Ina Garten's Chocolate Frosting

Happy Birthday to the one I love!

So today's my sweet

husband's birthday and once again, I made the Hershey's chocolate cake. I have to say it is the best chocolate cake we've ever tried! But there's not a whole lot of room for creative expression here....... for variation. But it's the cake he loves and it's a joy to make this for him! So, to change it up a bit, I made a double recipe and turned it into a 5 layer! Whew! 'Still standing, thanks to Ina Garten's frosting recipe. It's very simple, really, more butter than the Hershey's recipe, but light and creamy. I went really thin on the layers. It is good! So, Happy Birthday from all of us, my love!

I made this exactly as directed except I did not include the egg yolk. One recipe will cover a 9-inch two-layer cake.

• 6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
• 
  
• Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.