chocolate cake & buttercream frosting = cake pops

i love this chocolate cake, and butter cream frosting. the buttermilk in the cake makes it moist and tender and the oil creates this delicious crust & really doesn't need the frosting. 

BEATTY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

source: 2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home

INGREDIENTS

Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder (i used hershey's special dark )
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE FROSTING

source: Hershey's Kitchen

INGREDIENTS 

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup cocoa (i used hershey's special dark )

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk (i used cacique mexican crema until it was the correct consistancy)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS 

Melt butter in the microwave or in a small pan on the stove. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting.

i recently adapted this cake recipe and make cake pops for a friend's baby shower. they were so easy to make. i followed the instructions i found here: 

 

 i did not use the chocolate melts - they are loaded with hydrogenated oils & other icky stuff. instead i used ghirardelli chocolate chips & some dragées that i purchased at target. wrapped with cellophane candy bags and tied with a ribbbon. i purchased these square glass containers from the craft store. in the glass container i placed some white strofoam to hold the pops, then i filled the container with wedding rice, it is in the shape of little hearts.

photo: lani stites