How Do You Make Old Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake?
Do not substitute semisweet chocolate chips for the chopped semisweet chocolate in the frosting-chocolate chips contain less cocoa butter than bar chocolate and will not melt as readily. For best results, don’t make the frosting until the cakes are cooled, and use the frosting as soon as it is ready. If the frosting gets too cold and stiff to spread easily, wrap the mixer bowl with a towel soaked in hot water and mix on low speed until the frosting appears creamy and smooth. Refrigerated leftover cake should sit at room temperature before serving until the frosting softens. For the cake: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch-round by 2-inch-high cake pans with softened butter; dust the pans with flour and knock out the excess. Combine the chocolate, cocoa powder, and hot water in a medium heat proof bowl; set the bowl over a saucepan containing 1 inch of simmering water and stir with a heat proof rubber spatula until the chocolat
