Recipe for Blackout Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 butter; softened
3 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 oz unsweetened chocolate squares, melt; ed
3 cup flour (use cake flour)
3 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cup boiling water
1 chocolate ganache
1 (see recipe)
3/4 cup roasted almonds (to 1 cup), diced

Instructions

ust with flour; tap out excess.

2. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 mins. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. Add chocolate and beat 1 to 2 mins.

3. Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to chocolate mixture in two additions alternately with buttermilk. Beat until well blended. With mixer on low speed, add boiling water and beal until smooth (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

4. Bake 35 to 40 mins, or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 to 15 mins, then unmold onto racks and let cool completely.

5. Cover a cake layer with a little more than one third of Chocolate Ganache. Set second layer on top. Frost top and sides with remaining ganache. Press almonds into side of cake. Refrigerate cake 3 to 4 hours, or until ganache is firm, before serving.

NOTES : To make this especially, festive, garnish the cake with piped whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

NOTE: If using all-purpose flour use 1 cup less 2 TBS for every cup called for in recipe.