Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour
- 2 1/2 tsps. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 egg whites
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (you can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 T. white vinegar to regular milk)
- 1 bag (12 ounces) mini chocolate chips
- 1 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- Chocolate curls to garnish (optional)
Directions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat two 8 x 2-inch straight-sided round cake pans with nonstick spray; line bottom of pan with waxed paper. Coat waxed paper with spray. Set aside until batter is ready.
- Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- With mixer on medium speed, beat butter and granulated sugar in bowl until light. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition.
- Stir in 2/3 cup of the mini chips. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Spread level.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 37 to 39 minutes, or until cakes spring back when pressed. Cool in pans on a rack for 15 minutes. Invert cakes; remove pans and paper. Turn right side up; cool completely.
- Place remaining chips (1-1/3 cups) in a glass bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30 seconds and stir. Heat 45 seconds more; stir until smooth. Set aside. In large bowl, beat together confectioners' sugar and heavy cream until blended, 1 minute. Beat in half of the melted chocolate, then remainder. Beat 1 minute, until shiny, smooth and good spreading consistency, scraping down bowl halfway through.
- Place one cake layer on a pedestal or platter. Spread with 2/3 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer. Spread side and top of cake with remaining frosting (if frosting becomes stiff, use warm spatula to spread). Garnish with chocolate curls.
NOTE: I always use parchment in my cake pans and for all other baking items. You never have the problem of sticking when using parchment. It's become a part of my pantry items. I never bake without parchment paper.