Who else has been watching Christmas movies every night since December kicked off? Guilty. I have so many favorites that it’s hard to fit them all in!

Here is my faves (in somewhat of an order of best, but IT’S SO HARD TO CHOOSE!)
– Christmas Vacation (I mean, duh. I hope i’m as funny as Aunt Bethany when i’m 90)
– Home Alone – Hysterical laughter every time Marv gets hurt in the movie
– Love Actually – I literally cry happy tears every-time
– Scrooged – Bill Murray is my hero
– A Christmas Story – Plays on repeat on our tv Christmas Day

Other faves are The Holiday, Elf, The Santa Clause, The Grinch, The Family Stone, It’s a Wonderful Life, and i’m sure many more i’m forgetting. What’s your favorite Christmas movies?! I need more to add to my list…obviously 🙂

The countdown is on for a much needed break and I couldn’t be more excited to head home for Christmas! We are leaving next week for Florida, but first we are going to be staying at Edgefield next Tuesday for my birthday! It’s an amazing property right outside of Portland with a quaint hotel, thermal soaking pools, and lots of cozy restaurants and bars on-site! I’ll definitely do a post on our stay!

I am all for Christmas cookies, but sometimes you just need a good slice of chocolate cake. You can’t go wrong serving up rich and decadent chocolate cake, and it’s easy to make festive with greenery and sugared cranberries! I adapted this recipe from Broma Bakery – she’s seriously a cake wizard. I used cocoa I had on-hand, but if you want to make it a “black-out” chocolate cake, you’ll need to use dark cocoa.

Double Chocolate Cake

for the cake

– 1 3/4 cups sugar
– 3/4 cups cocoa powder
– 2 cups flour
– 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 3/4 cup vegetable oil
– 3 large eggs
– 1 cup buttermilk
– 1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee

for the frosting

– 1 3/4 cups salted butter, room temperature
– 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
– 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
– 5 cups powdered sugar
– 1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee
– 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
– 1/2 teaspoon salt

What to do

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk oil, eggs, and buttermilk.

3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, whisking until no lumps remain. Pour in brewed coffee, mixing until just combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for roughly 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

5. To make the frosting, place butter and cream cheese in a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (an electric hand mixer also works). Cream on high speed for 1 minute, then turn speed to low and add in cocoa powder. Mix until combined, then add in powdered sugar, brewed coffee, vanilla extract, and salt. Cream on high speed for 1 minute, until mixture has lightened slightly and is fluffy.

6. Frost cake by placing first cake layer onto a cake stand. Top with a healthy dose of frosting. Spread evenly, then repeat with second layer. Use remaining frosting to frost sides of the cake. Last, use the back of a spoon to create a large swirling pattern all around the cake!