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CAKE: Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in large bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Batter will be quite thin.
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2
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Divide batter between 2 well-greased and floured 9" layer-cake pans.
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3
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Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean and cakes are just starting to pull away from sides of the pans.
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4
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Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cool completely on wire racks.
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5
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FROSTING: Melt chocolate and butter together in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove double boiler and set aside to cool.
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6
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Add milk and vanilla to confectioners sugar in a medium bowl. Mixture will be thin. Stir in melted chocolate and butter, and beat with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens to a spreading consistency. Fill and frost cake, making long swirls with an icing spatula.
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7
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GARNISH CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY FANS: Place firm, ripe berries with stem down on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, make cuts 1/8" apart through the strawberry to within 1/8" of the stem. With your fingers, gently spread apart the slices to form a fan. It it's available, fresh mint can add further appeal. After carefully removing the strawberry leaves with the knife point, replace them with a sprig of mint.
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8
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Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream, if you like. Yield: One 9" layer cake.
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