Happy National Chocolate Cake Day!

Two delicious food holidays this week, how lucky are we?! National Chocolate Cake day,  is a glorious excuse to indulge with a slice of rich chocolate-y cake. I admit, my favorite chocolate cake can be found at your local Costco store...you know the big rectangular ones decorated with roses or a football. Sure it's not fancy, but it is so so tasty!

Last year, we celebrated by baking a yummy chocolate cake you can find here. Today, we're gonna try our hand at the four-tier chocolate cake below!

Four-Tier Chocolate Layer Cake
courtesy of Donna Hay Magazine

source: donna hay magazine

Ingredients

• ½ cup (125ml ) water
• 60g butter, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
• 1 cup (150g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of (baking) soda, sifted
• 1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup (60ml) buttermilk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

chocolate cream cheese frosting

• 50g butter, softened
• 250g cream cheese
• 1 cup (160g) icing (confectioner's) sugar mixture, sifted
• ¼ cup cocoa, sifted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F).
2. Place the water, butter and cocoa in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted. Place the flour, bicarbonate of soda and sugar in a bowl, add the cocoa mixture and whisk to combine. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk to combine.
3. Divide mixture between 2 lightly greased 12cm round cake tins lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

While the cake is baking, make the cream cheese frosting.

1. Place the butter and cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 6–8 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar and cocoa and beat for a further 6–8 minutes or until light and fluffy.
2. To assemble, slice the cakes in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a plate and spread with one quarter of the frosting. Repeat with remaining layers and frosting. Decorate as desired.

Are you heading out right now to get a piece of chocolate cake? 'Cause you should be!