Cocoa Layer Cake

This cake was S.O. good!  I can't even tell you about it.  Make it for yourself.  We made it for friends -- 2 times.  Nobody hates it....and if you make it, nobody will hate you either.  If you would like to make your chocolate loving friends happy, go to the Bon Appetit and find the recipe or look below.


Ingredients

Cake

•1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into cup to measure, then leveled)

•1 cup lukewarm water, divided

•1/2 cup buttermilk

•1 1/2 cups cake flour (spooned into cups to measure, then leveled)

•3/4 teaspoon baking soda

•1 cup sugar

•1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

•1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

•2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten to blend

Frosting

•10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

•1 1/3 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

•1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

•2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

•1 cup heavy whipping cream

•2 teaspoons vanilla extract

special equipment

•3 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 11/2-inch-high sides

Preparation

Cake

•Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper rounds; butter parchment. Whisk cocoa and 1/2 cup warm water in small bowl. Whisk buttermilk and 1/2 cup water in another small bowl. Sift flour, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and butter in large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy (mixture will appear granular), about 5 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add beaten eggs, then beat until smooth and fluffy, about 15 seconds. Add cocoa mixture; beat to blend. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter among pans (about 1 3/4 cups each).

•Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, reversing pans halfway through baking, about 18 minutes. Cool completely in pans on racks.

Frosting

•Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, and 1/2 teaspoon (scant) salt. Gradually stir in cream. Stir until mixture is very hot and just begins to simmer at edges. Reduce heat to low; stir 1 minute to let flavors blend. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in vanilla (frosting will resemble chocolate sauce). Chill until just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Let stand at room temperature.

•Run knife around cake sides. Carefully invert 1 cake onto plate (cake is very tender); peel off parchment. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Invert second cake onto palm of hand. Position cake 2 inches above frosted cake layer. Carefully slide cake onto first cake layer. Peel off parchment. Spread cake with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Do AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.

•Cut into wedges and serve.