Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

BY MATT LEWIS AND RENATO POLIAFITO for Bon Appetit

Sounds so gross right? And it started as a joke because Mike loves mayo so much. (I like it on BLTs only). Anyhow, I thought it would be funny to make him a mayonnaise birthday cake… and it was delicious! And pretty foolproof, so I use this recipe whenever I make chocolate cake.

10 to 12 Servings

Ingredients

CAKE

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups boiling water

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1 1/3 cups mayonnaise (do not use reduced-fat or fat-free)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FROSTING

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

Three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides

Directions

FOR THE CAKE

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in medium metal bowl. Add 13/4 cups boiling water and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Step 2
Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and mayonnaise in large bowl until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with chocolate mixture in 3 additions, beating until blended after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Divide batter among prepared cake pans (about 2 1/3 cups for each).

Step 3
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 20 minutes.

Step 4
Run small knife around sides of cakes to loosen. Carefully invert cakes onto racks and let cool completely.

FOR THE FROSTING

Step 5
Place chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl; set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Carefully remove bowl from over water; let melted chocolate cool until lukewarm, stirring occasionally.

Step 6
Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth and creamy. Sift powdered sugar over butter and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add melted chocolate and beat until well blended and smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.

Step 7 (see optional note below)
Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over top of cake layer to edges. Top with second cake layer; spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting decoratively over top and sides of cake. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.

Optional:
I crumbled oreo cookies (with the white stuff removed) and added them to the first layer (on top of frosting). Then I spread raspberry jam on top of the frosting between the other 2 layers. I also pressed more cookie crumbles into the sides. Then I added raspberries to the top.