Recipe: 40th Birthday Coffee-infused chocolate cake

TASTE 40TH BIRTHDAY COFFEE-INFUSED CHOCOLATE CAKE

Serves 10 to 12.

Note: From Laurie Pyle of Cocoa & Fig in Shakopee. This unusually moist egg- and butter-free cake is a modification of a Depression-era recipe called Crazy Cake that Pyle often baked with her grandmother. For a very smooth icing, Pyle usually combines the American-style Mocha Buttercream icing printed here with an Italian Meringue-style Mocha Buttercream Icing (available online at startribune.com/taste).

• Butter or cooking spray for pans

• 4 c. flour, plus extra for pans

• 2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2/3 c. granulated sugar

• 11/2 tsp. salt

• 23/4 tsp. baking soda

• 1 c. canola oil

• 2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. white distilled vinegar

• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Directions

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter or spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Dust pans with flour, tapping out excess.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer on low speed, combine flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt and baking soda.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, vanilla extract and cooled coffee.

On low speed, add coffee mixture to flour mixture in three parts, stopping after each addition to scrape down bowl and mixing until batter is blended.

Cake may be frosted at this point, or wrap cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for up to 2 days. Ice with American-style Mocha Buttercream Icing (see recipe).

To assemble cake: Using a serrated knife, trim rounded cake tops to flat layers. Place one cooled cake layer, top-side down, on cake plate. Spread about 1 cup of buttercream icing onto base layer. Using an offset spatula, spread buttercream onto cake in an even layer. Repeat with remaining cake layers. Frost sides with remaining buttercream icing and decorate as desired.

AMERICAN-STYLE MOCHA BUTTERCREAM ICING

Enough for one 3-layer cake.

• 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 3 tbsp. instant espresso powder

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2 c. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Directions

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until soft and creamy.