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1
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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2
Prepare the chocolate by melting it in the top of a double boiler, stirring until it is smooth.
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3
Add 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of the butter and stir until it is melted and blended.
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4
Add the warm milk and stir until smooth.
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5
Set the chocolate aside to cool.
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6
Line the bottoms only of three 9-inch cake pans with circles of parchment paper, or grease each pan bottom only with solid shortening and dust lightly with flour.
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7
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
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8
Whip the egg whites until stiff using the wire beater of the mixer.
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9
Transfer the beaten whites to a separate bowl and set aside.
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10
In the mixer bowl, cream the remaining 1 1/2 sticks of butter and the sugar together until fluffy.
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11
Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
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12
Add the melted, cooled chocolate and the vanilla.
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13
Mix well.
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14
With the mixer on very low, stir in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
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15
Do this by adding about a third of the flour and slowly stirring it in completely.
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16
Then add about half the buttermilk and stir it in.
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17
Continue adding flour and buttermilk in this manner, ending with the flour.
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18
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and stir again.
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19
With a long-handled spoon or spatula, fold and stir the beaten egg whites into the batter until the batter is smooth with no visible clumps of whites.
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20
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
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21
Bake on the middle rack of the oven, allowing at least 1/4-inch clearance between the pans and the oven walls.
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22
The cake will rise above the pan edges as it bakes but will not spill over and will settle back down as it continues to bake.
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23
The cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pans and springs back to a light touch.
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24
Cool the layers in the pans for about 8 minutes.
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25
Run a knife around the edges of each pan and turn the layers out onto wire racks that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
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26
Cool the layers completely before frosting.
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27
For the frosting: Place the butterscotch morsels in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water or in the top of a double boiler.
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28
Stir until melted, then remove from the heat.
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29
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese until smooth.
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30
Add the butter and confectioner's sugar, and continue mixing.
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31
Add the melted butterscotch morsels and the heavy cream and vanilla, and mix until fully combined.
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32
To assemble the cake: Place one layer on a cake stand and spread with frosting.
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33
Frost each layer completely, top and sides, as it is added to the cake.
