Preheat oven to 350* F. Spray 2 9-inch round cake pans with Baker’s non-stick spray and line with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.

To a medium bowl mix together 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

To a large mixing bowl beat the butter, on medium-high speed with a handheld mixer, for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy.

To the butter, add the granulated sugar and beat again until fully incorporated.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix on medium speed until all the eggs are fully incorporated. Be sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next one.

To the bowl of wet ingredients add a third of the flour mixture, mix on low until incorporated, followed by half the buttermilk and mix just until incorporated.

Add another ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by the remaining buttermilk then lastly the final ⅓ of the flour mixture. Be sure to mix each addition thoroughly before adding the next. You will need to scrape down the sides, and bottom, of the bowl as needed to ensure the batter is evenly mixed. The batter will be thick.

To a small bowl add the mini chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Toss to coat all the mini chocolate chips in the flour. This will help to ensure that the chips do not sink to the bottom of the batter when the cake layers are baked. Stir the flour coated mini chocolate chips into the batter just until evenly distributed.

Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth to an even layer so that the cake layers bake up evenly.

Bake for 28-30 minutes or until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Be sure to remove the parchment paper to allow the cake layers to cool properly. While your cake layers are cooling, you can make the frosting.

To the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed the unsalted butter for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Turn the mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix until all the powdered sugar has been added. You will need to stop the mixer and scrape down the paddle attachment, and the sides of the bowl, to ensure that the frosting is being evenly mixed.

To the bowl add the vanilla extract, salt and heavy cream. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Scraped down the bowl, and paddle attachment, before stirring in the ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips to the frosting.

To assemble the cake, add one of the cooled cake layers to a cake plate then add 1 - 1 ½ cups of the frosting to the cake and spread to an even layer.

Top with the second cake layer and frost the sides, and bottom, of the cake with the remaining frosting.

Garnish the top of the frosted chocolate chip cake with the remaining 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips before slicing and serving.