I looked through the recipes here and didn't find exactly what I'm looking for...at least I don't think I did. I saw the "chocolate cake" thread, but wasn't sure which of those would work best for what I want to try to do.

I want to make my dad a chocolate cake (the chocolatier the better for him!), ice with buttercream frosting and cover in chocolate mmf (which I've never used before, so it'll be new to me!)

I wondered if anyone has a cake that rises really well (or that makes enough batter that I could bake it in two of the really tall 8" pans and tort).

I'm new to decorating, so any direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

The chocolatiest chocolate cake I've ever made was made using a chocolate cake mix (prep according to directions but replace water with milk), 1 Cup sourcream, 1 box of chocolate pudding and 1 Cup of chocolate chips. Bake at 325 for about an hour. It was almost too much chocolate for my tastes but a chocoholic would love it. It rises fine but is very dense. You would need to double the recipe to do 2 deep 8" cakes and you might have a little batter left over.

There is a good scratch cake recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa container!

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake
2 c. sugar
1-3/4c. All purpose flour
3/4 c. Hershey's Cocoa (powder)
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water

Preheat oven to 350*

Grease & flour two 9" round pans. Combie dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin) Pour into pans and bake 30-35minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting

Cali4dawn has a recipe for "Chocolate Explosion Cake" and it would fit perfectly for what you want to do.
If you PM her she would be more than willing to share.

Edit note:
Oops , found it in this forum

There's also a buttermilk devil food cake recipe from the cake mix docter that is really good. I just made one last night.

Buttermilk Devil's Food Cake (Cake Mix Doctor book)
1 box of devil's food cake mix
3 tablespoons of coco powder
1 1/3 buttermilk
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

This is really good. I've gotten several compliments about this cake on more than one occasion.

OK, I'm undedecided between Cali4Dawn's chocolate cake and the buttermilk one...I'd have to buy less stuff for the buttermilk one, so I may try it this time.

With chocolate buttercream and ganache.

Yum.

The buttermilk devil's food cake definitely has the taste of cakelike brownie taste. At least in my opinion.

If you want it very chewy you can add a box of cholocate instant pudding to an already pudding cake mix.

I did this earlier this week for a 3D cake and my family said it was very chewy.

I agree with MrsMissy, the recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa is the best chocolate cake in my opinion.....I make it all the time, as a matter of fact, made it today for a customer. It is wonderfully chocolatety....a true chocoholic will love it!!

AngelWendy

Thanks for catching that! The recipe calls for 3 eggs. I apologize for leaving this out.

I buy my buttermilk from the grocery store. Same section as milk, creamers, heavy cream, etc.

In the recipe for Chocolate Explosion Cake, does the 1/3 cup melted butter replace the oil you usually add to cake mix? Just want to check because I'm going to make this one soon as a possibility for my wedding cake mix. Thanks!!!

AngelWendy