The Best Chocolate Cake Ever!

You want to know a relationship deal breaker? If you start talking about dessert and somehow this wonderful person you thought was so cool suddenly blurts out "Oh, I don't really like chocolate cake." Suddenly a flashing red light goes off, and you're surprised they can't read the "WTF" blinking above your head. I mean, how much can they really enjoy life if they don't like chocolate cake. What are they going to say next "Oh, I'm not really into oxygen." Or the ultimate deal breaker: "I'm a vegan." I don't care how good the sex is, the chocolate cake rule has to be in effect.

Taking that into account, if you need to get your chocolate cake on, then this is absolutely the way to go. I was leafing through the April '10 Bon Appetit and saw the picture, then read the recipe. The cool thing about this one...well, there actually two cool things...is that it uses mayo instead of oil. I've had mayonnaise chocolate cakes before and they invariably are so moist and rich. Then the second thing that said "you must make me" was that the frosting calls for THREE STICKS OF BUTTER!!! Are you fucking kidding me? How could that ever be bad?? Then the best part: my birthday was coming up, and w, who is the baking queen of our house, kindly consented to make this for my dinner. To say that people were swooning would be a gross understatement. Cake this good defies description. Go ahead. Make it. One bite and you'll get it!
***** ***** *****
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
from Bon Appetit

ingredients:
Cake:
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups boiling water
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 1/3 cups mayonnaise (do not use reduced-fat or fat-free)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Special equipment: Three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high
sides

method:
For cake:
1-Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans
with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in
medium metal bowl. Add 1 3/4 cups boiling water and whisk until chocolate is
melted and mixture is smooth.

2-Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into another medium bowl. Using
electric mixer, beat both sugars and mayonnaise in large bowl until well
blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended
after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 4 additions
alternately with chocolate mixture in 3 additions, beating until blended
after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Divide
batter among prepared cake pans (about 2 1/3 cups for each).

3-Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 32
minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 20 minutes. Run small knife around
sides of cakes to loosen. Carefully invert cakes onto racks and let cool
completely.

For frosting:
1-Place chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl; set bowl over saucepan of
simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Carefully
remove bowl from over water; let melted chocolate cool until lukewarm,
stirring occasionally.

2-Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth and creamy.
Sift powdered sugar over butter and beat until well blended, about 2
minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add melted chocolate and beat until well blended
and smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.

3-Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over top of cake
layer to edges. Top with second cake layer; spread 3/4 cup frosting over.
Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting decoratively over top
and sides of cake. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome
and let stand at room temperature. Cut cake into wedges and serve.