Blackout Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups softened butter
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cups boiling water
3/4 - 1 cup roasted slivered almonds
Ganache
18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, cut up
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans.
Tap out excess flour.
In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat till well blended.
Add melted chocolate and beat 1-2 minutes.
Mix together flour and baking soda and salt.
Add to chocolate mixture in 2 additions alternately with the buttermilk.
Beat till well blended.
On low speed, add boiling water and beat till smooth.
(Batter will be thin.) Pour into prepared pans.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cool in pans for 10 to 15 minutes.
Turn out onto wire racks and cool completely.
For Ganache:Melt chocolate chips and cream together and stir until smooth.
Stir in butter and vanilla.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until ganache holds its shape and is thick enough to spread on cake layers.
Cover one layer with a little more than 1/3 of the ganache.
Top with second layer; frost top and sides with remaining ganache.
Press almond slivers into sides of cake.
Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours for ganache to firm back up for easier slicing.