The best, fresh chocolate three-layer birthday cake

March 24, 3:53 PMDC Fresh Foods ExaminerRobin Ripley

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The best chocolate birthday cake isn't just for birthdays. It's also perfect for heart-
breaks, office parties or other special occasions.

Birthdays are special occasions around our house. We don't do big, fancy parties or give elaborate and expensive gifts. But we do always make a very special deal of making the perfect dinner for the birthday celebrant. We decorate the table with candles and fresh flowers. We have cheerful music. Often we will drag out photo albums of special occasions, such as when our son was born.

A big part of the birthday celebration is always a fresh, homemade cake--with candles. Happily, I have convinced my fellows that the exact number isn't a requirement for my cake anymore. But when my son recently turned 18, we used 18 candles atop one of my favorite cakes of all time--a three-layer chocolate cake with chocolate and coconut icing.

We wouldn't dream of buying a cake for a special birthday celebration. Even my husband has learned to make a few homemade cakes that are more delicious and more precious than anything you could pick up at the local supermarket. 

This is a cake that I grew up making but hadn't baked in a very long time, so that made this fresh chocolate cake extra special. My husband, who has a secret sweet tooth, nearly ravaged the cake before I could get photos. So make one for yourself--whether you need it for a birthday, a heartbreak or just as a special reward for a job well done.

Chocolate Three-Layer Birthday Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1cup butter (2 sticks)
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl and mix well. Combine the butter, cocoa powder and water in a sauce pan and heat on the stove until just simmering. Pour the chocolate and butter mixture into the dried ingredients and mix. Gradually add the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Pour into three buttered and floured 9" cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before gently removing from the cake pans and cooling on a wire rack.

Chocolate Coconut Icing

3 tablespoons cocoa powder
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 cup coconut

Combine the cocoa powder, milk, vanilla and butter in a mixer and blend together. Gradually add the confectioners sugar. When completely blended and fluffy, add the coconut.

Thank you for reading! You can reach me at gardeningexaminer@gmail.com and can follow me on Twitter at @RobinWedewer.

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