Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

I made this cake for a Starbucks Benefit. I remade it for my wonderful boss’s birthday. This cake is so good. It is not overly sweet and the cake is so moist and airy. I put a chocolate hazelnut ganache between the layers. For her love of chocolate.

Ingredients

2c sugar

1c (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 large eggs
1tsp  vanilla
3/4 tsp almond extract
2-1/2 c Softasilk Cake Flour
1c Dutch-processed cocoa powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
2tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt
2-1/4 cups buttermilk

Ganache

9 oz semisweet chocolate

1c heavy cream

1tbsp hazelnut syrup  

Chocolate Buttercream

1c butter
1 1/2c Hershey's Cocoa
3c powdered sugar
1/3c milk
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1tbsp Hazelnut syrup  

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans or generously spray with no-stick cooking spray with flour.

Beat sugar and butter, add vanilla and almond extract in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Mix cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; beat into creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk on medium speed. Beat 1 minute longer. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake 26 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely.

Melt chocolate on a double boiler. Add Cream and whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool to thicken. Fill between the layers.

Cream butter and sugar with the chocolate until fluffy, add remaining ingredients. Frost cake. EAT