https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/grand-marnier-buttercream-cake • Posted by A Bite To Eat
For the cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 3- 9" round cake pans and lightly dust with cocoa powder. Set aside. Combine chopped chocolate and hot coffee, let stand to melt, then stir until smooth. Sift together all of the dry ingredients, including the sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs on high speed until thickened slightly and lemon colored, 3-5 minutes. Slowly pour buttermilk, oil, vanilla and melted chocolate into the eggs with the mixer running. Add in dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Divide cake batter into 3 prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes, then turn out of pans and let cool completely.
For the Grand Marnier Buttercream: Beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in most of the powdered sugar, then orange zest, Grand Marnier and orange juice. Beat in the remaining powdered sugar as needed to achieve a spreadable consistency. Reserve some frosting for decorating the top of the cake.
For the chocolate glaze: Combine butter and chocolate in top of a double boiler and stir frequently until melted and smooth. Set aside.
To assemble cake: Trim cake layers so they are all even and level. Divide frosting between two of the cake layers and spread evenly just to the edge of the cake. Stack these two layers, then top with the third layer, pressing down to make it level. Take your glaze and pour over the top of the cake, pushing it off the sides with the back of a spoon and allowing it to run down the sides unevenly so the frosting peeks through. Chill the cake until the glaze sets, then pipe rosettes with the reserved buttercream around the top edges.