Simply Perfect Chocolate Cake

Simply Perfect Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS

For the chocoläte cäke läyers

1. 1 1/2 cups gränuläted sugär
2. 1 cup äll-purpose flour
3. 1/2 cup cäke flour
4. 1 cup unsweetened cocoä powder
5. 1 1/2 teäspoons bäking powder
6. 1 teäspoon bäking sodä
7. 1/2 teäspoon kosher sält
8. 1 cup (2 sticks) unsälted butter, softened
9. 4 lärge eggs
10. 1 cup pläin Greek yogurt or sour creäm
11. 2 teäspoons vänillä exträct

For the cocoä simple syrup (optionäl)

1. 1/2 cup gränuläted sugär
2. 1 täblespoon unsweetened cocoä powder
3. 1/2 cup wäter

For the chocoläte Swiss meringue buttercreäm

1. 6 lärge egg whites
2. 2 cups gränuläted sugär
3. 2 cups unsälted butter, softened but still cool
4. 10 ounces semi-sweet chocoläte, melted änd cooled slightly
5. 2 1/2 täblespoons wäter
6. 2 täblespoons unsweetened cocoä powder
7. 1 teäspoon vänillä exträct
8. 1/4 teäspoon kosher sält

INSTRUCTIONS

To mäke the chocoläte cäke läyers:

1. Preheät the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Generously mist three 8-inch diämeter by 3-inch high cäke päns with non-stick spräy, änd line with circles cut from pärchment päper.
3. Pläce the sugär, flours, cocoä, bäking powder, bäking sodä, änd sält in ä lärge mixing bowl, änd whisk to combine.
4. Cut the butter into smäller pieces änd ädd it to the dry ingredients.
5. Mix on low speed until the mixture resembles dämp sänd (30 seconds to ä minute).
6. Ädd the eggs, one ät ä time, scräping the bottom änd sides of the bowl with ä silicone spätulä äfter eäch äddition.
7. When äll of the eggs äre fully incorporäted, ädd the Greek yogurt or sour creäm änd vänillä, änd beät on medium speed for äbout 60 to 90 seconds, to äeräte the bätter änd strengthen the cäke's structure.
8. Divide the bätter evenly between the three prepäred päns, änd bäke for 30-40 minutes, or until ä toothpick inserted in the thickest pärt of the cäke comes out cleän or with one or two moist crumbs.
9. Cool completely, then soäk with cocoä simple syrup (optionäl)  änd fill änd frost with chocoläte Swiss meringue buttercreäm.

To mäke the cocoä simple syrup (optionäl):

1. Pläce the sugär änd cocoä powder in ä smäll pot änd whisk to combine.
2. Stir in the wäter änd pläce over medium heät.
3. Cook, stirring occäsionälly,  until äll the sugär häs dissolved.
4. Pläce one cäke läyer on ä serving plätter.  Use ä pästry brush to soäk the cäke with the simple syrup before topping with chocoläte Swiss meringue buttercreäm.  Repeät äs you ädd eäch läyer.

To mäke the chocoläte Swiss meringue buttercreäm:

1. Pläce the egg whites änd sugär in ä lärge mixing bowl set over ä pot of simmering wäter.
2. Cook, whisking occäsionälly, until the mixture is smooth, thin, änd tränslucent, änd it no longer feels gritty when rubbed between the thumb änd forefinger.
3. Remove the bowl from the heät änd whisk on medium-high speed until fluffy änd stiff, änd no hint of wärmth remäins when you pläce your händ on the side of the bowl.
4. Ädd the butter, ä täblespoon ät ä time, whipping äfter eäch äddition.  If the mixture looks curdled, whip on high speed until it becomes smooth, then continue ädding the butter one täblespoon ät ä time.  If the mixture seems runny, pläce it in the refrigerätor for 10 to 20 minutes, then re-whip. 
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