Chocolate³ Cake
~ Mary ~
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I know it may seem wrong to post two cakes in a row, but they’re so vastly different, and I’ve never had anyone turn down cake. Plus it’s Emma’s birthday, she’s twelve today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA! Last year I made her this Lane Cake, and next year I hope to actually feed her some of her own cake instead of virtually through the interwebs.
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A few weeks ago we were in the midst of a very fun contest and one of the entries was: Frosting a Layer Cake; Tips & Tricks, and this was the cake I used for my example. I promised you the recipe, and it may have taken a minute two months, but alas, here it is. It’s a beaut this one. Chocolaty, chocolate caky cake, with the perfect amount of density and moistness ratio. White Chocolate Mousse AND an easy Chocolate Icing. Hence Chocolate to the third power.
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This was inspired by my favorite cake cookbook Sky High Cakes. The only thing I changed was the filling. Often times I have found that the whipped cream versions just don’t hold up. I usually just use gelatin, but this time I wanted something extra and I was not disappointed. The mousse recipe is from Joy of Cooking and it’s amazing. I usually find that white chocolate tends to have little flavor in fillings and frostings, especially next to dark chocolate. But here, in this recipe, it truly shines and is a wonderful contrast to the cake and the icing.
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Chocolate³ Cake
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White Chocolate Mousse
Adapted from Joy of Cooking
Start with the Mousse, because it needs to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours before you frost your cake.
In a double boiler melt slowly:
6 ounces Good White Chocolate bar – I used Lindt
1 Tbsp Water
1 Tbsp Vanilla
Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
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Whisk together:
3 Large Egg yolks
3 Tbsp Water
3 Tbsp Sugar
Place in a cleaned double boiler pan, set it over the water and with a hand-held mixer, whisk until mixture is thick and puffy like marshmallow topping.
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Remove from heat and whisk into the melted chocolate.
Let cool to room temp.
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In a separate bowl, beat on medium speed until foamy:
3 Large Egg Whites – at room temp.
then add
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
Beat until soft peaks form then sprinkle in:
1/4 Cup Sugar
Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
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Using a large rubber scraper, fold into chocolate mixture in two batches. Be gentle!
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Beat on medium high speed until soft peaks form:
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Fold into chocolate mixture.
Store in fridge for at least 4 hours until you’re ready to frost the cake.
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Chocolate Fudge Cake
Adapted only slightly from Sky High Cakes
Preheat oven to 350°
Grease three 8-inch round cake pans.
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Sift together then set aside:
2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
2 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
In a large bowl place:
2 1/2 ounces Ghiradelli 60% Chocolate Chips
Pour over the top:
1 Cup Hot Milk
1 1/4 Cups Strong, Hot Coffee
Let stand for a minute then whisk until smooth.
Let it cool.
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In a mixer beat together:
2 Eggs
1 Cup REAL Mayonnaise – no light, no salad dressing, no fat free
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
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Once blended gradually add:
2 Cups Sugar
and the dry ingredients in 2-3 additions. Beat until smooth and well blended. Divide batter among pans equally (a scale works nice for this).
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Bake for 22-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Chocolate Icing
From Sky High Cakes
In a double boiler, over barely simmering water melt together:
12 ounces Ghiradelli 60% Chocolate Chips
1 Stick Butter
2 Tbsp Corn Syrup
Remove from heat and whisk until smooth.
Whisk in:
1/4 Cup 1/2 & 1/2 at room temp
1/2 Cup Sour Cream at room temp
Work quickly while your frosting is soft. If you wait too long it gets kind of hard and crumbly.
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ASSEMBLY:
Go on over here to this post Frosting a Layer Cake; Tips and Tricks. It’ll help you a LOT. Don’t be nervous, just go and conquer!
Another fabulous cake, Mary!!! Each one you do gets better than the last and I think you can’t get any better, then up comes another winner!! You are the QUEEN OF CAKES!!
This cake looks amazing!!! Well, all of the cakes you make look amazing!!
Wow, look at that gorgeous cake!
We should have it for breakfast. Don’t act surprised. Everybody does it.
Nothing wrong with two cakes in a wrong. But if you feel REALLY guilty, send one over!
Almost too beautiful to eat. I did say almost!
if only chocolate could hold the world together, these recipes would be the glue – beautiful
What fun – I just finished baking a chocolate-orange layer cake for my daughter’s birthday (wonderful daughters are born in November) and I come here to find a double-chocolate cake that begs to be made. I love how you combined two recipes and I really am craving the result.
Beautiful photos! Decadent and oh so delicious. I can’t stop drooling.
you just killed me!!!! 😛 hehe 😀
I’m pleased to see you are using several types of real chocolate. I get sad when I see recipes claiming to be chocolate with only one type of chocolate and substitutes for the rest. Clearly this increases the cost to make but I’m sure the tastes and knowing you are creating something purer was well worth it.
That cake looks SO good!
One word: stunning! Looks delicious Mary!
This cake is tooo amazing! The photos are over the top – Yummm , nothing like a good cake! – Megan
Seriously Mary? Who is going to complain about seeing two of your cakes in a row? Love the whole cake on the pedestal shot!
LL
Oh man this cake looks so good I can hardly put it in words. Amazing, simply amazing 🙂
You can never post too many cake recipes in a row or even in a month. This cake looks so delicious. Thank you so much for sharing.
Joanne
Wow. Just wow. I have a birthday coming up and this just went on my list of possibilities…
I love the addition of a white chocolate mousse–sometimes (and it pains me to say this) all-chocolate cakes can be just too chocolatey. Better to add some white chocolate and heavy cream in the mix, you know, to lighten it up.
Love your blog!
I baked this cake for my brother’s birthday! It turned out to be fantastic! For the heck of it I made a fondant dragon on top of the cake.
That’s WONDERFUL Grubby!
I hope you took a picture! Have JP post it (and your other ones) on Foodo’s FaceBook page!