2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (hershey’s won’t be strong enough…get a very high quality cocoa)

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg 
 
Helps to use a stand mixer for this….

Make cakes:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.

Spoon  batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered ( I used silpat) large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely. This made 16 mini cakes (top and bottom)

For frosting

2 large egg whites (I substituted meringue powder)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

If you are using Meringue Powder follow these directions….

On high speed of a stand mixer that has a whisk attachment—combine all ingredients in the bowl and beat on high for 7 minutes.

Combine frosting ingredients with a pinch of salt in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until frosting is thick and fluffy, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until slightly cooled. To make cake spread a generous amount of frosting on a cake and top with another. YUMMO!

Recipe was adapted from Epicurious

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