Black Magic Cake

Black Magic Cake is a classic American cake recipe from Hershey's cocoa.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Black Magic

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Servings

Author Anna

Cost 5

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour stir very well before measuring (220 grams)
2 cups granulated sugar (390 grams)
¾ cup unsweetened baking cocoa or Dutch processed (see note about using black cocoa)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil (90 to 100 grams)
1 cup buttermilk (114 grams)
1 cup hot brewed coffee (228 grams)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

12 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened (170 grams)
4 ½ cups confectioners' sugar, sift before using or whisk well (you can use less)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons natural style cocoa powder (90 grams)
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of buttermilk or sour cream
6 to 8 tablespoons of half and half or a mixture of cream and whole milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans and line with circles of wax paper or parchment. Grease again and dust with flour.
In a large mixing bowl bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Make a well in the center and add eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla. With a heavy duty scraper, stir mixture, scraping up dry mixture from the bottom to ensure that it is incorporated. Add the hot coffee and stir until thick and well blended. With an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds or until well blended.
Divide evenly between 2 cake pans and bake on center rack for 35 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched. Allow the cakes to cool on a rack for about 15 minutes, then carefully invert and let cool completely.
To make the frosting, combine the softened butter, half of the sugar and the cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl. Stir until mixed, it will be thick and pasty. Stir in the vanilla and about half the buttermilk, the continue adding sugar gradually, alternating with remaining buttermilk, and beating until smooth and creamy. You can stop at 3 ½ cups of sugar total or use it all.
Level the cake if you need to (though this one bakes up fairly evenly), then spread cakes with frosting and stack.

For an extra dark cake, take out about 2 tablespoons of whatever Dutch process cocoa you are using and add 2 tablespoons of the black cocoa powder.