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Here is the chocolate cake recipe I came up with for the Bachelorette season finale last night. I combined several different recipes and loved how this came out! I liked that the ingredients were fairly basic, and as far as a layer cake went, the process was not too complicated either.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 cups white sugar
* 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup strong brewed coffee
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For cake assembly:
* several cups of freshly whipped cream (with a little added vanilla and sugar)
* 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
* one recipe "Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting" (below)

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE & ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
2. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.
3. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack.
5. When completely cool, stack the two cakes, placing a layer of whipped cream, then all the chopped strawberries, then a little more whipped cream in the middle.
6. Frost the outside with the chocolate cream cheese frosting.
7. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and some nicely arranged quartered strawberries.

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CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING INGREDIENTS & DIRECTIONS:

Ingredients

* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
* 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In double boiler melt chips and add heavy cream, mix until smooth; take off of heat.
2. In mixing bowl cream together sugar and cream cheese until smooth; slowly add chocolate mixture. Mixture will thicken up as the chocolate cools.
3. Let cool to room temperature before frosting the cake.
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