Died-and-Gone-to-Heaven Chocolate Layer Cake

Just last weekend we celebrate our sons 6th birthday! I was flipping through some of my recipe books looking for chocolate cake recipes as he said he would like a round chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Nothing fancy this year maybe some candles and sprinkles but it had to be a chocolate cake.

The first book I pulled out was The Looneyspoons Collection that we recently reviewed and there was a great looking to die for chocolate cake called Died-and-Gone-to-Heaven Chocolate Layer Cake, if you have the book it is on page 352.

This cake was very simple to make but really full of sugar! It is suppose to be a three layer cake but I decided to make it into two round two layer cakes - one for the party and one for us as a family cake. This worked out great and it went over well with everyone that ate some.

There is a frosting recipe with it but I will just be posting the cake portion as I iced with store bought icing - gasp!

Died-and-Gone-to-Heaven Chocolate Layer Cake (source: The Looneyspoons Collection)

3 cups sugar
21/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs
11/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz unsweetened chocolate squares, melted and cooled slightly

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease & flour bottom and sides of three 9-inch round cake pans.
Combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
In another large bowl, beat eggs on high speed of electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until they have thickened slightly and are lemon coloured. Add buttermilk, coffee, oil, vanilla and melted chocolate. Mix on low speed until well blended.
Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix on medium speed until batter is smooth. Divide batter evenly among pans.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in centre of cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, peel off paper and cool completely before frosting.