NEW ORLEANS —
Kev’s Chocolate Cake
- Butter, for greasing the pans
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup brewed hot coffee
Chocolate Frosting
- 1½ cups butter, softened
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 5 cups confectioner’s sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. expresso powder
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Butter and flour the pans.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
Chocolate Frosting
Add cocoa to a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through to remove any lumps.
Cream together butter and cocoa powder until well-combined.
Add sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added.
Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.
If frosting appears too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears to wet, add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.