Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granualted white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup ground walnuts, measure them after grinding
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • a few Tablespoons buttermilk, as needed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ground walnuts for garnish

Instruction

  • Set oven to 350F
  • Butter and flour a 9-inch spring form pan.
  • Melt the chocolate on the defrost setting, or 50% power of your microwave. (Or over a bowl of simmering water)
  • Mix the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda into a small bowl along with the ground walnuts.
  • Cream the butter using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Add both sugars and beat until fluffy.
  • Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
  • Beat in vanilla, then melted chocolate.
  • Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions each, beating just until blended after each addition.
  • Spread the batter into the pan and bake until a tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack.
  • For the icing, melt the chocolate as above and set aside. In a large bowl cream the butter and add in the sugar and cocoa powder, beating until smooth. Beat in 2 tablespoons of buttermilk and the vanilla. Beat in the melted chocolate. Thin with buttermilk if it's too stiff to spread nicely. This makes enough frosting to cover the cake with a thick layer, but I like it just on top.