Espresso Chocolate Cake for a 25th Anniversary

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I haven't baked a cake in over four months, so I took advantage of the occasion of my parents' 25th anniversary to put my ideas to work! If you know anything about me, I'm not a fan of chocolate cake (sadly) or chocolate ice cream, while my mom loves everything chocolate. This cake took 4 hours from start to finish (also because I only had one 6-inch cake pan. Here it goes.

Ingredients

Cake:

1. 2 cups self-rising flour

2. 1/2 cup cocoa powder

3. 1 tsp baking soda

4. 1 tsp baking powder

5. 1 tsp salt

6. 1/2 cup butter

7. 1 tbsp instant espresso powder

8. 1 cup sugar

9. 1 tsp vanilla

10. 2 eggs

11. 2/3 cups milk

Buttercream Frosting:

1. 1/2 cup butter

2. 2 cups powdered sugar

3. 2 tbsp milk

4. 1 tsp vanilla

Ganache:

1. 1/2 cup heavy cream

2. 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

3. 1 tsp butter

Filling:

1. 1/2 cup heavy cream

2. 1 tsp maple syrup

3. 1 tsp instant espresso powder

INSTRUCTIONS

Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray cooking oil on 6-inch cake pans. (Use 2 to make your life easier)
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together butter, sugar, espresso powder, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. 
3. On low-speed alternate adding dry flour mixture and milk. Mix on low until batter looks even and of a proper, thick texture. 
4. Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Level batter. 
5. Bake for 40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. 
6. Allow cake to cool in pan for 5 minutes before unmolding. Allow cakes to cool to room temperature.

Ganache

You first warm up 1 cup heavy cream, then put it in another bowl. Melt 1 1/2 cup chocolate and pour it in the heavy cream, mix. Add a tbsp of butter so the ganache looks shiny. Wait for it to cool and then put it in a ziplock bag. Cut the tip slightly and drizzle along the edge of the cake. 

Filling

Mix heavy cream, syrup, and espresso powder together until a fluffy consistency is achieved. 

Buttercream frosting

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix together butter and sugar, then add milk and vanilla until a thick consistency is achieved. 

Wait until cake is cooled to room temperature to add the filling, then frost the cake. Add the ganache drizzle at the end. Garnish with strawberries, and enjoy!