Deep Chocolate Layer Cake

Makes two 9-inch cakes; 12 servings

        unsalted butter, softened, for greasing pans
5      ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¾     cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1½   teaspoons instant espresso powder
¾     teaspoon baking soda
1      cup boiling water
2      cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
¾     cup granulated sugar
¾     cup brown sugar
½     teaspoon baking powder
½     teaspoon fine sea salt
1      cup vegetable oil
¾     cup buttermilk, room temperature
3      large eggs, room temperature
1½   teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Nutritional information per serving (unfrosted): Calories 345 (50% from fat) Carb. 41g • pro. 6g • fat 21g sat. fat 5g • chol. 47mg • sod. 195mg • calc. 31mgfiber 3g

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line with parchment paper. Reserve.
2. Put the bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and baking soda into a medium bowl and pour the boiling water over the ingredients. Stir until chocolate has melted. Cool to room temperature and reserve.
3. Put the flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt together into the Cuisinart® mixing bowl. Attach the chef’s whisk and set to the Dry Ingredient Mixing program. Transfer to a separate bowl and reserve.
4. Put the oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract into the mixing bowl. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and start to mix on Speed 1, increasing to Speed 5. Mix until very well combined, so there are no streaks of color.While mixing on Speed 2, slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth, stopping as necessary to scrape entire bowl.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the center, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven, cool in pans on a wire rack until cool to touch and then transfer cakes to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.