--------------------------------FOR THE CAKE-------------------------------- 1 3/4 c Boiling water

6 oz Semisweet chocolate,chopped

.coarsely 1 c Unsweetened cocoa powder

2 c Sifter cake flour

2 ts Baking soda

1/4 ts Salt

10 oz Unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 c Packed dark brown sugar

4 lg Eggs

2 ts Vanilla

-------------------------FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE------------------------- 1/2 c Heavy cream

2 tb Unsalted butter

4 oz Semisweet chocolate,chopped

-finely ------------------------------FOR THE FROSTING------------------------------ 2 1/2 Sticks (1 1/4 cups) + 2 T

Unsalted butter, softened 4 1/2 c Confectioners' sugar

1 c Unsweetened cocoa powder

2 ts Vanilla

1/4 c + 2 T milk

1. MAKE THE CAKE: Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans,

and line the bottoms with circles of wax paper, then butter and flour the paper. 2. In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the chopped

chocolate. Set aside for 5 minutes. Add the cocoa and stir until the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature. 3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown

sugar and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and half the chocolate mixture. Beat on low speed to combine, and then on high for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the remaining chocolate mixture and beat on low

speed to combine. 5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes

or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the cake pans on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.Then invert the cakes onto the racks to cool completely. 6. TO MAKE THE GANACHE: In a small saucepan, bring the cream and the

butter to a simmer. Add the chocolate, cover for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Refrigerate the ganache until firm enough to spread. 7. TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer,

cream the butter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and cocoa. Beat one-third of the sugar-cocoa mixture into the butter. Mix in the vanilla. Add the rest of the sugar-cocoa mixture alternately with the milk and beat until the frosting is smooth. 8. TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Top one layer with the ganache. Add the

second layer of cake and frost the sides, and then the top. Decoratively pipe frosting around the base and top edges of the cake.