Ultimate Layer Cake Recipes

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Place rack in middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and dust with cocoa powder; tap out excess. Sift cocoa; whisk in boiling coffee and milk. Let cool. Sift together cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Using a rubber spatula, mix the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pour in the cooled cocoa mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
• Add the sifted dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pans (about 4 cups in each pan). Bake for 20 minutes, rotate the pans, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the center.
• Remove the cakes from the oven, and allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Carefully run a small offset spatula around the edge of the cakes to loosen them from the pan. Remove cakes from pans, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• To assemble, using a serrated knife, level the top surface of each cake layer. Place four strips of parchment paper around the perimeter of the cake stand. Spread with 3/4 cup of frosting. Top with the remaining layer, bottom side up. Using a swirling motion, cover the outside of cake with the remaining frosting. Remove parchment-paper strips.

ULTIMATE LAYERED COOKIE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a circle of parchment paper into the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan and grease the sides. You could also use a 9 inch springform pan.
• Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
• Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
• Add flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and mix until well combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
• Press the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the cake pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool mostly in the cake pan, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
• Place a circle of parchment paper into the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan and grease the sides. You could also use a 9 inch springform pan.
• Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
• Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
• Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt and mix until well combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
• Press the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the cake pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool mostly in the cake pan, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
• Place a circle of parchment paper into the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan and grease the sides. You could also use a 9 inch springform pan.
• Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
• Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
• Add flour, cake mix and salt and mix until well combined.
• Stir in sprinkles and chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
• Press the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the cake pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool mostly in the cake pan, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
• Beat the shortening and butter until smooth.
• Slowly add 3 cups of powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
• Mix in the vanilla extract and 1 tbsp water.
• Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add more water to get the right consistency.
• Use a large serrated knife to remove the edges of the middle and bottom cookie layers, if needed. Sometimes the centers of the cookies fall a bit and it can be good to cut off the edges, so that the layers are even.
• Place bottom cookie on your cake plate.
• Top cookie with icing. I used my Ateco 844 icing tip to pipe a nice, thick layer.
• Top icing with next cookie, then add another layer of icing.
• Add last layer of cookie, then finish off by piping icing around the edges and adding sprinkles.

THE BEST COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and cream of coconut in a small bowl. Beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, until combined.
• Beat the egg whites and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with clean beaters on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter in three batches until just combined (do not overmix). Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cakes are lightly browned and the centers spring back when lightly pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 20 minutes in the pans, then run a small knife around the edges of each cake and carefully invert onto the racks; remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in about half of the confectioners' sugar until combined. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar, salt and vanilla and coconut extracts and beat until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Place one cake layer on a cake stand or platter and top with a heaping 2/3 cup frosting. Add another cake layer, more frosting and the last cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the coconut all over the top and sides of the cake, gently pressing to adhere.

ULTIMATE COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread coconut flakes in an even layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden, 5 to 7 minutes; set aside to cool.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level; discard trimmings. Cut each cake into 3 even layers. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan.
• Place one layer on the cake plate. Brush with about one-fifth of the simple syrup. Spread over 2 cups of filling. Place a second layer on top. Repeat process with the next four layers and top with last remaining layer.
• Spread top and sides of cake with frosting, keeping in mind you may not need to use all of it. Press toasted coconut into sides of cake; remove parchment paper strips. Chill cake at least 5 hours and up to 5 days. Slice immediately; bring to room temperature before serving.

ULTIMATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For the cakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease four 12- by 8- by 1-inch baking pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
• Prepare the dark chocolate cake according to package directions, using 1/4 cup canola oil and 3 eggs, and substituting the chocolate milk for the liquid. Bake in 2 of the prepared pans. Cool and remove the cakes from the pans.
• Prepare the milk chocolate cake according to package directions, using the remaining 1/4 cup canola oil and 3 eggs, and substituting the cream soda for the liquid. Bake in the remaining 2 pans. Cool and remove the cakes from the pans.
• While the cakes are baking, make the frostings.
• For the milk chocolate frosting: Using an electric hand mixer, beat together the softened butter, softened cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate milk.
• For the dark chocolate frosting: Using an electric hand mixer, beat together the softened butter, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate fudge sundae topping.
• For the chocolate glaze: Place the chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the cream and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat just until boiling. Pour over chocolate chips and stir until completely smooth. If not completely smooth, microwave on medium setting (50 percent power) for 2 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
• Cut each cake in half horizontally, to make 8 even layers. Place a dark cake layer onto a serving platter and frost the top only with some dark chocolate frosting. Place a milk chocolate cake layer on top and frost the top only with the milk chocolate frosting. Continue until you have 8 layers. Don't frost the top layer. Carefully pour the glaze over the cake, coating the top and letting it drip down the sides.

EXTREME CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
• Use the first set of ingredients to make the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, use the second set of ingredients. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat to a spreading consistency.
• Split the layers of cooled cake horizontally, cover the top of each layer with frosting, then stack them onto a serving plate. Frost the outside of the cake.

ULTIMATE LEMON LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Filling: Measure 1 tablespoon lemon juice into a small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over the top.
• Heat remaining lemon juice, sugar, and salt in medium non-reactive sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot, but not boiling.
• Whisk eggs and yolks in a large non-reactive bowl.
• Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot lemon-sugar mixture into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches 170° and is thick enought to leave a trail when a spatula is scraped along the bottom of the pan, about 4-6 minutes.
• Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Stir in frozen butter until incorporated.
• Pour filling through a fine-meshed strainer into a bowl.
• Cover surface with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm enough to spread, about 4 hours.
• Cake: Preheat oven to 350°.
• Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg milk, egg whites and vanilla.
• In a mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix at slow speed.
• Add butter one piece at a time, continue to beat until mixture resembles moist crumbs and no visible butter chunks.
• Add all but 1 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• With mixer running, add remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture, beat 1 mintute more.
• Divide batter evenly between cake pans.
• Bake 23-25 minutes or until toothpick in center of cakes comes out clean.
• Loosen cakes from side of pan with a small knife, cool in pan 10 minutes then remove from pan onto greased wire rack, remove parchment paper, invert again and cool completely.
• Icing: Combine all ingredients in a mixer bowl or heatproof bowl.
• Set over medium saucepan filled with 1-inch of simmering water.
• Cook stirring constantly until mixture reaches 160°, 5-10 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to mixer bowl (if needed) and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat until mixture has cooled to room temperature and stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes longer.
• Assembly: Cut each layer in half horizontally.
• Spread 1 cup of lemon filling evenly on each cake, (except the top layer) leaving 1/2-inch border around cake.
• Place top layer on cakes, smooth out any filling that may have leaked from the layers.
• Refrigerate while you make the icing.
• Spread icing on cake.