Ingredients

  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (see note below)
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 6 Tablespoons butter, cut up
  • 1 (12oz) package semisweet chocolate pieces
  • 1 teaspoon freshly brewed hot coffee

Other Toppings

  • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted
  • 1/2 cup purchased caramel ice cream topping*

Directions

  1. Grease three 9” cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, and grease the paper. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together egg, buttermilk and oil; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, beating with an electric mixer until combined. Gradually beat in hot coffee.
  4. Pour batter into prepared pans. (Layers will appear shallow.)
  5. Bake in a 350°F oven for 22 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
  6. Cool cakes on a wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pans, then invert cakes on racks. Remove cakes from pans. Peel off paper; cool thoroughly.
  7. When the cakes are cool, make the chocolate frosting. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and milk. Add cut up butter. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add semisweet chocolate pieces. Using a wire whisk, mix until smooth. If frosting is too thick or grainy, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly brewed hot coffee. If necessary, let stand several minutes before using.
  8. To frost/prepare, place 1 cake layer, top-side down, onto a serving plate with a lip. Using an icing spatula or wide knife, work quickly to frost the top of this layer with one-third of the frosting. Arrange one-third of the pecans on top and drizzle with some of the ice cream topping. Top with the second layer, top-side down. Repeat with frosting, pecans and caramel topping. Top with the third layer, right side up. Repeat with remaining frosting, pecans and caramel topping.
  9. Chill cake 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Source

Midwest Living