Good Grief!!! How could I have missed National Chocolate Cake Day? That's my favorite--any kind of chocolate cake! I don't think you can beat plain old devils food cake and chocolate buttercream. My girlfriend used to make me a death by chocolate for my birthday every year until she moved away. She has since passed away and her daughter sent my daughter the recipe and she made it for me for Mother's Day last year. If I can get my daugher to bring it to me I'll post it for you.
OOH, is it the actual Death by Chocolate cake recipe by Marcel Desauliners (sp?) from the Trellis restaurant in Williamsburg VA? I want that recipe and can't find it in his books. Even if I did, wouldn't want to pay that much for one recipe, I'm cheap.
Is there such thing as a BAD chocolate cake? I haven't met one yet!
VACakelady, I called my daughter and she was on her way out the door to work. Quickly looked through her so called filing system (you know, like the rest of us, pile here, pile there--that's another forum I've been in) and couldn't find it. Thought maybe she had saved in her emails and will look when she gets to work.
I know that my girlfriend would either make it in a layer cake or as a jelly roll. The filling was whipped cream and chocolate liqueor and she topped it with melted Hershey bars and then put buttercream roses on it. Was absolutely wonderful.
She's in heaven laughing at me now cause I'm drooling. She's probably also laughing because I finally decided to start decorating a few cakes after her years of trying to get me to learn how. I could kick myself for not letting her show me the ropes years ago. She was the best I had ever seen. So imaginative and creative. Her daughter and my daughter were best friends from kindergarten til now in their early thirties. My daughter has started decorating but not because of me, but my girlfriend. She considered her a second mom and always wants to copy her cakes. My daughter picked out her wedding cake when she was about 7 and when the big day came, she got just what she had picked out--stairways, fountains, and all. All I had to do was buy the ingredients and she wouldn't charge us a dime.
That cake sounds so yummy! Please post if you get your hands on the recipe, I'm sure there are many like myself who would be interested.
Sweet story about your friend and your daughter. I wish I had someone to show me the ropes too. Actually, picking out my wedding cake was what got me curious about decorating. Happened to see a class offered a couple years later and took it out of boredom. I gave away 1 piece of my class 1 final cause I was tired of eating it, and the rest is history. That person demanded that I sell him a cake and I've been selling them ever since.
I took the Wilton course and just didn't enjoy it. I started the Course II and went to two classes and quit. Didn't feel like we got enough individual time as the class was huge. We took it at a Decoration for Celebration store and the owner seemed to be more worried about us getting icing on the floor than the money she was making off our supplies. I just practice at home. My daughter took all 3 courses and loved it. She likes the fondant and I don't. Guess I'm too old fashion for the new looks in cakes. I do mine for fun and my daughter does hers for extra money. I am on disability and thought it would be some extra income for me but I never know how I'm going to be feeling (I'm on full time oxygen) so I hate to commit to something and not be able to do it. I just send people to my daughter and I stick with making for the grandkids and my Red Hat gatherings.
My sister-in-law had this recipe for a Death by chocoloate cake. I love that the recipe says is serves up to 24 or 1 serious chocoholic!
Any the recipe says:
1 box fudge brownie mix 1/4 Cup coffee liquer
3 packages instant Chocolate Mousse
8 chocolate-covered toffee bars
1 Large container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Bake brownie according to packe; let cool. prick holes in the top f the brownies pour liquer over brownies; set aside. Prepare the chocolate mouse according to package. break up candy bars. Break up half the brownies into small pieces and place at bottom of large glass bowl, cover with half the mousse, then half th candy, and half the whipped topping. Repaet layers with reaminng ingredients.
You can use 1 teaspoon sugar and 4 tablespoons leftover black coffe instead of liqueur.
I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but it is oh so good!!!
Still haven't gotten the recipe from my daughter. She's at a Girl Scout meeting taking care of cookie orders. Did a google search and its unbelieveable how many chocolate sites there are. Found this recipe that sound divine if a person is inclined to go to this much trouble. If you do, send me a piece.
http://www.mydigitalkitchen.com/en/recipe_show.php?p_iId=37
I'll post the other one if I ever get it from my daughter.
I actually have that Death by Chocolate Cakes cookbook. It's a beautiful book with lots of photos, but every recipe is that involved. You have to take a whole day to make one cake. Of all things, this "cake cookbook" does not contain the recipe for his signature Death by Chocolate cake, how disappointing. I saw him make in on tv once and I really want to try it although it'll probably take a couple days to make.
I did make "The King's Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Burbon Cake" one day for a family gathering and it was NASTY! I figured...hmmm, peanut butter and banana with chocolate ganache, yum! Boy was I wrong. I threw that thing in the trash after a few people had tasted it. Now that I'm a little more experienced with cakes, I might have to venture back into the book for a try at something else.
I didn't think I could ever find anything too chocolate for me but I made a chocolate cheesecake (I think from the Eagle Brand cookbook) and it was so sickening chocolate that I had to throw it out. Now, that gets expensive. 
VACakelady: Finally heard from my daughter and she can't find the recipe on the computer so she will have to go through her "recipe shelf". I wish us all good luck with that. Just wanted you to know I hadn't forgotten.
Hey - Daughter here! 
and I FOUND the recipe and I FINALLY typed that long thing out and emailed my mom.
She should be posting shortly! (if she could only see how CLEAN my house is now - she would be so proud, and not so worried about that recipe!) 
Anywho - This cake was good, but I think next time I'll do a "gourmet" cake - you know - from Duncan Hines. instead of making it from scratch.
Misty 
Well, didn't know my daughter was even posting on CC. Guess she pulled one on me this time. Here goes VACakelady:
Alright - LONG, but worth it. I didn't like the CAKE part of this - next
time it will be that GOURMET cake stuff (you know, Duncan Hines)
2/3 c. butter - softened
1 2/3 c. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 c. milk
2 tablespoons creme de cacao
*****FILLING******
1 c. heavy cream
2 tablespoons creme de cacao
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
****Ganache*****
8 ounces semisweet chocolate - broken in bits (Nanny always used a big
hershey's bar.)
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon creme de cacao
Cake: cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large mixer bowl until light
and fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder; add
alternately with milk to creamed mixture, blending until just combined.
Pour into two greased and floured 9" layer pans. Bake at 350F degrees for
30-35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove
from pans. Sprinkle each layer with 1 tablespoon creme de cocao; cool
completely.
Filling: beat cream, creme de cocao and cocoa until stiff. Cover; chill.
Split each cake layer horizontally into 2 layers. Place one layer on
serving plate; spread with one-third of the filling. Repeat layering with
remaining cake adn filly, ending with cake layer. Cover tightly; chill at
least 8 hours.
Ganache: Combine chocolate bar pieces, cream and butter in medium saucepan.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is melted and
smooth. Stir in creme de cocao. Cool to lukewarm.
Spoon ganache on top of chilled cake, allowing glaze to drizzle down side.
Chill.
Immediately send to Misty for taste testing - just to make sure. ROFLMAOPMP
Misty
Now you can all see why I'm crazy. I have this daughter to contend with every day. Just kidding. Without her I wouldn't have these beautiful grandkids! 
Oh this sounds delightful! Thanks so much for sharing.
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