Chocolate Espresso Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 13 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 33 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 4 ounces nestle chocolate, baking bar broken into small sections (1/2 bar)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, pack tightly
• 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso coffee powder or 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 4 ounces nestle chocolate, baking bar broken into smaller sections
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Recipe

• 1 for the cake:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°.
• 3 grease and line two 9-inch-round baking pans with wax paper.
• 4 microwave baking bar in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on high (100%power) for 1 minute. stir. sections may retain some of their original shape. if necessary, microwave at additional 10-to-15-second intervals,stirring just until smooth. cool to room temperature.
• 5 combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. beat brown sugar, butter, eggs, instant coffee and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl for 3 minutes. gradually add melted chocolate and continue beating for an additional minute. beat flour mixture into creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. pour into prepared pans.
• 6 bake for 22-38 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. run knife around edges of cakes. invert onto wire racks; remove wax paper. cool completely.
• 7 brush cakes with coffee glaze over cake layers. spread mocha buttercream frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.
• 8 for coffee glaze:.
• 9 microwave granulated sugar, water and instant coffee in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on high (100% power) for 30 seconds. stir until sugar and coffee are dissolved.
• 10 for mocha buttercream frosting:.
• 11 microwave baking bar in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on high (100%) power for 1 minute; stir. sections may retain some of their original shape. if necessary, microwave at 10-to-15-second intervals, stirring just until smooth. cool to room temperature.
• 12 dissolve instant coffee in milk in glass measure. beat butter, vanilla extract and salt in large mixer bowl for 3 minutes. beat in melted chocolate until blended, scraping occasionally. gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy. beat in coffee mixture, 1 tablespoons at a time, until desired spreading consistency.