Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Buttercream Recipes

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on high speed until light, approximately 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. On low speed, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture alternately in thirds, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix the batter only until blended.
• Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature before frosting.
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 6 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/4 pounds (5 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons Triple Sec or other orange liqueur
• 1 tablespoon orange food coloring
• Combine the sugar with 2/3 cup water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and, without stirring, bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan and allow the mixture to boil until the sugar dissolves. Uncover and continue boiling until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Pour the syrup into a heat-proof measuring cup.
• Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the eggs form stiff peaks. With the mixer on high speed, slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites. Continue beating on high speed until the mixture is absolutely at room temperature, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• With the mixer on medium speed, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and then add the vanilla and liqueur. (If the mixture becomes runny, the meringue was too warm and the butter melted. Chill slightly and beat again.) Add the food coloring and combine.
• Yield: 6 cups

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13x9-inch baking pan; set aside.
• Combine sugar and 1/2 cup butter in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add sour cream, eggs and vanilla; continue beating until smooth. Add flour, baking soda and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed.
• Bring water to a boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in unsweetened cocoa and 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate; stir until smooth. Add chocolate mixture to batter; beat at low speed until smooth.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
• Place 1/2 cup butter and melted chocolate in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, cocoa and salt alternately with whipping cream, scraping bowl often and beating well after each addition until frosting is light and fluffy. Frost cooled cake.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper. (See the notes if you want to bake a different sized cake).
• In a large mixing bowl, add the cocoa powder and boiling water or coffee. Whisk the chocolate mixture until smooth.
• Add the sugar, vegetable oil, and sour cream and whisk until well blended.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until the eggs are completely incorporated.
• Sift the flour baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the batter. Whisk until there are no flour streaks.
• Divide the batter among the baking pans and bake for 28 to 35 minutes. (See the notes if you use different sized pans).
• Let the cakes cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pans then run a knife around the edge of the pans to loosen the cake. Invert the cakes onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely before frosting them.
• Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for a couple of minutes until it is smooth and creamy.
• Add 6 cups of the powdered sugar a cup at a time. Add the cocoa powder slowly and blend on medium speed until incorporated.
• Add 4 tablespoons of the milk (or cream), salt, and vanilla extract. Increase the speed and beat for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stop the beater and check the consistency of the buttercream. Add additional powdered sugar if it is too thin or add 16extra milk if it is too thick.

CHOCOLATE LOVER'S CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 9-inch round baking pans.
• Combine 8 ounces baking chocolate and 2 tablespoons cream in a saucepan over low heat; cook and stir until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Beat 1 cup butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until creamy; mix in sour cream, 1 cup coffee, eggs, and vanilla extract. Slowly beat in melted chocolate mixture until combined.
• Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl; beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well combined and smooth. Pour batter into the 3 prepared baking pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Heat 1/2 cup cream and 4 ounces baking chocolate together in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in 1/3 cup coffee. Refrigerate mixture until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
• Beat confectioners' sugar and 1 cup butter into cooled chocolate mixture in a large bowl until fluffy; add more confectioners' sugar until desired consistency is reached.
• Place 1 cake on a serving platter; spread icing on top of cake. Repeat layering with remaining cake and icing; spread icing on top and sides of entire layered cake.

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH SWISS BUTTERCREAM AND GANACHE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Put the cocoa powder and chocolate in a medium bowl. Add the boiling water and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the sour cream until smooth; let cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the cocoa mixture in 2 additions. Finish mixing gently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Tap the pans against the counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until the cakes spring back in the center when gently pressed, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the edges and turn out the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment.
• Make the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over the saucepan (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water); cook, whisking, until the sugar dissolves, the egg whites are frothy and the mixture is warm, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form and the mixture cools to room temperature, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add the butter a few pieces at a time, waiting for them to incorporate before adding more. (The mixture will become liquidy, then it will get thick and shiny once the butter emulsifies. It may also look curdled as you add the butter. It's OK: Keep adding butter and beating.) Add the vanilla and beat until combined and fluffy, 3 to 5 more minutes.
• Cut each cake in half horizontally to create 4 layers. Place 1 layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread about 2/3 cup frosting on top, then repeat with the remaining cake layers, spreading more frosting in between them. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake (this is the crumb coat - it doesn't have to be perfect), then refrigerate until the frosting sets, about 30 minutes. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it with a bench scraper.
• Make the ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming, then pour over the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Set aside until cool but still pourable, 20 to 40 minutes (the time will vary depending on the temperature and bowl). Pour the ganache on top of the cake and spread with a small offset spatula, letting it drip down the sides. Let the ganache set 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; dust the pans with flour, and knock out excess.
• In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, coffee, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups water. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed. Mix in the butter and eggs, and then slowly add the buttermilk mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the cake layers begin to pull away from sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes.
• For the Swiss meringue buttercream: Add the sugar and egg whites to a heatproof stand mixer bowl, and set over a pan of simmering water. Whisking constantly, heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla. (Makes 7 cups. See Cook's Note.)
• For the raspberry buttercream: In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 800 grams of the Swiss meringue buttercream together with the raspberry puree until fully incorporated. (Makes 4 cups.)
• To assemble: Level and tort both cakes--you will end up with 4 layers of cake. Place one cake layer on a serving platter; add about a 1/2-inch layer of the raspberry buttercream. Repeat until you have 4 stacked layers of cake and 3 layers of filling. Frost the cake with the remaining Swiss meringue buttercream.

BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottoms of two 9-by-2-inch (23-by-5cm) round cake pans with parchment (baking) paper.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the milk and vanilla; set aside.
• Using a stand mixer, beat the butter with the paddle on medium speed until creamy. Add sugar and beat until mixture is pale and fluffy. Drizzle in the eggs beating each addition until incorporated before continuing (Stop frequently to let the batter absorb the egg. If the batter begins to look curdled , increase the mixer speed to high and beat until batter looks smooth again). Reduce the speed to medium low and add the dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with the milk mixture in 2 additions, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Beat just until combined.
• Pour the batter into prepared pans and spread it evenly. Bake until the cakes are puffed and a skewer inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Run a table knife around the edges of the pans and invert the cakes unto plates.
• To make the frosting, chop the chocolate into small pieces and put it in a stainless-steel bowl. Set the bowl in a saucepan over, but not touching, barely simmering water. Heat until the chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Do not allow any water or steam to come in contact with the chocolate, or it will become stiff and grainy. Or, chop the chocolate in large pieces, place in a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on low for 1 minute. Continue to microwave if necessary, checking every 20 seconds, until the chocolate looks softened, then stir until smooth and liquid.
• Using a stand mixer, beat the butter with the paddle on medium speed until it is the consistency of mayonnaise. It should not be melted. Transfer to another bowl and thoroughly wash and dry the mixer bowl.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk and 1/4 cup (2 oz./60 g) of the sugar, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles appear along the edge of the pan.
• Using the stand mixer, beat the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup (4 oz./100 g) sugar with the whisk on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and pour in the hot milk mixture in a thin stream. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Thoroughly wash and dry the mixer bowl and whisk.
• Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it registers 170°F (77°C) on an instant read thermometer 5-7 minutes. Pour the mixture back into the mixer bowl and heat with the whisk on medium speed until cool, 5-10 minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate. Add the butter in 4 additions, incorporating each addition before adding another.
• To frost the cake, put one layer, top side down, on a serving plate (To protect the plate, place paper strips under and along the edges of the bottom layer.). Peel off the parchment paper. Using a straight frosting spatula, spread evenly with about one third of the buttercream. Invert the other layer, top side down, on the first layer peel off the paper. Refrigerate the cake 30 minutes to firm the frosting; keep the remaining buttercream at room temperature. Spread the buttercream on the top and sides cake (Put the frosting in the center of the top of the cake and smooth it evenly. The frosting will cover the top in a thick layer. Evenly smooth the frosting from the top of the cake down the sides, turning the cake as you work. As you cover the side, hold the spatula almost perpendicular to the top of the cake. Holding the spatula almost horizontal to the cake's top, smooth the top with long strokes. Then run the spatula around the sides, making the frosting as smooth as possible. Using short strokes, remove excess frosting from the edge of the top. Discard the waxed paper strips.).
• Refrigerate the cake until 30 minutes before serving to set the frosting.