For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder (regular or Dutch-processed)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup very hot water
For the Honeycomb:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon baking soda (sifted)
For the Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 3 ounces good quality dark chocolate (chopped, melted, and cooled)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 cup regular cocoa powder (sifted)
- 3 tablespoons black cocoa (optional – for color)
- 1–3 tablespoon heavy cream