12 Layer Chocolate Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE LITTLE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease three 9-inch cake pans and line with rounds of parchment or waxed paper.
• In a mixer, cream together butter, sugar and shortening until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time and continue to mix on medium until eggs are well incorporated. Stir in vanilla.
• Sift flour, then add salt, baking soda and baking powder. Sift a second time. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and milk in about 4 additions, then increase speed to medium. Beat until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl.
• Spread 3/4 cup batter in each pan. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until cake springs lightly when pressed with a finger. Flip cake out of pan onto paper towels or cake rack while still very warm. Repeat with second set of layers.
• When first layers go into oven, start to make icing. Put sugar and cocoa in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan and mix well. Turn heat to medium-high and add butter and milks, bringing to a boil. Boil for about 4 minutes, stirring continually, careful to watch that it does not boil over. Lower heat to simmer, add vanilla and stir occasionally for another 7 to 10 minutes. If using a candy thermometer, cook to the point just before soft ball stage or about 230 degrees.
• Begin icing first layers, still warm, when second batch is in the oven. Flip layers over so that top side faces up. Use about 4 tablespoons of icing per layer. Icing will be thin but will firm up as it cools. Stack layers, then continue icing and stacking as layers are baked.
• When all layers are iced and stacked, glaze top and sides of cake. Contours of layers will be visible through icing. If icing hardens too much while frosting cake, set back on low heat and stir until it is spreadable.

12-LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter four 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with waxed paper, then butter the paper. Flour the pans.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter four 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with waxed paper, then butter the paper. Flour the pans.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. To the butter and egg mixture, gradually add the flour mixture and milk, alternating between them. Continue to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Once the flour and milk are incorporated, add the vanilla extract.
• Add 1 cup of batter to each prepared pan and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until light brown. Remove the layers from the pans and cool on a wire rack, placing the paper side down. Wash the pans. Butter and flour the pans again for the next batch of cakes. Repeat the process until 12 layers are baked.
• When all the layers have cooled, make the icing. Combine the sugar, cocoa, butter, and evaporated milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and cool 2 minutes until the icing is thin but spreadable. (This icing becomes thicker as it cools.) Add the vanilla extract.
• Remove the waxed paper from each layer. Place one layer of cake on a wire rack and spread with icing. (For easier cleanup, assemble the cake over an edged sheet pan to collect runoff icing.) Add the next layer and ice it. Continue adding and icing layers, then pour remaining icing over the top. Icing that drips down can be used to cover the sides. Garnish with pecan halves, if desired.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you can use a whisk) mix the oil, eggs, and vanilla together on medium-high speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water/coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.
• Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Note: Even if they're completely done, the cooled cakes may *slightly* sink in the center. Cocoa powder is simply not as structurally strong as all-purpose flour and can't hold up to all the moisture necessary to make a moist tasting chocolate cake. It's normal!)
• Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
• With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Do not over-whip. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or 1-2 more Tablespoons of cream if frosting is too thick. (I usually add 1 more.) Taste. Add another pinch of salt if desired.
• If cooled cakes are domed on top, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops to create a flat surface. This is called "leveling" the cakes. Discard or crumble over finished cake. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I always use an icing spatula and bench scraper for the frosting. Garnish with chocolate chips, if desired.
• Refrigerate cake for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

MOIST CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

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.

TWELVE INCH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Boil water, measure then add cocoa powder.
• Whisk until smooth.
• Allow to cool to room temperature Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease two 12-inch x 1 1/2 inch cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper grease bottom and flour entire pan.
• Prepare your magic cake strips if using.
• In a medium bowl lightly combine the eggs, 1/4 of the cocoa mixture and vanilla.
• Sift the remaining dry ingredients into you mixer bowl and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend.
• Add the butter and remaining cocoa mixture.
• Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Beat for 90 seconds at medium speed to develop cake structure.
• Stop mixer, scrape down the sides.
• Add the egg/cocoa/vanilla mixture in 3 batches, beating 20 seconds after each addition.
• Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom before making the final egg addition Stop mixer, scrape down the sides and give it a final mix by hand.
• Pour the batter in the prepared pans and smooth surface.
• Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in center.
• (The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of pans after taking them out of the oven.) Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a buttered rack.
• Reinvert cakes so that tops are right side up.
• Cool to room temperature and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.

THE SMITH FAMILY'S 12-LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375°. Lightly butter four 8 1/2- to 9-inch cake pans (you will bake the cakes in three batches) and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Flour the pans and tap out the excess.
• To make the layers, sift together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the mixture one more time, and set aside.
• Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle blade on high speed until light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and be sure the mixture is well-blended. On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the milk, beginning and ending with the flour, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla. Using a scant cup for each layer, spread the batter evenly in the pans. It will make a thin layer.
• Staggering the pans on the racks so they are at least 2 inches from each other and the sides of the oven and not directly over each other, bake the layers until they feel firm when pressed in the centers and are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans, about 12 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert the layers onto cake racks, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely. Wash and prepare the pans. Repeat the procedure until all 12 layers have been baked and cooled.
• To make the icing, bring the sugar, cocoa, butter and evaporated milk to a full boil in a large saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the icing has thickened slightly (it will resemble chocolate syrup but will thicken as it cools), about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Let the icing cool until thick enough to spread, but still pourable.
• Place a layer of cake on a wire rack set over a jelly-roll pan. Spread with a few tablespoons of the icing, letting the excess run down the sides. Stack the remaining cakes, icing each layer. Pour the remaining icing over the top of the cake. If you wish, smooth the icing on the edges to cover the sides. Place pecan halves around the top perimeter of the cake. Let stand until the glaze sets. (The cake is best served the day it is made. To store, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.).