Cookie Monster Cake

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the boiling water, chocolate and cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar together on medium speed in the bowl of a standing mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in sour cream and vanilla extract.

Reduce the speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the chocolate mixture. Repeat with another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the remaining chocolate mixture. Beat in the remaining flour mixture until just incorporated.

Divide the batter and pour into the prepared pans, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Place the cakes (still in the pans) on a wire rack to cool. Then invert the cakes out of the pans onto a greased rack. Cool completely before frosting.

To prepare the buttercream, put egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water. Use an electric hand mixer to beat constantly until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot. Remove from heat.

With whisk attachment, continue whipping the mixture in a standing mixer until thick, glossy, and cool.

Switch over to paddle attachment. While mixing on medium speed, continuously add softened butter in chunks until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture. If it curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth. Add vanilla and salt, mix well.

Reserve 3 cups of the buttercream and set that aside. Add the food coloring into the remaining buttercream and beat for another 10 seconds, or until the colors are evenly distributed.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread with 1/3 of the white buttercream. Place another cake layer on top, and gently press down a little bit. Spread with another 1/3 of the white buttercream. Smear the remaining 1/3 of the white buttercream on the sides of the cake.

Outline the shape of the eyes and mouth with a toothpick (lightly tracing the shapes in the white frosting), and fill them with Nutella. Pipe blue buttercream on the face around the Nutella.

Cover and refrigerate the cake. Leave out at room temperature for at least an hour prior to serving.