Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 T. white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup boiling water
Instructions
Grease the bottom and sides of four 8 inch cake pans. Use parchment paper! I'm not always a stickler for this, but this cake is so moist it will just fall apart and stick to the pan. Trust me. use the parchment paper.
Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.
Add eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.
Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture. Mix well.
Pour into four 8 inch cakes pans and bake at 300 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. I baked the cakes in two batches, two at a time, with about 1 1/2 cups of batter per pan.
Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
Nutella Icing
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup Nutella hazelnut spread
4-5 cups powdered sugar
3-4 T. milk or water
Instructions
Make icing while cakes cool. Beat together butter and shortening until smooth.
Add Nutella and mix until smooth.
Slowly add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Add 2-3 tbsp of milk or water and mix until smooth.
Add fifth cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Add more water or milk until the right consistency.
Assembly
Once cakes are cool, remove cake domes from top with a large serrated knife or cake leveler.
Place first layer of cake on cake plate. Pipe an even layer of icing onto cake.
Add second layer of cake and pipe another even layer of icing on top.
Add third layer of cake on top and pipe another even layer of icing on top.
Top icing with fourth layer of cake.
Chocolate Ganache
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Place chocolate chips in a metal bowl.
Bring heavy cream to a light boil and pour over chocolate chips.
Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes.
Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.
Allow to sit for a few minutes until it just starts to thicken, then pour over the top of the cake.
Once chocolate ganache has firmed up, top with remaining icing and sprinkles, if desired.
Original recipe can be found at: http://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2014/11/12/nutella-chocolate-cake/#UXTecyRKhzAVuEY2.99
