Double Layer Chocolate Cake with Red Wine Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

What you need:

For the Devil's Food Chocolate Cake (Sally's Baking Addiction)

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee

For the red wine chocolate sauce (adapted from Live.Love.Lux)

*Make while the cake is baking and allow to cool as the cake cools!

• 1 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips or melting wafers

For the Red Wine Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (Fantastical Original)

• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup red wine chocolate sauce (recipe above)*

Directions:

For the cake:

1. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a stand mixer, mix buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gradually, mixing on low.
3. Add coffee and mix until combined. Your batter will look very thin and that is a-okay!
4. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and nonstick cooking spray. Divide batter between the two pans as evenly as possible.
5. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 23 to 27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool before frosting.

For the red wine chocolate sauce:

1. Mix wine, sugar, salt, and cinnamon stick into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Place dark chocolate into a bowl. Remove cinnamon stick from wine mixture and then pour over the dark chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes and then whisk until smooth. Let it cool to room temperature.

For the frosting:

1. Beat together butter and shortening for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
2. Add 1/4 cup prepared red wine chocolate sauce and mix.
3. Then add powdered sugar. Add 1 cup at a time, slowly, until you get the consistency you want.
4. You can add more red wine chocolate sauce and just add enough powdered sugar so that it isn't "wet".

To assemble:

1. Place one layer of the cake on a plate or cake stand and trim the top, so that it's flat. Top with frosting. Then top with the second layer and spread frosting on top and sides of the entire cake.
2. You can decorate as you wish. I made some red wine chocolate bon bons to sit on top of the cake - I'll have to post that recipe soon.