Linda’s Six-Layer Chocolate Fudge Blackout Cake

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)
Chocolate sprinkles (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat in eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat 2 minutes on medium speed. On lowest speed (to avoid spattering), beat in boiling water (batter will be thin) until well blended.

Pour into 2 greased 9-inch round layer cake pans, dividing evenly. (You can use 3 pans if you want to cut three in half instead of two in thirds to get the six layer, it is up to you.)

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 30 to 33 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out just dry. Cool in pans 15 to 20 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely.

When cool, with a long serrated knife, cut each layer in thirds horizontally. Spread a layer of ganache over the bottom layer and over the tops of 4 more cake layers and stack together on a large serving plate. Place remaining cake layer on top of cake stack. Frost top and sides of cake with Chocolate Ganache. Press chocolate sprinkles into ganache around sides of cake, if desired. Refrigerate cake until serving time. Makes 1 (9-inch) cake.

Chocolate Ganache 

Ingredients:
6 cups semisweet chocolate chips (3 (12-ounce) packages)
3 cups whipping cream
4 1/2 tablespoons butter, cut up
3 teaspoons vanilla

In a large microwave safe bowl or measure, combine chocolate chips and whipping cream.

Heat on high (100 percent) power in microwave oven 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave, stirring until chocolate is melted and mixture is well blended. Add butter and vanilla stirring until butter is melted and mixture is well blended.

Cool in refrigerator, stirring occasionally, until of good spreading consistency to spread over cake layers. Use to fill and frost top and sides of a 6-layer 9-inch cake.