Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing

Ingredients

•     2 cups all-purpose flour
•     1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•     1/2 tsp baking powder
•     1/2 tsp baking soda
•     1/2 tsp salt
•     2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
•     1-1/2 cups sugar
•     2 large eggs
•     2 large egg yolks
•     1 tsp pure vanilla extract
•     1 cup buttermilk
•     4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
•     1 recipe for chocolate icing

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter two 9-X-2-inch round cake pans.

Step 2: Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

Step 3: Beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes, until it is thoroughly blended into the sugar.

Step 4: Add the eggs one at a time, then the yolks one by one, beating for 1 minutes after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. 

Step 5: Beat in the vanilla.

Step 6: Reduce the mixing speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternatively with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 portions and the buttermilk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); mix only until each new batch is blended into the batter. 

Step 7: Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, folding it in with the rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the cake pans.

Step 8: Bake for 26 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes feel springy to touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans.  Transfer the cakes to racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them.  Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.
 

Step 9: Assemble and frost cake with chocolate icing.