Moist Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C and grease two 8-inch round pans. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Mix to combine. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer or large bowl with a whisk combine the eggs, vanilla, oil, sour cream, and milk mix until fully combined. Slowly add in the dry ingredients, mix until fully incorporated. Add in the hot coffee and mix until evenly combined. The cake batter will be very thin. Pour evenly into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean/ only moist crumbs, no wet batter. Set cakes on a wire rack to cool completely.
5. While cakes are cooling prepare chocolate frosting. When cakes are fully cooled begin frosting.

Assembly

1. Add about 1 heaping cup of frosting to the center and use an angled spatula to spread it into an even layer, bend down to eye level with the cake to make sure the frosting is in an even layer.
2. Add the second cake layer bottom side up, the bottom side of the cake is generally straighter than the top so this helps create an even top of the cake.
3. Using a straight icing spatula press and gently spread chunks of frosting on the side, about 8 times, then you can evenly spread the frosting together creating a crumb-free coat of frosting. For the top layer use the angled spatula to spread the frosting into an even layer then use the angled spatula to create swirls.