Chocolate Velvet Cake

Chocolate cake is a classic dessert, especially when topped with a creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. We made this cake for our Dad because he isn't easy to please when it comes to desserts but he always loves a good chocolate cake. We love frostings with marshmellow cream because they are not overly sweet and are extremely light and fluffy.

Ingredients for the Cake: 1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Ingredients for Buttercream Frosting: 2 sticks butter, room temperature
15 ounces marshmallow cream
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. 2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Beat in vanilla. 3. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape bowl as needed.
4. Pour batter into pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before inverting cakes onto rack to cool completely. 5. Make the buttercream: In mixing bowl, beat butter and marshmallow cream until fluffy. Beat in cocoa, chocolate, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water. If too thin, refrigerate about 5 minutes. 6. Place one layer on platter. Spread top with 1 cup buttercream. Place second layer on top. Frost entire cake with remaining buttercream.