Giant Chocolate Cake with Cowboy Coffee Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 pound good-quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups hot brewed coffee
• 8 tablespoons instant espresso coffee powder
• 1/3 cup hot brewed coffee
• 2 pounds (8 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• Fresh strawberries, for garnish (optional)

1. TO MAKE THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Place 1 oven rack in the top third of the oven and the second in the bottom third.
3. Line three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper rounds, grease with butter or cooking spray, dust the pans with flour, and knock out the excess.
4. Melt the 1 cup butter and chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan with 2 inches of lightly simmering water.
5. Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted.
6. Whisk in the granulated sugar and vanilla extract.
7. In a small bowl, stir the baking soda into the sour cream.
8. Whisk the sour cream-soda mixture into the melted butter and chocolate; whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time, then whisk in the flour until thoroughly combined.
9. Add the 2 cups hot coffee and whisk until smooth.
10. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
11. (Each cake pan will have about 3 cups of batter.)
12. Set 2 filled pans on 1 oven rack and the remaining pan on the other.
13. Arrange the cake layers on the racks so that no layer is directly over another.
14. Bake until the cake is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
15. Monitor the layers carefully for doneness; each one may be done at a different time.
16. Cool the layers in their pans about 10 minutes; unmold onto wire racks to cool completely.
17. TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Dissolve the espresso powder in the 1/3 cup hot brewed coffee.
18. Set aside to cool.
19. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 2 pounds butter and powdered sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
20. Add the cooled espresso and vanilla paste and beat on medium-high speed until even lighter and fluffier than before, an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
21. TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Stack 1 cake layer on a serving plate and spread the top with about 1 cup of the frosting.
22. Repeat with the second cake layer and another 1 cup frosting.
23. Stack the final cake layer on top of the first 2 and generously cover the cakes top and sides with the remainder of the frosting.
24. Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.
25. The cake can be made up to 1 day in advance, frosted, and refrigerated.
26. Take the cake out of the refrigerator about 3 hours before serving.
27. Serve at room temperature.

unsalted butter, bittersweet chocolate, granulated sugar, vanilla, baking soda, sour cream, eggs, allpurpose, coffee, coffee powder, coffee, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, fresh strawberries

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/giant-chocolate-cake-with-cowboy-coffee-frosting-382691 (may not work)