Peppermint Chocolate Cake

Mmmmmmmmmm!! Peppermint! This icing is sooooo good.  I ate it by itself, shhhh, it was Sunday, so it was calorie free....yeah! That's it! Calorie free Sunday.  The cake was great, too, I'm just not a chocolate fan.  Make this cake to be someones favorite person today!

~Recipe~
1 ounce dark chocolate (I used chips)
1/2 cup dutch pressed chocolate
2/3 c hot coffee
1/3 c whole milk...part of the calorie free... :)
1 1/3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
10 TBSP butter, soft
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Icing~
1 1/2 sticks butter, soft
6 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
6 TBSP cream
crushed candy canes for center and topping

preheat oven to 325 F.  Butter(I use Pam with flour) 2 8 inch round cake pans.  COmbine the chocolate chips, cocoa and coffee in a small bowl and stir until smooth, add moil and stir or whisk again.  In another bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt.  In a mixing bowl beat the sugars and butter until fluffy.  Then add eggs 1 at at time and beat well after each addition. Add vanilla, scrape bowl and beat for 30 seconds.  Add the flour and chocolate alternately beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Allow to cool 15 minutes  before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely. To make the icing combine the butter, powdered sugar and peppermint extract and beat, add the cream slowly until it is spreadable.  Layer the cake, frosting, sprinkle some crushed candy canes, cake and rest of frosting over all of the cake.  End with the crushed candy canes... Ta da! YUMMILICIOUS!
Enjoy~