Chocolate Layer Cake

I made this chocolate layer cake with chocolate fudge frosting on Saturday for my cooking club, our theme for the night was Comfort Food.

Here's the link for the cake:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/chocolate-layer-cake-recipe/index.html

Frosting:

(This is from Joy of Cooking.  I doubled the recipe and had enough for the 3 layer cake + a little extra.)

• 2C sugar
• 1/4C light corn syrup
• 1/2C half-and-half, plus extra
• 1/2C heavy cream
• 1/8t salt
• 6oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2T unsalted butter, softened at room temp
• 1t vanilla extract

Combine 1st 5 ingredients (sugar through salt) in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.  Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water (this is necessary to prevent crystals from forming on the sides of the pan which will get into the frosting and ruin the texture) and remove from the heat.  Stir in chocolate until melted and completely smooth.  (Mine didn't melt so I put it back over low heat.)

Brush down the sides of the pan again, set pan over medium heat, place a warmed candy thermometer in the pan, and cook the mixture, without stirring, until it reaches 238F, the soft-ball stage.  (A limp, sticky ball that flattens between your fingers.)  Remove from the heat.

Here's what the chocolate looks like as it's boiling, which took quite a while:

Add but do not stir in butter and vanilla.  (Stirring could cause graininess.)  Cool chocolate mixture to 110F (put some cold water in your sink, then put the pan in the sink to sit).  

Transfer the cooled fudge to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on low speed until it begins to thicken and loose its sheen, 5-10 minutes.  Watch carefully, or it may thicken too much and become unworkable.  Once fudge begins to thicken, beat in 1T half-and-half just until blended. Let stand for a few minutes before checking consistency.  If necessary, stir in more half-and-half, 1t at a time, until the perfect spreading consistency is obtained.  (I needed to add quite a lot of half-and-half, maybe 1/4C.)  Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap.  This will keep for about 1 week at room temp, 3 weeks refrigerated, or frozen for up to 6 months.  Soften before using.

We ate half of it, and I brought the rest home to Corey and his poker group.