This cake has layers of chocolate cake, toffee bits, and mocha-flavoured whipped cream. The flavours just come together so well!

I found this cake on epicurious.com and then added my own filling. Is is the ultimate chocolate cake: it’s fudgy with a deep chocolate flavour, very moist and still fluffy.  It has been my go-to chocolate cake recipe since I found it – after much looking! Another plus is, that because it is oil-based and not butter-based, it is perfectly moist eaten straight out of the fridge and can last for days, whereas butter-based cakes are best eaten at room temperature and become firmer after a while.

Be warned, though: this recipe makes a huge quantity! It makes enough for 2 cake layers as well as 12 cupcakes – which is an advantage really, because you only do the work once but get at least 2 desserts out of it! And it freezes very well, so I find it convenient to make so much.

Ingredients for the cake layers:

3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups strong hot coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
3 eggs
3/4 vegetable oil
1 1/2 buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 9″ round pans with parchment paper and grease the sides lightly. For the rest of the batter, line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners.

Mix the chocolate with the coffee, stir until the chocolate is melted.

Sift all the dry ingredients together.

Mix all the liquid ingredients in an electric stand mixer. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Bake in the prepared pans. The cake layers will take about 25 minutes, the cupcakes 18-20 minutes. use a cake tester or toothpick to test to make sure you don’t over-bake. Let the cake layers cool in the pan before removing them.

Filling:

1/2 cup toffee bits
2 cups whipping cream
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp espresso powder
4 tbsp powdered sugar

Assembly:

Whip the cream with the cocoa, espresso powder, and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread about 1 1/2 cups of the cream over the first cake layer. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of toffee bits on top.
Cover with the second cake layer. Spread the remaining cream over the top and sides and sprinkle with some more toffee bits.