Chocolate Cake with Mocha Icing

CAKE:
2 2/3 cups cake flour -- sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/8 pound unsalted butter -- (1 1/2 sticks) softened
3 whole eggs
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate -- melted and cooled to lukewarm (110F)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

GLAZE:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

MOCHA ICING

3/4 pound unsalted butter -- (3 sticks) room temperature
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (1 1/2 pounds)
1/3 cup heavy cream -- up to 1/2 cup
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder or crystals
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cake: Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in medium bowl, set aside. Place brown sugar in large bowl of electric mixer; beat on high about 10 seconds to break up sugar. Add butter, beat until mixture is consistency of wet sand, about 1 min.

Beat in the eggs one at time until well blended, about 10 seconds each time. Add corn syrup and vanilla, beat until smooth, about 5 seconds Beat in the cooled chocolate until well blended and smooth about 3 - 5 minutes., scraping bowl sides well.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with flour and beating after each addition just until smooth. Pour equal amounts of the batter into three 8" round greased and lightly floured cake pans (1 1/2" deep).

Bake at 350 until centers spring back when lightly pressed, about 35 - 40 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans to a wire rack and glaze while still hot. Cool thoroughly. Spread generously with icing between layers and on top and sides.

Glaze: In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. With a pastry brush, brush hot glaze over the surface and a little on the sides of each cake layer, using all the glaze.

Makes about 1 cup glaze.

Mocha Icing: Cream butter in large bowl of electric mixer on high speed until very creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine 1/3 c of the cream and the remaining ingredients, stirring until thoroughly dissolved. Add cream mixture to the butter mixture. Beat until well blended and sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes., scraping bowl well. Thin with a little more cream if desired.

Makes enough frosting for one 3-layer cake.

AUTHOR: Charl