🍫🍰 Chocolate Cake With Cream S…

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, ensuring the pans are well-coated to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal of the cakes later.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This dry mix will form the base of the cake, providing both structure and flavor.
3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract together until well combined. The buttermilk adds a slight tanginess that helps balance the sweetness of the cake and ensures the texture is moist and tender.
4. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a spatula or an electric mixer on low speed. Mix until just combined—do not overmix, as this can make the cake dense.
5. Once the batter is smooth and fully combined, carefully pour in the boiling water. The batter will be thin, but this is normal and helps create a very moist cake. Stir until fully incorporated.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Be careful not to overbake; the cake should remain soft and springy to the touch.
7. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling the cakes completely before frosting is essential to prevent the cream filling from melting.
8. While the cakes cool, prepare the cream filling. In a chilled mixing bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, which should take about 3-5 minutes.
9. If you are using mascarpone cheese, add it to the whipped cream mixture at this point and continue beating until stiff peaks form. The mascarpone cheese gives the cream an extra richness and smoothness that pairs beautifully with the chocolate cake.
10. Once the cakes are completely cooled, place one layer of cake on your serving platter. Spread an even layer of cream filling on top of the first cake layer, using a spatula to smooth it out to the edges.
11. Place the second layer of cake on top of the cream filling, pressing down gently to secure it. You can frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream filling, or you can opt to leave the sides exposed for a more rustic look.
12. To finish, you can garnish the top of the cake with chocolate shavings, cocoa powder, or even some fresh berries for added color and flavor. Slice and serve!
    

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