Mad Hatter Chocolate Cake

Sturdy chocolate cake for the 6-inch pink-and-purple top tier. The dark cake makes a fun contrast when sliced.

INGREDIENTS • 1 box chocolate cake mix, about 13–15 ounces • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder • 3/4 cup granulated sugar • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 cup full-fat sour cream • 1 cup whole milk OR 1 cup cooled coffee • 1/3 cup vegetable oil • 4 large eggs • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract DIRECTIONS 1. Grease the pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and preheat the oven to 350°F. 2. Stir together the chocolate cake mix, flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt until evenly distributed. 3. Add sour cream, milk or cooled coffee, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Ignore the ingredients printed on the cake-mix box. 4. Mix on low for 30 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides. 5. Mix on medium for 1 1/2–2 minutes, stopping as soon as the batter is smooth. 6. Fill pans 1/2 to 2/3 full; use extra batter for cupcakes. 7. Tap pans gently to release large bubbles. 8. Bake until the center springs back lightly and a toothpick has moist crumbs but no wet batter. Start checking near the box time; deeper pans may take longer. 9. Cool in pans 10–15 minutes, turn onto racks, and cool completely. 10. Wrap and chill before leveling. Fill with a thin layer of vanilla or chocolate buttercream inside a stiff buttercream dam. BEST-RESULT TRICKS • Use 3/4 cup flour plus 1/4 cup cocoa—do not use the full cup of flour from the vanilla base in addition to the cocoa. • Cooled coffee deepens the chocolate but will not make the finished cake taste like coffee. Whole milk is fine if you prefer it. • Use full-fat sour cream and whole eggs for stability. • Keep fillings thin and chill the filled tier before crumb-coating.

Planned for the pink buttercream and dark-purple striped top tier.