Deep Chocolate Layer Cake

Makes two, 9-inch cakes; 12 servings

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

Nutritional analysis per serving (based on 12 servings):
Calories 789 (48% from fat) • carb. 98g • pro. 12g • fat 45g • sat. fat 29g • chol. 175mg • sod. 427mg • calc. 59mg • fiber 6g

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two, 9-inch
round pans with butter and line with parchment
paper. Reserve.
Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and
salt together in a medium mixing bowl.
Reserve. Put the bittersweet chocolate, cocoa
powder and espresso powder into a small
bowl and pour the boiling water over the
ingredients. Stir to combine until melted;
reserve.
Put the butter and sugars into the Cuisinart®
mixing bowl. Attach the flat mixing paddle and
mix on Speed 5 to beat until light and creamy,
about 2½ to 3 minutes. Decrease speed to 3
and add eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla
extract, allowing each egg to fully incorporate
before adding the next. Scrape the entire bowl
as necessary.
Decrease speed to 2 and add 1
/3 of the
reserved flour mixture to the bowl. Mix until
just combined. Add ½ of the buttermilk and
mix until fully incorporated. Scrape the entire
bowl. Repeat, ending with the flour.
Decrease speed to 1 and fold in the chocolate
mixture until just combined, scraping bowl one
last time.
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 45 to 50 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.