Week 2 – Amazing Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Icing

As week two of 2011 was drawing to a close I made sure to get my second cake into the oven. What I am beginning to realize is that there are so many recipes and just not enough time! I find myself spending hours on the computer these days just searching for my next recipe. (I am pretty sure that I have enough work cut out for me to get me through the summer at this point!) Week 2’s inspiration came from I Am Baker, a yummy blog that I read. The post I read was titled, “The Best Chocolate Cake Ever.”

How could I go wrong? The most exciting component of this recipe was the fact that it called for a full cup of freshly brewed hot coffee. That right there made it the perfect choice for me! Well…the cake was scrumptious. Hands down – my new “go to” chocolate cake.

I used Magnolia’s Vanilla Buttercream Frosting that I also found on I Am Baker’s blog. The buttercream was very good AND very sweet – but that’s what you get for using 10 cups of confectioners sugar! I will definitely use this buttercream again. This frosting did contain a lot of air bubbles when I was spreading it out though. It was also quite soft when I was using it to decorate. In the future I would chose wider, less intricate tips. If you are wondering why it looks so busy, I can explain. I’ve never really fiddled with all the lovely icing tips that I have. One of I Am Baker's blog posts had a little tutorial on decorating and it made me just want to try everything! (Please keep in mind that I have difficulty drawing a stick figure!) And as far as deciding on blue was concerned…it is blue month at my son’s school – so I just went with it!

While my goal is to bake one cake per week for the entire year, I have quickly come to the realization that I cannot eat 52 cakes all by myself! That little tidbit works out great for my friends and family. I can pretty much guarantee that any time you see me throughout the next 12 months that I will have yummy goodness to share with you. So, not only do I have a goal for 2011…I have the ability to share delightful treats with you each and every single week!

Last night I had the good fortune to share this cake with my friend Natalie and her kids. While I’m sure she thought I was nuts for taking pictures of the cake at her house – a good time was had while digging into this tasty dessert!