Sweet Tooth Sunday-Triple Layer Brownie Cake

Today was a very special day for us for two reasons. First, it was the Niners playoff game (Bartek is a hugeeee Niners fan). And second, and more importantly, we celebrated my Dad's 59th birthday! Everyone came over to our apartment to celebrate, watch football and indulge in lots and lots of junk food. The most sinful of all food was this Triple Layer Brownie Cake. I made it from scratch using a recipe from The Taste of Home Baking Book. I think we all could agree, it was the most chocolatey cake any of us ever had. It came out sooooo delicious!

Triple Layer Brownie Cake (Recipe from Taste of Home Baking Book)

Ingredients:

FROSTING:

2 boxes (8 oz each) of semisweet Baker's chocolate

3 cups (1.5 pints) of heavy cream

2 Hershey Bars (1.55 oz each)

CAKE:

1 1/2 c. butter (3 sticks)

6 squares (1 oz each) of unsweetened Baker's chocolate

3 c. sugar

5 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. flour

3/4 tsp. salt

Strawberries (optional)

Make the frosting ahead to allow it time to chill. Melt semisweet chocolate in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Gradually stir in cream until well blended. Heat to a gentle boil and stir for 1 minute. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until the mixture is pudding-like in consistency. 

While the frosting is chilling, make the cakes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and unsweetened chocolate (I did this in 30 second intervals so it wouldn't burn).

Stir until smooth. Stir in sugar. Transer to a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour and salt. Stir this into the chocolate mixture.

Pour the batter into three greased and floured 9-in round baking pans. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. 

Once the cakes have cooled and the frosting has reached a pudding-like consistency, take the frosting out of the refrigerator and beat until soft peaks form. Spread between layers and on the top and sides of the cake. Using a peeler (or grater), grate the Hershey candy bars over the top of the cake. Garnish with strawberries. Store in the refrigerator. 

Enjoy with a HUGE glass of milk! You'll need it!