MIDNIGHT CHOCOLATE CAKE

MIDNIGHT CHOCOLATE CAKE image

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 26

butter
black cocoa
Cake:
2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup black cocoa [available from specialty retailers]
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Hellmann's/Best Foods mayonnaise
1 1/3 cups fresh cold water
Buttercream frosting:
2 cups butter, softened
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup black cocoa
1/4 cup dutch process cocoa
In a large bowl, Whip the butter on high speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Whip until double in volume. This takes a very long time, approximately 10 minutes.
While still whipping, drizzle in the heavy cream.
Continue whipping until the mixture is stiff, approximately 2 to 4 minutes.
In a medium bowl, carefully combine, with a whisk, the confectioners' sugar, the black cocoa,
and the dutch process cocoa. Add 1/2 of the confectioners' sugar mixture to the butter and cream mixture and whip until smooth. At this point, you can taste the frosting and determine
if you would like to add more of the sugar mixture to sweeten to taste.

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350`F. Butter bottom of 2 [9 x 1-1/2 inch] round cake pans, "flour" with black cocoa. 2. In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. 3. In large bowl with mixer at high speed, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in mayonnaise until blended. Add flour mixture in 4 additions, alternately with water [begin and end with flour]. Pour into prepared pans. 4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove; cool completely on racks before frosting as desired.