Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Espresso Frosting

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 2 cups All-purpose, Unbleached Flour
• 2 cups Granulated Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 6 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 sticks Butter
• 1 cup Hot Water
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• ½ cups Soured Milk (Buttermilk)
• 2 whole Eggs
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• 1 stick Soft, Room Temperature Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Instant Espresso Powder
• 12 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ½ pounds Powdered Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Almond Extract

Preparation Instructions

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F, then grease and flour a 9″ x 13″ glass baking dish. Set aside.

Next, sift together the dry ingredients: the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and unsweetened cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer.

In a 4 cup glass bowl, add butter and the hot water and allow the butter to melt. Add this to the dry ingredients, along with the vanilla, soured milk and eggs. Mix together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, then pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes or until center almost springs back. Do not overbake.

To make the frosting:

Beat 1 stick room temperature butter with an electric or stand mixer until smooth. Next, mix in instant espresso powder, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar, and beat until smooth. Frosting will be stiff. Thin it by adding vanilla extract plus 1 teaspoon almond extract (or 3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur.)

Let cake cool completely, then frost and enjoy!