Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 3 c. cake flour
• 2 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. + 2 tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
• 1 1/3 c. vegetable oil or canola oil
• 1 c. buttermilk (substitute with milk or heavy cream)
• 1 c. boiling water
• 1 c. sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla

FOR THE FROSTING

• 2 c. milk chocolate chips + 1 tbsp. shortening
• 2 1/2 stick of butter
• 3 c. of powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 c. of Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
• 1 c. of light corn syrup
• 2 tsp. of vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

For the cake

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with whisk attachment-- combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and cocoa powder and stir on low speed until well blended.
2. Then add vegetable oil and buttermilk- mixing for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add in boiling water and mix until batter becomes thin.
3. Add in sour cream followed by eggs, one at a time--whisking until just incorporated.
4. Finally add in vanilla. Divide among pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to completely cool before frosting- other the heat will melt the frosting.

For the frosting

1. Melt chocolate chips along with shortening, in the microwave--stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted (you can also use chocolate melts if you do not have chocolate chips).
2. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter, powdered sugar and cocoa and process until smooth- do not over-mix the butter as, the frosting will become too runny.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add corn syrup and vanilla until creamy.
4. Once the corn syrup is added, the frosting should become glossy.
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and add melted chocolate chips-- stirring, very briefly, until smooth.
6. Add heaping amount of frosting to the top and sides of the cake. Using a spatula, completely cover the cake with frosting. The using a small spoon, create whipping-up like motions to create swirls.