📖 Instructions

1. First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. I sometimes line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds too – just to be extra careful. Nothing is worse than a cake that sticks!
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Make sure there are no lumps in the cocoa powder!
3. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup red wine (I usually use a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon - whatever you have open is fine!), 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisk until everything is well combined. Trust me, you don't want any streaks of oil in your batter.
4. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix! Overmixing leads to tough cake, and nobody wants that.
5. In a small saucepan, melt 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate (chopped) with 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Let it cool slightly. Oh, the smell is just DIVINE!
6. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the cake batter and mix until well combined. The batter will be quite thin – don't worry, that's how it's supposed to be!
7. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Keep a close eye on them; ovens vary!
8. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Resist the urge to frost them while they're still warm; it's a recipe for disaster!
9. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting: In a large bowl, beat 8 ounces cream cheese (softened) with 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (softened) until smooth and creamy. It’s gotta be SMOOTH!
10. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, beating on low speed until combined. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy. If it's too thick, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
11. Once the cakes are completely cool, frost the top of one layer with the cream cheese frosting. Place the second layer on top and frost the entire cake. I like to swirl the frosting for a rustic look, but you do you!
12. If you want to get fancy, garnish with chocolate shavings or fresh berries. Or just dive right in! I won't judge.
13. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the frosting to set and the flavors to meld together. Okay, I'm going to be honest. I usually can't wait that long... But it really *is* better if you do!