From Bonnie Lovejoy, Chicago
Makes 12 servings
Cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus some to grease the cake pans
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups Coca-Cola, at room temperature
Frosting:
9 ounces Baker's white chocolate squares
6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, slightly softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional garnish)
1. Prepare cake: Grease three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with wax paper circles, then grease the wax paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
3. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.
4. In a small bowl, stir together buttermilk and Coke.
5. With mixer at medium speed, add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with the liquid ingredients, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and blending well after each addition. Continue beating for 2 minutes.
6. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out mostly clean, about 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Remove from oven. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks and cool completely.
8. Make frosting: Unwrap chocolate squares and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Add cream. Microwave on high (100 percent) power until softened, about 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Remove from oven and stir until completely smooth. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
9. With an electric mixer at high speed, beat in butter and confectioners' sugar until fluffy and spreadable. If mixture seems too soft, refrigerate a few minutes until desired consistency is reached.
10. Assemble cake: Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread with a thin layer of frosting. Repeat with remaining layers, stacking them atop one another, then frost the outside and top of cake. If desired, place cocoa powder in a small strainer and hold above cake. Gently tapping the side of the strainer, dust top of cake with cocoa.