Today is my Dad’s Birthday and there is only one way to celebrate my dad’s birthday and that is with chocolate cake (and a large family gathering of course).

My dad’s favorite meal is dessert so sorry I didn’t go low calorie on this one. I used Ina Garten’s Chocolate Cake recipe with over 1000 positive reviews. As always I cannot leave well enough alone so I added Oreo filing inside and crushed Oreos on outside of the cake for some extra dazzle http://m.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake.html.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup coffee (cooled)
1 3/4 cup AP flour
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups of sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of Buttermilk
3 large eggs

Amazing Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
6 ounces of semi sweet chocolate chips (melted and cooled
1 egg
1 1/4 cup confectionary sugar
2 sticks of butter at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 TB instant coffee (dissolved in 2 tsp of hot water) side aside and let cool

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 9 inch round nonstick baking pans and spray with combination flour cooking spray.

You don’t want to omit this step! The cakes come out like hot butter without any difficulty.

2. Sift all dry ingredients together.

3. Sift the ingredients into bowl attached to your stand mixer and place paddle attachment and mix until well blended.

4. In a separate bowl whisk oil, milk, eggs and vanilla.

5. Start to add wet mixture to dry on low speed.

6. Now remain on low and add coffee.

The batter will be very thin.

7. Measure evenly to batter between the two pans.

I always use my scale for accurate measurements. One was 1.95 pounds and the other was 1.96, pretty close.

8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and check using a cake tester or toothpick. When tester comes out clean remove pans from oven and place on wire rack to cool.

9. Let set in Pan for 5 minutes and remove to cool completely.

10. After cooled completely I like to cover in plastic wrap and place back in clean 9 inch pans and freeze over night in pans. This is essential prior to frosting.

11. Remove from pans from freezer and start working on frosting.

12. Cream the butter for 3 minutes with paddle attachment.

13. Add one egg (use pasteurized eggs for safety), and vanilla mix for another 3 minutes on medium speed.

14. Turn mixer to low and start to add the powdered sugar in 1/4 cup increments. Once thoroughly combined add instant coffee mix and cool melted chocolate.

To melt chocolate place in microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds and stir and keep heating in 15 second increments until melted throughout.

15. Let cool before adding to creamed butter mixture.

16. Add chocolate and coffee to frosting.

17. Mix but don’t whip.

18. Uncover your cakes place flat side from pan on a cake board. Place frosting or filling of choice inside the cake. I used my trusty Oreo filling http://www.apinchofluv.com/wordpress/2013/07/04/chocolate-mini-oreo-cupcakes-with-oreo-buttercream/

19. Place the rounded side of the second cake on the frosting so that the flat side is facing up.

20. Fill gaps with remaining frosting and catch any crumbs.

20. Now your ready for the final buttercream frosting. Place a large dollop of frosting on the top if your cake.

21. Smooth frosting using a metal spatula.

22. You will think you don’t have enough frosting but you will.

23. Place 10 -12 Oreos in a food processor.

Pulse until the cookies are at the consistency you like and hand place the crumbs on the side until evenly spread.

The cake is suppose to serve at least 8 but that would be large slices !!!