Ghirardelli Classic Chocolate Cake
Serves: 2 round 8- or 9-inch cakes
 
This will make two cakes, so you can layer them with frosting between the layers, or you can simply make two separate cakes, which is what I did since the request was specifically for a single-layer cake -- and that way, we had one at dinner and he could take home the spare :) Win-win! By the way, you can also make these as cupcakes -- just fill liners ⅔ full with batter and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Ingredients
  • For the cake:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1¾ sticks (or 14 tablespoons) softened, unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • ¾ cup boiling water
  • Rainbow sprinkles
  • For the frosting:
  • 1 10-ounce bag bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup boiling water
  • ¾ cup unsalted, softened butter
  • ¼ cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
  2. For the cake:
  3. Grease the bottoms of two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans, and line with parchment paper.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Add milk and butter and beat on medium speed for two minutes.
  6. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix until incorporated.
  7. Stir in boiling water.
  8. Divide the batter evenly between two prepared pans.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
  10. Cool on a wire rack for 10 - 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discard the parchment paper, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. For the frosting:
  12. Melt chocolate in a double boiler - that is, put in a pan and simmer that pan over another pan of gently boiling water; stir occasionally until smooth.
  13. In a separate bowl, stir together the cocoa and boiling water. Let both the chocolate and the cocoa mixture cool to room temperature.
  14. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high heat until light and fluffy.
  15. Add the chocolate on low speed and then beat in the cocoa mixture.
  16. Scatter rainbow sprinkles on top of both cakes (or the top layer if you've made a 2-layer cake) as generously as you wish!
Recipe by Food and Friendship at https://www.foodandfriendshipsantabarbara.com/2020/12/18/cooking-for-and-by-the-kids/