Chocolate Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Make One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Batter and bake following the layer cake instructions.
• Make the frosting: Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Let cool slightly. Stir together the cocoa powder and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat until combined. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth. Add the cocoa mixture. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until smooth and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Assemble the cake: Put 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate and spread with 1 heaping cup frosting. Sprinkle with the chopped candy and top with the other cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Top with more candy.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan; dust pan with 2 teaspoons cocoa powder or as needed.
• Whisk cake flour, 3/4 cup cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix sugar and canola oil in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat eggs into sugar and oil, one at a time, blending in the first egg before adding the second. Gradually beat milk, coffee, and vanilla extract into sugar mixture until smooth.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and beat flour mixture into wet ingredients. Stir sour cream into batter. Pour into prepared baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with moist crumbs, about 40 minutes.

Steps:

• Make cake: Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Coat two 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-inch jelly-roll baking pans with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a bowl, whisk together flour and teaspoon salt.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs, yolks, and sugar on medium-high, 2 minutes; increase speed to high and beat until pale and thick, 5 minutes. Sift flour mixture over egg mixture; with a large rubber spatula, fold together until almost blended. Pour butter down side of bowl, folding to combine. Divide batter between pans; smooth with a table knife. Immediately transfer pans to oven and bake until cakes are golden brown and springy when pressed, 6 to 7 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Let cool completely.
• Make filling: In a large bowl, stir together egg yolks, mascarpone, sugar, cocoa, orange zest (if using), and pinch of salt. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and pinch of salt until soft peaks form. With a large rubber spatula, fold one-third whites into mascarpone mixture; fold in remainder.
• Invert cakes onto a work surface and gently peel off parchment. Using a serrated knife, trim cakes to measure 10 by 15 inches, then cut each crosswise into thirds. Place 1 cake layer, golden side up, on a platter; brush with brandy and spread with 1 cup filling. Repeat with remaining cake, brandy, and filling, ending with a layer of brandy-brushed cake. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Make Chocolate Glaze. Pour over top of cake and spread so it drips down sides (or spread along sides). Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Combine water, chocolate and coffee powder in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts and coffee powder dissolves. Remove from heat. Cool.
• Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in chocolate mixture. Mix flour and baking soda in medium bowl. Add to butter mixture and beat just until combined. Beat in sour cream.
• Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer pans to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)
• For frosting:
• Melt butter and chocolate in small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Transfer to large bowl; cool. Add sugar, cream and vanilla; beat until smooth. If necessary, refrigerate until firm enough to spread.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1/2 cup frosting over top. Top with another cake layer. Spread 1/2 cup frosting over top. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake in decorative swirls. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at cool room temperature.)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Spray 2 (9-inch) round pans with cooking spray; cover bottoms with parchment. Beat 1-1/2 cups butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Add 2 tsp. vanilla and half the melted chocolate; mix well. Add flour, nuts and baking powder; beat until blended. Blend in boiling water. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Invert cakes onto wire racks; remove pans. Carefully peel off paper on top of cakes. Cool cakes completely.
• Meanwhile, beat remaining butter, remaining vanilla, powdered sugar and milk in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add remaining melted chocolate; beat until fluffy.
• Stack cake layers on plate, filling layer with half the frosting. Frost top with remaining frosting. Top with silver sugar pearls.

Steps:

• Make the cake: In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil, turn off heat and whisk in the cocoa until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
• Place the rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Butter 2 (8 by 2-inch) round cake pans, line the bottoms with circles of parchment and butter the parchment. Dust them with flour, shaking off excess flour. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, add the cold butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat on slow to combine and raise to medium-high speed for 8 to 10 minutes until the butter is almost completely incorporated into the mixture.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the cocoa liquid in 2 additions of each, stopping to scrape the bowl occasionally, mixing just until combined.
• Evenly divide the batter between the 2 cake pans (I weigh them to get them even.) Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the cake springs back when gently pressed and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then place on wire racks to finish cooling completely.
• Make the frosting: Put the chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water, do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir the chips occasionally until melted, and remove from the heat to cool.
• In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar, cocoa and salt and set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy.
• On low speed, slowly add the confectioners' sugar mixture to the butter mixture, combining well. Add the melted chocolate and the sour cream and vanilla, mixing just until combined. It's best to use it as soon as soon as it is made.
• To assemble the cake: If the layers are a little uneven, then level the top of each layer. Using a serrated knife, split the first layer in half and place on a cake plate. Spread 1 cup of the frosting on top of the layer and spread to the edges. Add the next layer and spread another cup of frosting over it. Split the other layer in half, spread with another 1 cup of frosting, turn the top layer upside down so that the bottom is on top, and pile on the rest of the frosting, evenly spreading it all over the top and the sides, swirling as you go. Yum!
• (Hints: I stick a 12-inch wooden skewer in the center of the cake to secure it while I frost it, and remove it before finishing frosting the cake. And, I lay strips of waxed paper under the cake to keep the cake plate clean as I frost the cake.).

Steps:

• Chocolate Cake:
• Grease two 8-inch (2L) springform pans or grease two 8-inch (1.2 L) round metal cake pans and line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper. Set aside.
• In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs, 1 at a time; beat in vanilla.
• In separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• With wooden spoon, stir into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of buttermilk.
• Spoon into prepared pans, smoothing tops.
• Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
• Let cool on racks for 20 minutes. Remove from pans; let cool completely on racks.
• (Make-ahead: Wrap layers separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day or overwrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)
• Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers.
• Chocolate Icing:.
• In bowl, beat butter until fluffy; gradually beat in cream.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Beat in icing sugar, 1 cup (250 mL) at a time.
• Beat in melted chocolate until fluffy and smooth.
• Place 1 layer, cut side up, on cake plate. Slide strips of waxed paper between cake and plate.
• Spread cut side with about 3/4 cup (175 mL) of the icing; cover with remaining half, cut side down.
• Spread top with another 3/4 cup (75 mL) of the icing.
• Repeat with remaining layers, spreading remaining icing over side and top.
• Garnish with fresh sliced Strawberries (optional).
• Remove paper strips. (Make ahead: Cover loosely and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let come to room temperature before serving.).

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Chop 2 oz. chocolate. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with mixer until blended. Stir in chopped chocolate. Pour into 2 (9-inch) round pans sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Loosen cakes from sides of pans. Invert onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.
• Microwave COOL WHIP and remaining chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1 min. Let stand 15 min. to thicken.
• Stack cake layers on plate, filling and frosting with COOL WHIP mixture. Sprinkle with nuts.