Chocolate Party Cake by Zarnak Sidhwa

Ingredients for Chocolate Party Cake:

• Flour 2 cups
• Milk 1-1/2 cups
• Caster sugar 2/3 cups
• Dark brown sugar 2/3 cups
• Cocoa 1/2 cups
• Butter 3/4 cup
• Eggs 3
• Vanilla essence 2 tsp
• Baking powder 1 tsp
• Baking soda 1 tsp
• Salt 1/2 tsp

For Frosting:

• Cream cheese 8 oz
• Softened butter 1/4 cup
• Milk 3 tbsp
• Sifted icing sugar 3 cups
• Cocoa 2/3 cups
• Salt a pinch
• Vanilla essence 1-1/2 tsp
  

Method:

1. Beat butter, add dark brown sugar and caster sugar.
2. Add in eggs one a time.
3. Add in the essence and mix.
4. Fold in sieved cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Alternately, add milk.
6. Divide the butter equally between the two greased 8 inch pans and bake on the middle rack of the oven until the tops spring back when lightly touched.
7. Cool in the cake pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
8. Using a knife, loosen the cake layers from the pan sides.
9. Invert cake layers onto the wire rack to cool completely.
10. Frost the cake: Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the cake layers, if necessary.
11. Frost with fudgy cream cheese frosting on top of the layer and spread evenly.
12. Place the second layer on the first and cover the top and sides with the remaining icing.
13. To prepare frosting: Beat the cream cheese, butter and milk together until smooth.
14. Add the sugar, cocoa, vanilla essence and salt and continue to beat until blended.
15. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before using.