Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted

1-1/2 cups boiling water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon balking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened (no substitutions)

2-1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 large egg yolks, at room temperature

1-1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

2 cups unsalted butter, softened (no substitutions)

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares, melted and slightly cooled

6 ounces semisweet chocolate squares, melted and cooled

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch salt

3 ounces semisweet chocolate squares, finely chopped

1/3 cup heavy or whipping cream

1 4-ounce piece semisweet chocolate or 4 ounces semisweet chocolate squares

Directions

1. Arrange oven racks in middle and bottom third of oven. Heat oven to 350 degree F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper. Grease and flour pans.

2. Whisk cocoa and boiling water in bowl, until smooth. Cool.

3. Combine flour, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl.

4. Beat 1-1/2 cups butter in large mixer bowl at medium-high speed, until creamy. Add 2-1/4 cups sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add four eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla. Scrape side of bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in dry ingredients at low speed. Scrape side and bottom of mixer bowl with rubber spatula. Slowly beat in chocolate mixture. Increase speed to medium and beat until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Pour batter into prepared pans. Arrange 2 pans on middle rack and 1 pan in center of bottom rack. Bake 15 minutes. Switch one pan from middle rack with the pan from the bottom rack. Bake 10 minutes more, until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks, 15 minutes. Unmold; cool completely.

6. Meanwhile, for the frosting beat yolks in another large mixer bowl at medium speed, until thick and lemon-colored, 5 minutes. Combine 1-1/4 cups sugar and water in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Boil, without stirring, until syrup reaches 238 degree F on a candy thermometer, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer syrup to 2-cup glass measure. With mixer at high speed, gradually add syrup to yolks in slow steady stream along side of bowl. Beat until mixture is thick and pale yellow and bottom of mixer bowl is cool, about 5 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, beat 2 cups butter in medium bowl with wooden spoon until creamy and very smooth. With mixer at high speed, add butter by scant half-cupfuls into egg mixture and beat until smooth and creamy. Reduce speed to medium high; slowly beat in melted unsweetened chocolate and 6 ounces melted semisweet chocolate. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla and pinch of salt. Scrape side and bottom of mixer bowl with rubber spatula and beat until chocolate is well incorporated. (The frosting should be smooth and creamy.)

8. Place 1 cake layer on a flat serving plate. Spread 1 cup of frosting with metal spatula over top of layer. Repeat with remaining cake layers and 2 cups of frosting. Frost sides with 1-1/2 cups frosting, keeping sides and top as smooth as possible. Fill a large pastry bag fitted with half-inch star tip with remaining 1/2 cup frosting. Pipe a decorative border around top of cake.

9. For the ganache topping, place 3 ounces finely chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Bring cream to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat; immediately pour over chocolate. Let stand 3 minutes; stir until mixture is smooth. Let stand 8 to 10 minutes more, just until ganache begins to thicken. Carefully pour ganache over center of top of cake, and quickly smooth over top with small metal spatula just to the decorative border. Let stand 15 minutes, until set.

10. Make chocolate shavings: Meanwhile, rub 4-ounce piece of chocolate with palm of hands to warm slightly. (This will make it easier to make shavings.) Using a swivel-blade vegetable peeler, peel chocolate toward you to form shavings. (If using semisweet chocolate squares, grate on the large holes of a standing grater set over a piece of waxed paper.) Transfer shavings to a large plate. Continue making shavings until there are enough to cover side of cake. Very gently press shavings onto side of cake. (Can be made ahead. Cover cake with a large bowl and refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.) Makes 20 servings.