Classic Dark Chocolate Cake | Lindt Excellence

Lindt Excellence 78% Cacao

Lindt Excellence 99% Cacao

2 cups (475 mL) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 mL) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 ¾ tsp (9 mL) baking soda
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 cup (235 mL) lightly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup (120 mL) granulated sugar
¾ cup (180 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 bars (50 g each) Lindt Excellence 99% Cacao, melted in a double boiler or microwave, and cooled
2 eggs
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (355 mL) buttermilk

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

2 cups (475 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups (355 mL) icing sugar
2 bars (100 g each) Lindt Excellence 78% Cacao, melted in a double boiler or microwave, and cooled
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter three 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, sift flour with cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugars with butter on medium-high until light and fluffy, 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low and stream in melted chocolate until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, just until combined. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture into butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with buttermilk in 2 parts. Divide batter between pans, smoothing tops.
Bake in centre of oven until a tester inserted into the centre of cakes comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack. After 10 minutes, run a knife around sides of cakes. Turn out of pans. Invert and cool on racks, about 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator, 2 more hours.
To assemble a layered cake, trim tops of cakes if needed. Place 1 cake round on a cake stand. Spread with ½ cup of the buttercream (see instructions, below). Lay another cake round on top. Repeat spreading and layering. Frost sides and top of cake.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with icing sugar on medium until combined, 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low and stream in melted chocolate until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until very light and fluffy, 5 minutes.
Beat in vanilla.