the best cakes I came up with and everyone agrees with me…

For every birthday at the office I ask everyone what kind of cake should I make! and all of my co-workers agrees on this chocolatey goodness of a cake and I always deliver.

I made this cake for a birthday celebration at the office few weeks ago and the only thing I forgot to do is to take a picture of it after we cut the first piece, I guess we were too excited to eat it….

A lot of the recipes I create I like to keep to myself in my recipe notebook! but I am posting this devilish, delicious and chocolatey cake for everyone who asked for it and because I promised a lot of people that i will, here it is…

preheat oven to 350

Spray two 9 inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper and set a side.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 2/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp fine salt

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 sticks of butter at room temperature

1 cup warm water

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs at room temperature

1/8 tsp ground vanilla powder

1 tbsp dry instant coffee

1/2 can of ready made sugar free chocolate frosting

1/2 can ready made sugar free cream cheese frosting

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

1 cup strawberry preserves

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with flat beater attachment, beat butter and sugar until its creamy, about two minutes.

Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.

Add vanilla extract and vanilla powder.

In a separate bowl sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and instant coffee.

On low speed add the dry ingredients in thirds alternating with the warm water.

Mix well for one minute.

Equally divide the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minuets or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool the cakes in pans for 15-20 minuets, remove from the pans and cool completely.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment add the chocolate and cream cheese frosting, turn mixer on to low speed and whip for a minute to combine, while the mixer on drizzle the milk slowly and whip for two minutes, stop drizzling the milk once you like the consistency of the frosting,I used about 1/4 of cup.

Trim the top of each cake about an inch and half off (save the trimming for later–check out this post Chocolate birthday cake).

Place one of the cooled chocolate cakes on your serving plate after covering the side of the plate with parchment papers, place the cake upside down having the flat bottom up, add the strawberry preserves and spread evenly, place the second cake on top and spread some of the frosting all over the cake as a first coat.

Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minuets, after the cake is cooled continue frosting it to whatever design you choose.

I did the swirl design by covering the entire cake with the frosting and by using an offset spatula I moved my hand in a halfway turns and that was it… it looked so scrumptious! Carefully remove the parchment papers and wipe the plate with clean damped kitchen towel.

Notes:
For all my cake baking I use bakery aluminum cake pans, they are the best to use for the best results, I don’t use the dark nonstick kinds because I think they don’t bake cakes evenly.

I choose the sugar free frosting so the cake won’t be overly too sweet, if you prefer you could use the regular ones or make your own and that’s what I normally do but I was too lazy to make it from scratch that night so I had to be creative and used up the two halves cans of frosting I had on hand!

 

Enjoy!