The Marco (chocolate on chocolate with bacon)

Chocolate Cake

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil or apple sauce

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

4 cups light brown sugar lightly packed

6 large eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cup buttermilk

1 cup coffee (optional- gives the chocolate a richer flavor. I don’t use this)

Chocolate Buttercream

1 and 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3–5 Tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

optional for decoration: semi-sweet chocolate chips

Candied Bacon

16 strips bacon

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Chocolate Cake

Preheat oven to 350° Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together vegetable oil or apple sauce, butter, and brown sugar until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the brown sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. Pour in all of the buttermilk and mix until evenly combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. If adding coffee, add and mix until smooth.

Pour half of the batter into each of the prepared pans.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Candied Bacon

Preheat your oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place the brown sugar and cayenne pepper in a shallow bowl or on a plate and stir together.

Dredge the bacon strips in the brown sugar mixture so they are well coated and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 7 minutes, flip and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

Crumble or chop bacon. Reserve 1/3 of the bacon.

Make the buttercream:

Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy—about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Do not over-whip. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or 1-2 more Tablespoons of cream if frosting is too thick. Taste. Add another pinch of salt if desired.

Portion about 2 cups of the buttercream into a separate bowl and mix in the other 2/3 of the chopped candied bacon.

Level out the tops of each cake, and then cut each layer in half horizontally so there are 4 even layers. Place one bottom half cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Portion 1/3 of the bacon chocolate buttercream onto the layer and spread evenly out to the edges. Add a layer of cake, 1/3 of the bacon buttercream, and spread the frosting. Repeat once more. Place the last cake layer on top, bottom side up to give the cake a nice clean edge on top.

Place 1/3 of the remaining chocolate buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Set aside.

Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining chocolate buttercream so the cake is evenly coated on the sides and top.

Sprinkle the reserved bacon on top of the cake, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge.

Use the piping bag to make a border or rosettes around the outer edge of the cake top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

#chocolatecake #bacon #doublechocolate #chocolateonchocolate #cake #birthday #cocolatelayercake