Emeril's Chocolate Cocoa-Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate Icing

Emeril Lagasse's Anniversary Chocolate Cake

From the kitchen of Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 cups plus

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons brewed espresso (or strong coffee), cooled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

Chocolate Icing, recipe follows

Icing

1 pound confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

6 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons brewed espresso or strong coffee, cooled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans with 2 tablespoons of the butter and lightly flour with 2 tablespoons of the flour, knocking out the excess flour.

Sift the remaining 2 cups flour, the cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, coffee, and vanilla.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining 12 tablespoons butter and the sugar, beating about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternating, add the wet and dry ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined, being careful not to overwork.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until the cake is just set and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Set one cake on a cake plate or platter and top with about one-third of the icing, spreading evenly out to the edges. Top with the second cake and frost the top and sides with the remaining icing. Serve.

Icing

Sift the sugar and cocoa into a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and blend with a hand-held mixer on low speed until smooth and creamy. Use to frost the cake. Makes one 9-inch cake, 10 to 12 servings.