This chocolate cake is for the hard core chocolate lovers. With a moist chocolate cake, chocolate mousse filling, chocolate buttercream, and chocolate covered strawberries, this cake is garuanteed to satisfy your chocolate craving.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
1/4 stick butter (softened)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1 cup hot water
Chocolate Mousse Filling
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Chocolate Buttercream
4 egg whites at room temperature
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup ( 2 1/2 sticks) butter at room temperature
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
1 package of strawberries
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
1. Combine butter and oil in a stand mixer.
2. Add in the egg, sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined.
3. In a seperate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and espresso powder.
4. Add about 1/3 of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Then, add in 1/2 of the water. Repeat for the rest of the dry mixture and water making sure to end with the dry mixture.
5. To prepare the pans, cut 2 8 inch circles of parchment paper and place in the bottom of the pans. Next, spray all sides of the pans with cooking spray. Then, coat the pan with flour so it is lightly dusted. 6. Place the cakes in the oven for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 7. Remove the cakes from the oven and place on the counter for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes tip the cakes out onto a cooling rack and let them come to room temperature.
Chocolate Mousse
1. Pour heavy whipping cream into a chilled metal bowl.
2. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
3. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Set on the counter to cool.
4. Drizzle the room temperature chocolate into the whipped cream until no chocolate streaks remain.
Chocolate Buttercream
1. Wipe down the bowl of a stand mixer and all utensils with lemon juice.
2. Using the whisk attachment, combine sugar and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer.
3. Bring a medium sized pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat.
4. Set the mixing bowl over the pot of simmering water to create a double boiler.
5. Stir continuouly until the sugar mixture reaches 160F, about 5 minutes.
6. Take the sugar mixture off the heat and place back onto the mixer. Whisk on high speed until the bowl is no longer warm to the touch and stiff peaks are formed, about 10 minutes.
7. While the meringue is whipping, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave at 30 second intervals.
8. Leave the melted chocolate on the counter to cool to room temperature.
9. After the meringue is no longer warm to the touch, switch to the paddle attachment and add in the butter one tablespoon at a time.
*Don't be worried if the frosting seems to liquify once you add in the butter. This is normal. Keep beating the frosting on high speed and eventually it will thicken.
10. Continue beating on high speed until the frosting is fluffy.
11. Drizzle the cooled chocolate into the buttercream and beat until it is thoroughly combined and no chocolate streaks remain.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
1. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit a cookie sheet.
2. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave at 30 second intervals.
3. Stir the canola oil into the melted chocolate to thin it out. Thinning the chocolate will make it easier to get an even coat of chocolate when dipping the strawberries.
3. Holding the leaves back, dip each strawberry into the chocolate making sure to coat all sides of the strawberry.
4. Place covered strawberries on the parchment paper.
5. Melt the white chocolate, using the same process as before.
6. Pour the melted white chocolate into a piping bag and drizzle accross the berries.
7. Place the tray in the fridge until the chocolate is hardened.
Cake Assembly
1. Level the cakes with a cake leveler so that both layers are the same height.
*If you don't have a cake leveler, you can use a serated knife. Hold the knife parallel to the cake and cut off the dome so that the top is even. 2. Spread a thick layer of chocolate mousse on top of the first layer. 3. Stack the second layer on top of the first. 4. Spread a generous layer of frosting on all sides of the cake and smooth out with an offset spatula. 5. Pipe chocolate mousse rosettes on the cake and place the chocolate covered strawberries. 6. Dig in and enjoy!
Tips
- Make sure to wipe down the bowl and utensils with lemon juice in order to kill all of the fats.
- When you add the butter to the meringue, don't worry if it turns to soup. This is normal and if you continue to beat it on high speed it will come together.
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