My favorite chocolate cake

• Baker's Note: For the best results, aim for a high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder with a higher cocoa butter content, ideally around 20-22%. Brands like Valrhona offer such options. However, if you can't find it at your local supermarket, don't worry; you can still use the cocoa powder available there. Just be aware that using cocoa powder with lower cocoa butter content, typically around 10%, may increase the risk of your chocolate cake turning out dry or overly crumbly. So, if you encounter such results, now you know why it might have happened.
   
• Make sure you start with soft butter (at room temperature 23ºC / 73,4ºF)  Having soft butter allows it to combine better with the sugar properly, resulting in the lots of volume to occur during the creaming method. Having the butter soft also gives the eggs their best chance to emulsify with the butter.
   
• If your eggs aren't at room temperature when you're ready to mix your cake, you can warm them up by placing them (in the shell) in a bowl of lukewarm tap water for about 5 minutes. This helps the eggs incorporate more easily with the butter. Next, use a scale and place 250 grams of eggs and place them in a small bowl. Beat the eggs lightly with a fork. This step combines the yolks and whites, bringing the eggs closer to the consistency needed to blend smoothly with the butter, which also helps increase aeration. Set the beaten eggs aside until needed.
   
• To make the chocolate cake layers, adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 165C° /  325F° 30 minutes before baking.
   
• Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the inside of 3 x 20 cm (8 inches) round cake pans with softened or melted butter. Next, add a few tablespoons of flour and tap it around the inside of the pan until all the buttered surface is covered. Then, turn the pan upside down over a sink, tap out the excess flour, and line it with parchment circles. 
   
• Bakers note: this recipe uses both baking powder and baking soda. The baking soda is there to maximize the rice of the cake too.
   
• Sift together the 350-gram all-purpose flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, and one teaspoon of baking soda in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt ( omit if using salted butter). Give it a quick whisk to combine and set aside for now.
   
• In a medium bowl, add 125-gram unsweetened cocoa powder and 250 grams of strongly brewed fresh coffee or espresso, and give it a quick whisk until smooth ( the temperature of the mixture will now be around  (42C°/107.6F°); add 300-gram plain yogurt or sour cream give it a whisk until combined and smooth. The temperature of the mixture will now be around 22C°/71.6F° Wich is the ideal temperature.
   
• Place the 250-gram softened unsalted butter ( diced) and three teaspoons of vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)  in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or whisk attachment. Turn to medium-low speed and cream the butter until pale and fluffy. About 3 minutes. The butter must be really soft for ultimate fluffiness. stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
   
• Add the 550-gram superfine sugar ( or white sugar), and mix until pale and fluffy. About 3 minutes! Stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, make sure to mix on medium-low speed and never on high speed. If you mix too fast or too long, you will collapse all your air bubbles, and your cake will be really dense and brick-like-not light and fluffy.
   
• Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and add the five large eggs one at a time, mixing slowly on medium speed after each addition, about 30 to 40 seconds. It´s important to add them one at a time to be completely incorporated into the batter before adding in the next.
   
•  At this stage, the mixture may look broken, which is fine ( overwhipping the eggs could cause the cake to expand too much during baking and then deflate)
   
• When you add the flour mixture at this stage, it´s always important to mix as slowly and as little as necessary since you don't want to traumatize your batter.
   
• Add one-third of the flour mixture and one-third of the cocoa, coffee- and yogurt mixture to the butter mixture, beating at low speed until just combined—about 20 seconds. Stop scraping down the bowl as needed. Next, add another one-third of the flour mixture and one-third of the cocoa-coffee-and yogurt mixture to the butter mixture, beating until well incorporated, about 20 seconds. Stop scraping down the bowl as needed. Next, add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining cocoa coffee- and yogurt mixture, and beat just until combined—about 20 seconds. Don't over-mix.
   
• Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that may have settled there. If you still have lumps left and if you have an immersion blender, emulsify with a hand blender until the cake batter is smooth. ( just a few seconds)
   
• Divide the cake batter ( 2000 grams) among the two or three prepared cake pans, about 670 grams in each baking pan, and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Gently tap the pans on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles.
   
• Baker's Note: If time permits, let your cake batter sit at room temperature on the kitchen counter for about 20 minutes before baking. This allows the leavening agents to create more air bubbles and the flour to fully hydrate, resulting in a fluffier texture for your cake.
   
• Bake the first two layers in the lower third of the oven until the cakes are firm, Or a toothpick inserted into the center will emerge with a few crumbs still attached. It takes about 30 to 35 minutes.  Repeat with the final layer. 
   
• If you plan not to use the chocolate cake right away, it is best to cool the warm cake straight from the oven upside down on parchment paper sprinkled with sugar. This helps maintain the moisture in the cake, and it will be flat on the top.” You can keep it like for 30 minutes, Then use a knife, loosen the sides of the cakes, and carefully turn them out onto wire racks. Peel off the parchment paper and let it cool completely.
   
• Otherwise cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then use a knife, loosen the sides of the cakes, and carefully turn them out onto wire racks. Peel off the parchment paper and let it cool completely.
   
• If you don't use the cake layers right away, once cool, wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days. 
   

 Silky Chocolate Buttercream
 

•  You need to make this frosting recipe twice, one batch to fill the inside of the cake and the second batch to decorate the outside of the cake.
   
• Take your salted or unsalted butter out of the fridge for about 30 minutes before making your chocolate buttercream. For this frosting, you want your butter to be semi-cold. Semi-cold butter should still be cold to the touch, and you should be able to make a slight imprint with your finger, but it should not feel greasy! The amount of time depends on-off course on the weather and how cool you keep your kitchen.
   
• In a medium heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, melt the 150-gram bittersweet dark chocolate, occasionally stirring until the chocolate is completely melted!  If you melt the chocolate in the microwave, use a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 20 -seconds intervals. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly. 
   
• If you want your chocolate buttercream to be silky smooth, make sure to sift your powdered sugar, it takes just a minute or so.
   
• Put the 175-gram sifted powdered sugar, 180-gram semi-cold salted or unsalted butter ( cut into small cubes), one teaspoon instant espresso powder, and one teaspoon vanilla bean paste into a food processor and pulse on high speed until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
   
• Scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl. Add the 150-gram melted and slightly cooled chocolate to the food processor, and pulse on high speed until silky smooth, about 1 minute! 
   
• Once the chocolate buttercream is silky smooth, Add the 40-gram cold heavy cream and blend at high speed for 1 to 2 minutes more! It is now ready!
   
• Your chocolate buttercream lightens in color quite a bit as you blend it at high speed, but it will also darken after it sits out a bit. Your chocolate buttercream is now ready to use as a filling in your cakes or decorate your cakes with!
   
• Fill/frost your cake/ cake layers right away for ideal spreading consistency, freshness, and deliciousness.
   
• If you feel that the chocolate buttercream is too soft, refrigerate the frosting until it firms up just slightly. About 5 minutes, more if needed!
   
• For a thicker and more fluffy frosting, In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the chocolate frosting, and beat at medium speed until more light in color and fluffy. The longer you whip, You´ll notice the chocolate frosting lightens in color quite a bit as you beat it, but it will also darken after it sits out on your cake.
   
•  If not used right away, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to use, bring to room temperature and pulse it in your food processor to bring it back to a spreadable consistency, or use your stand mixer and whisk attachment.
   

Assemble the cake
 

• Make sure your three chocolate cake layers are fully cooled before you fill the cake with silky smooth chocolate buttercream.
   
• Place the first chocolate cake layer on a cake stand or turn the table, scoop half of the silky smooth buttercream onto the first layer, and use an offset spatula or the back of a large spoon to spread it into an even layer.
   
• Place the second chocolate cake layer on top, press down lightly to help it stick to the frosting, and scoop the remaining half of the silky smooth buttercream onto the second cake layer.
   
• Place the final cake layer on the stack, and press down lightly to help it stick to the frosting. If your cake layer is not flat on top, place the last cake layer on the stack upside down so that the bottom is facing up, providing a flat top for your cake. Press down lightly to help it stick to the frosting.
   
• The excess buttercream that might come out of the side when you add the cake layers you can use to lightly crumb coat the cake, Use an offset spatula to apply a thin layer of frosting around the cake. You don't need to crumb coat the cake if you don't have frosting coming out of the sides. Place a cake dome on top and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to set until the buttercream firms up.
   
• In the meantime, make the second batch of silky smooth chocolate buttercream as described above, then apply a thicker layer of frosting around the cake, from top to bottom, using an offset spatula. I like to do this in a very old-fashioned/ homemade style in minutes. Use some flake sea salt on top as garnish if you like.
   
• If you want a perfect edge, use a cake scraper at the end to smooth the frosting, making sure to keep the scraper parallel to the side of the cake, with the bottom resting directly on the turntable, spinning it as you go.
   
• For maximum freshness and deliciousness, serve immediately. 
   
• Try to avoid placing this cake in the refrigerator, as refrigeration firms up the fat in the cake, making the texture dense. Use a glass cake dome and try to keep the cake at room temperature.
   
• Under a cake dome ( airtight), the frosted cake will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature or in the fridge. Once the cake has been cut, cover the edges with a waxed or plastic wrap placed against it to keep it fresh. The cake is super moist if kept at room temp. 
• If you store the cake with the frosting in the refrigerator, allow the cake to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving so that the buttercream becomes silky and smooth again. Unless you love cold cakes/buttercream, then enjoy them immediately.
   
• Revive a day-old cake. Pop a slice in the microwave and reheat for 10 seconds. It’s ridiculously good.