Chocolate Blackout Cake

Dark, chocolaty cake crumbs covering three layers of dark,
moist cake and smooth, rich filling earn
this superb cake the name "blackout."

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Icing
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups whipping cream
6 oz unsweetened chocolate , chopped
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla

*Grease two 8-inch round metal cake pans; set aside.
*In saucepan, bring sugar and water to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Place
chocolate and butter in large bowl, whisk in sugar mixture until melted and smooth.
Stir in vanilla. Let cool slightly. Beat in eggs.
*In seperate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to
chocolate mixture all at once. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Divide between prepared pans. Bake in centre of 350F oven for about 35 minutes or until
tops spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pans on racks for 30 minutes.
Remove from pans; let cool completely on racks.
*Icing: in saucepan, heat sugar with cream until boiling. Removing from heat; whisk
in chocolate, butter and vanilla until melted and smooth. Transfer to bowl; refrigerate for 2 hours or until cold. Using electric mixer, beat for about
5 minutes or until thick and glossy.
*Slice each cake in half horizontally; set 1 layer aside. Place 1 layer on cake plate.
slide strips of waxed pater between cake and plate. Spread top with heaping cupful of the icing; level icing. Top with third layer of cake; spread top and sides with remaining icing. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
*Crumble remaining cake layer into crumbs; sprinkle over top and press small handfuls onto side of cake, pressing lightly to adhere. Remove paper strips. Serve at room
temperature.
**I have made this cake recipe, but the only difference I made to it, was pour the cake batter into a bundlt pan, and no icing, and it turned out perfect. Chance it to your taste, icing or no icing. Enjoy >'.'<