Dark Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Our little boy just turned 3 and this is the cake I made for him. I knew I wanted to put Dinosaurs on top, but when I realized the ones I found would be too big for a 9" round cake, I had to rethink a little. I found 2 chocolate cake recipes, the other one only made 2 rounds, this recipe here makes 3 rounds (in the original recipe).

Well I wanted a good thick layer cake large enough for the Dinos, so I used a 9x13 pan, it really makes a full pan worth too! I also doubled the chocolate frosting recipe (4 C) so I would have plenty to pipe and frost with but ran out anyways, so I made some white buttercream frosting so I could color it also.

Going back to my bakery days in decorating style, I used crushed graham crackers for the dirt/sand and food colored writing gel for the water. Since I couldn't find trees that would look decent with the size of the Dinos (I didn't plan on using big ones), I found this stem of leaves in the faux floral dept. (Better Homes & Gardens) that would work.

This cake was great! It's a very rich moist chocolate cake, I think I'll keep this recipe!

click photo collage to see better

Dark Chocolate Cake
adapted from allrecipes

2 cups boiling water
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
See more at "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" http://ldylvbgr.blogspot.com/
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F for darker pan (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13x2 pan, lined with parchment (for easy removal).
In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at time, then stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 58 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean), may have to cover with parchment to prevent darkening.
Allow to cool 10 minutes in pan, then flip cake out onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
*TIP: Can freeze cake before using, makes slicing into layers easier (let thaw out for 20 minutes or so) and much easier to frost.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting
found here

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Allow to cool to thicken.
About 2 cups frosting. (I doubled this and it gave me enough to frost and fill a 9x13 size cake)

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Recipe by Gale Gand

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream (I used milk)
*food coloring if desired

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency. Add food coloring if desired.

enjoy,