Semisweet Chocolate Layer Cake With Vanilla Cream Filling Recipe Epicuriouscom

MOCHA LAYER CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-RUM CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• For filling and topping:
• Stir first 3 ingredients in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and cream comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Add 20 ounces chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in rum and vanilla. Transfer 1 cup warm chocolate mixture to small bowl; whisk remaining 2 ounces chocolate into mixture in bowl and set aside for topping. Cover; let stand at room temperature. Transfer remaining chocolate mixture to large bowl to use as filling; chill until cold and thick, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
• For syrup:
• Stir water and sugar in small saucepan over low heat just until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; mix in rum. Cover and let stand up to 1 day.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Line bottom with waxed paper; butter paper. Combine vanilla and coffee powder in cup; swirl to dissolve coffee. Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda into small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in medium bowl until very thick and light in color, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla-coffee mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into yolk mixture. Fold in half of flour mixture. Fold in half of remaining whites, then remaining flour mixture, then remaining whites. Transfer batter to prepared pan; gently spread to even thickness.
• Bake cake until puffed and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool in pan on rack (cake may shrink slightly).
• Cut around pan to loosen cake. Turn out onto work surface; peel off paper. Using long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half. Place 1 half, cut side up, on platter. Drizzle half of syrup (about 3 1/2 tablespoons) over. Using electric mixer, beat cold chocolate filling until thick and lighter in color, less than 1 minute. Spread all of filling evenly over cake layer, aligning with sides of cake (filling will be about 1 inch thick). Drizzle remaining syrup over cut side of second cake layer. Place layer, syrup side down, atop filling; press to adhere. Rewarm topping over low heat just until pourable. Pour topping onto top center of cake. Using small spatula, spread topping to edges, being careful to keep it from spilling over. Chill cake up to 1 day, covering loosely with foil or with cake dome after 2 hours.
• Cut cake into 16 squares and serve.

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of and with parchment paper. Stir buttermilk, espresso power and vanilla in small bowl until powder dissolves.
• Sift sugar and next 5 ingredients into large bowl. Add eggs and butter; beat until mixture is thick and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add buttermilk mixture; beat until light and fluffy,about 1 1/2 minutes linger. Divide batter among pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 5 minutes. Turn cake out onto racks. Peel off parchment; cool completely.
• Make fillings and frosting:
• Place white chocolate and milk chocolate in separate medium bowls. Bring 1 cup cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Pour 3 tablespoons hot cream into white chocolate and 3 tablespoons hot cream into milk chocolate. Add bittersweet chocolate to remaining cream in saucepan; stir until smooth. Stir white chocolate and milk chocolate fillings until smooth; chill until cold but not firm, about 15 minutes. Set aside bittersweet chocolate frosting.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Using handheld mixer, beat white chocolate filling until slightly stiff. Spread over cake layer. Top with second cake layer. Add remaining 1 tablespoon cream to milk chocolate filling and beat until smooth. Spread over second cake layer. Top with third cake layer. Chill cake until bittersweet chocolate frosting is firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
• Stir frosting until smooth. Spread very thin layer over top and sides of cake to smooth surface and anchor crumbs. Chill 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting decoratively over cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill.)
• Garnish cake with chocolate shavings, if desired,and serve.

CHOCOLATE PECAN LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• FOR CAKE:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Line pan bottom with parchment.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in medium bowl until light. Add 1/2 cup sugar; beat until fluffy. Add yolks 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour, mix just until blended. Mix in pecans and chocolate. Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into yolk mixture in 3 additions.
• Transfer batter to pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen. Release pan sides. Cool.
• FOR GLAZE:
• Combine all ingredients in top of double boiler set over simmering water (do not allow pan to touch water). Stir until smooth. Cool until lukewarm but still pourable, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare filling.
• FOR FILLING:
• Combine cream, sugar and bourbon in medium bowl; beat until stiff peaks form.
• Using serrated knife, cut cake into 3 layers. Place bottom layer on plate. Spread half of cream filling over. Top with second layer. Spread remaining filling over. Top with remaining layer, cut side down. Slowly pour glaze over cake, allowing some to drip down sides of cake. Garnish cake with pecan halves. Chill until glaze sets, about 30 minutes.

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT FILLING

Steps:

• For filling:
• Place chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in small saucepan. Pour hot mixture over chocolate; add extract and let stand 1 minute. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Let filling stand at room temperature while cake is baking and cooling.
• For cake:
• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter parchment. Dust pan with flour. Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in both sugars, then vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions each. Mix in chocolate chips.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 5 minutes. Turn out cake onto rack. Peel off parchment. Cool completely.
• Using electric mixer, beat filling until fluffy and lightened in color, about 30 seconds. Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on rack set over baking sheet. Spread filling over. Top with second layer, cut side down. Chill filled cake 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare glaze:
• Stir chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Mix in extract. Cool glaze until just lukewarm but still pourable, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• Pour 1/2 cup glaze over center of cake. Spread over top and sides of cake. Chill until glaze sets, about 15 minutes. Pour remaining glaze over center of cake, then spread quickly over top and sides. Chill until glaze sets, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Before continuing, let stand at room temperature until softened, about 4 hours.)
• Sprinkle candies around top edge of cake. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.