Try this Dark Chocolate Layer Cake recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
- 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee cooled
- 3/4 cup marshmallow cream
- 7 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate hot fudge topping
- 1/4 cup pecan bits
- cherries with stems patted dry
- Carbohydrate 688.372748752491 g
- Cholesterol 1243.07935856887 mg
- Fat 533.616967205958 g
- Fiber 55.9414243585169 g
- Protein 59.4565319287524 g
- Saturated Fat 320.708566183964 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - 8 inch layer cake (2471g)
- Sodium 115314.875322326 mg
- Sugar 632.431324393974 g
- Trans Fat 34.5315516405714 g
- Calories 7336 calories
Step-by-step
- Beat the butter and sugar until creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again.
- Stir together the flour, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Alternately add the flour mixture, buttermilk, and coffee to the butter mixture until everything has been mixed in completely.
- Divide the cake batter into 2 - 8 inch cake pans that have been greased and dusted with cocoa powder.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35-37 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes in the pan.
- Flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cut each cooled cake in half, horizontally.
- Beat the butter and shortening until creamy.
- Add the marshmallow cream, vanilla, rum extract, and salt and beat again.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar and whipping cream alternately until everything is mixed in.
- Beat on high for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Place on cake layer on a plate.
- Spread 1/4 of the frosting on top.
- Repeat with the cake layers and frosting.
- Heat the hot fudge in the microwave until it is warm enough to stir, but not hot enough to melt the frosting.
- Drizzle over the top of the frosted cake.
- Sprinkle with pecan chips.
- Top with the cherries.
Pan Preparation and Batter Distribution
Greasing baking pans requires more than a casual swipe of butter if you want the layers to release cleanly without tearing the crumb. Dusting the greased interior with dark cocoa powder instead of flour prevents pale chalky patches from forming on the exterior of the baked sponge. Weighing the batter across the two eight-inch pans ensures uniform thickness, which prevents uneven baking times.
The Cooling and Horizontal Slicing Process
Rushing the cooling phase causes the rich structure to disintegrate under the weight of the knife. Letting the sponges rest for fifteen minutes in the metal pans before inversion allows the interior proteins to set fully, while the subsequent transfer to a wire rack promotes necessary air circulation beneath the base. Horizontal division of each cooled layer demands a long serrated bread knife held perfectly parallel to the work surface to maintain structural integrity.
Doneness Indicators and Assembly Stability
Oven temperatures fluctuate wildly, meaning standard timer metrics should always be cross-referenced with a physical test. Inserting a wooden toothpick into the exact center of the sponge yields a reliable gauge: crumbs clinging lightly indicate readiness, while wet batter demands immediate further baking. Frosting application proceeds layer by layer only after the sponge reaches room temperature, preventing the butter and marshmallow base from melting prematurely.
