Chocolate Cake IV

I made this cake for a friend's birthday. It was much easier than it looked and was well worth the work!

Prep: 30 min., Bake: 30 min., Cool: 10 min.

INGREDIENTS:
cooking spray
shortening
1/2 (4 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
1/2 (4 ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup boiling water
Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing
Mocha-Chocolate Cream Filling

DIRECTIONS:
Coat 3 (8-inch) round cakepans with cooking spray. Line bottoms of pans with wax paper; grease wax paper with shortening, and set aside.

Melt chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth; set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in boiling water*. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake at 350° for 28 to 30 minutes** or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

* Pouring in the boiling water will make the batter very soupy - don't worry! This is normal.
** I used 9-inch round cakepans and they only baked for about 18 to 20 minutes.

ASSEMBLY:
Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread top with 4 tablespoons Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing. Spread half of Mocha-Chocolate Cream Filling evenly over ganache on cake layer. Top with second cake layer; spread top with 4 tablespoons Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing and remaining Mocha-Chocolate Cream Filling. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing on top and sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.

GARNISH:

• Chocolate curls ("Peel" chocolate bar using a standard vegetable peeler)

CREDIT: Florence Neavoll, Salem, Oregon , Southern Living, SEPTEMBER 2005