A three tiered journey of layers of chocolate. One tier chocolate cake topped with dark chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream with dark chocolate drips. Another tier chocolate cake topped with milk chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream with milk chocolate drips. A final tier of chocolate cake topped with white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and white chocolate drips.
For the Chocolate Lovers
This cake has many different flavors, all paired well together!
Each tier in this cake has a different flavor profile with fruit to caramel to cookies! Enjoy eating your way down this decadent cake.
Layers of Chocolate Cake
Serves up to 65; Makes One Three-Tier, Three Layer Cake
Ingredients
5 - Inch Round Vanilla Bean Cake
Butter for pans
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour, plus 1 tablespoon for pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cups granulated sugar
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
2 large egg yolks
½ cup whole milk
7 - Inch Round Milk Chocolate Cake
Butter for pans
1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons for pans
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup grapeseed oil
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
9 - Inch Round Dark Chocolate Cake
Butter for pans
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons for pans
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup hot strong-brewed coffee
Raspberry Swiss Meringue Frosting
½ cup egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup raspberry jam
Caramel Swiss Meringue Frosting
½ cup egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup caramel
Cookies and Cream Swiss Meringue Frosting
¼ cup egg whites
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
7 Oreo cookies, crushed
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Frosting
½ cup egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Milk Chocolate Swiss Meringue Frosting
¾ cup egg whites
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
2 ¼ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
2 ¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 ounces milk chocolate, melted and cooled
Dark Chocolate Swiss Meringue Frosting
1 cup egg whites
2 cup granulated sugar
3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
6 - 7 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled
Chocolate Drips
2 ounces melted and cooled white chocolate
6 ounces melted and cooled milk chocolate
8 - 10 ounces melted and cooled dark chocolate
Squeeze bottle
Assembly
8 ounces of dark chocolate
6 ounces of milk chocolate
4 ounces of white chocolate
6 - inch cake board
8 - inch cake board
12 or 10 - inch cake board or serving dish
8 wooden dowels
Small hand saw
Parchment paper
Instructions
*note for all baking times - I bake at altitude and I tried to adjust times for sea level, but make sure to check your cakes and DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN until cakes have risen and look fully cooked*
Vanilla Bean Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Grease, flour, and add cutout parchment circles to three 5 - inch cake pans and set aside.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer. Add the vanilla bean seeds and sugar. Mix on medium until the butter is light and fluffy and all ingredients are evenly combined (3 to 5 minutes). Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
4. Add the egg yolks one at a time with the mixer on low. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
5. Divide the buttermilk in half. With the mixer on low add the flour mixture in three batches alternately with the buttermilk starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on low for no more than 30 seconds and until all ingredients are just combined.
6. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 27 to 33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from pans.
Milk Chocolate Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Grease, flour, and add cutout parchment circles to three 7 - inch cake pans and set aside.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the grapeseed oil and sugar with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer until combined. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Mix until combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
4. Divide the buttermilk in half. With the mixer on low add the flour mixture in three batches alternately with the buttermilk starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on low until all ingredients are just combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the baking soda and vinegar together. With the mixer on low, add the baking soda mixture to the batter. Mix until just combiner or for about 30 seconds.
6. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 29 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from pans.
Dark Chocolate Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Grease, flour, and add cutout parchment circles to three 9 - inch cake pans and set aside.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the grapeseed oil and sugar with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer until combined. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, the egg yolk, almond extract, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
4. Divide the buttermilk in half. With the mixer on low add the flour mixture in three batches alternately with the buttermilk starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on low until all ingredients are just combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
6. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 31 to 37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from pans.
Raspberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together egg whites and sugar.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium-high heat. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
3. Whisking intermittently, heat the egg mixture until it reads 160ºF (70ºC) on a candy thermometer or is hot to the touch. Once hot, carefully remove the bowl from heat and either fit onto a stand mixer or place on a heat-safe material.
4. Beat egg mixture on medium-high speed until it holds medium-stiff peaks (8 to 10 minutes). When done, the bowl should have returned to room temperature and no heat should be escaping from the top of the meringue.
5. With the mixer on low, beat in the butter, about four tablespoons at a time. Then add the vanilla. Once all ingredients are incorporated, mix on medium until buttercream is silky smooth (3 to 4 minutes).
6. Add the raspberry jam and mix on low until fully incorporated and the buttercream is silky smooth.
Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together egg whites and sugar.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium-high heat. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
3. Whisking intermittently, heat the egg mixture until it reads 160ºF (70ºC) on a candy thermometer or is hot to the touch. Once hot, carefully remove the bowl from heat and either fit onto a stand mixer or place on a heat-safe material.
4. Beat egg mixture on medium-high speed until it holds medium-stiff peaks (8 to 10 minutes). When done, the bowl should have returned to room temperature and no heat should be escaping from the top of the meringue.
5. With the mixer on low, beat in the butter, about four tablespoons at a time. Then add the vanilla. Once all ingredients are incorporated, mix on medium until buttercream is silky smooth (3 to 4 minutes).
6. Add the caramel and mix on low until fully incorporated and the buttercream is silky smooth.
Cookies and Cream Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together egg whites and sugar.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium-high heat. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
3. Whisking intermittently, heat the egg mixture until it reads 160ºF (70ºC) on a candy thermometer or is hot to the touch. Once hot, carefully remove the bowl from heat and either fit onto a stand mixer or place on a heat-safe material.
4. Beat egg mixture on medium-high speed until it holds medium-stiff peaks (8 to 10 minutes). When done, the bowl should have returned to room temperature and no heat should be escaping from the top of the meringue.
5. With the mixer on low, beat in the butter, about four tablespoons at a time. Then add the vanilla. Once all ingredients are incorporated, mix on medium until buttercream is silky smooth (3 to 4 minutes).
6. Add the crushed oreo cookies and mix on low until fully incorporated and the buttercream is silky smooth.
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together egg whites and sugar.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium-high heat. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
3. Whisking intermittently, heat the egg mixture until it reads 160ºF (70ºC) on a candy thermometer or is hot to the touch. Once hot, carefully remove the bowl from heat and either fit onto a stand mixer or place on a heat-safe material.
4. Beat egg mixture on medium-high speed until it holds medium-stiff peaks (8 to 10 minutes). When done, the bowl should have returned to room temperature and no heat should be escaping from the top of the meringue.
5. With the mixer on low, beat in the butter, about four tablespoons at a time. Then add the vanilla. Once all ingredients are incorporated, mix on medium until buttercream is silky smooth (3 to 4 minutes).
Milk Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together egg whites and sugar.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium-high heat. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
3. Whisking intermittently, heat the egg mixture until it reads 160ºF (70ºC) on a candy thermometer or is hot to the touch. Once hot, carefully remove the bowl from heat and either fit onto a stand mixer or place on a heat-safe material.
4. Beat egg mixture on medium-high speed until it holds medium-stiff peaks (8 to 10 minutes). When done, the bowl should have returned to room temperature and no heat should be escaping from the top of the meringue.
5. With the mixer on low, beat in the butter, about four tablespoons at a time. Then add the vanilla. Once all ingredients are incorporated, mix on medium until buttercream is silky smooth (3 to 4 minutes).
6. Slowly beat in the melted chocolate in about three sections to avoid melting the buttercream. Mix on low until buttercream is silky smooth again.
Dark Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together egg whites and sugar.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium-high heat. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
3. Whisking intermittently, heat the egg mixture until it reads 160ºF (70ºC) on a candy thermometer or is hot to the touch. Once hot, carefully remove the bowl from heat and either fit onto a stand mixer or place on a heat-safe material.
4. Beat egg mixture on medium-high speed until it holds medium-stiff peaks (8 to 10 minutes). When done, the bowl should have returned to room temperature and no heat should be escaping from the top of the meringue.
5. With the mixer on low, beat in the butter, about four tablespoons at a time. Then add the vanilla. Once all ingredients are incorporated, mix on medium until buttercream is silky smooth (3 to 4 minutes).
6. Slowly beat in the melted chocolate in about three sections to avoid melting the buttercream. Mix on low until buttercream is silky smooth again.
Assembly, Part 1
1. Once all of the cakes have cooled, level all of the cakes using either a cake leveler or a serrated knife. Choose which layer of each size will be the bottom layer for each tier.
2. For the 5 - inch vanilla cake, place the bottom layer on a 4 - inch cake board. The cake board should be on a turntable. I like to use a little bit of frosting to help stick down the cake. Then, using a small brush, brush the crumbs off of the top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, place a large dollop of the cookies and cream buttercream on the center of the cake. Then slowly spread out the buttercream with a palette knife. I recommend holding the knife so it is flat and parallel to the cake and then slowly applying pressure. Repeat this process until there is about ½ inch layer of buttercream that just barely reaches the edges of the cake. Chill the cake for about twenty minutes.
3. After the bottom layer and first layer of frosting is chilled, place the next layer on top of the frosting. Repeat step two with this layer, omitting placing it on a cake board. Chill the cake.
4. Once the cake is chilled, place the final layer atop the other 5 - inch cakes. Set aside.
5. For the 7 - inch milk chocolate cake, repeat steps 2 - 4, but using the 7 - inch cakes, the honey buttercream, and a 6 - inch cake board.
6. For the 9 - inch dark chocolate cake, repeat steps 2 - 4, but using the 9 - inch cake, the white chocolate buttercream, and a 8 - inch cake board.
Assembly, Part 2
1. Take the 9 - inch cake and place it on a turntable. Using a palette knife, place a large amount of the dark chocolate buttercream on the top of the cake. Holding the knife flat, smooth the top of the cake out, then slowly add buttercream to the sides and smooth out. If you have a cake scraper, use it!
2. Repeat this process with the 7 - inch cake, but using the milk chocolate buttercream.
3. Repeat this process with the 5 - inch cake, and using the vanilla buttercream.
4. Starting with the 5 - inch cake, put the melted white chocolate in the squeeze bottle. Try doing a few drips on the inside of your sink to get the hang of it and make sure the chocolate is at a good consistency. Once you successfully get a few drips, start doing drips on the side of the cake. I like to go from the top down, and once the whole cake is covered, place more white chocolate on the top of the cake and smooth it out.
5. Repeat step 4 with the 7 - inch cake using the milk chocolate buttercream.
6. Repeat step 5 with the 9 - inch cake using the dark chocolate buttercream.
7. Place five dowels in a diamond with one in the center (in the 9 - inch cake). The diamond must be at least three inches from the edge of the cake.
8. Take the dowels out of the cake and use the hand saw to cut the dowels where the frosting line is. Alternatively, you can mark where the top of the cake is on the dowel with a pencil and cut along that line.
9. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the 7 - inch cake and using 3 dowels and placing them in a triangle.
Assembly, Part 3
1. Place the 9 - inch cake on a cake stand or the cake board which it will be served on.
2. Place the 7 - inch cake on top of the 9 - inch cake. I like to have another person help me with this to make sure that it is centered.
3. Repeat step 2 with the 5 - inch cake, placing it on top of the 7 - inch cake.
4. Now enjoy your cake! I recommend eating it tier by tier, and storing it somewhere cool. The cake will last in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and will freeze for 3 months.
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