Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour – 2 cups + 2 tbsps
2. Cocoa powder – 1/4 cup + 2 tsps
3. Baking soda – 1/2 tsp
4. Salt – 1/4 tsp
5. Castor sugar – 2 1/2 cups
6. Dark Chocolate – 100 gms, grated or cut into small pieces
7. Milk chocolate – 100 gms, grated or cut into small pieces
8. Butter – 1 cup + 2 tbsps, softened and at room temp
9. Instant Coffee powder – 1 tbsp mixed in 3/4 cup of hot water
10. Eggs – 4
11. Vegetable oil – 2 tbsps
12. Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
13. Buttermilk – 1/2 cup
14. Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
15. Butter – 1/4 cup, softened and room temp
16. Cocoa powder – 1/3 cup
17. Powdered sugar – 1 1/2 cups
18. Milk – 2 1/4 tbsps
19. Vanilla essence – 1/2 tsp

Steps of Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Grease three 6″ round cake pans or two 9″ round pans and line with parchment paper, extending the paper at least an inch above the top rim of the pan.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter over double boiler. Add the coffee mixture and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt over a large bowl.
4. Add the castor sugar to the bowl and mix/whisk the ingredients together until well combined.
5. In another bowl, beat the eggs till light. Add vegetable oil, vanilla and buttermilk and whisk well until well combined.
6. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until well combined.
7. Add the cooled melted chocolate mixture to the egg and flour mixture in three batches, mixing until combined after each addition.
8. Divide the cake batter equally into the three prepared pans.
9. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Check from 55 mts onwards. Insert a tooth pick or knife into the center of the cake to test whether it is cooked. If the knife comes out clean the cake is ready. Remove cake from oven, cover with a kitchen towel and allow to cool in the pan.
10. When the cake has cooled to room temperature, remove from the pan.
11. Prepare the chocolate frosting. Mix butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract and beat with an electric mixer till creamy. Start on low speed and beat on medium high speed for 4 mts.
12. Spread the frosting over cake using a palette knife and give it a swirl.
13. Slice and serve.