Rating: I didn't get to taste any of it, but I'm giving it 5 of 5 from feedback from the wedding guests.
Assembly: The bottom tier consisted of a chocolate cake with a chocolate butter cream between the layers. The top tier consisted of a butter cake with a chocolate butter cream between the layers. The entire cake was covered in a chocolate ganache.
Bottom Tier
Chocolate De'Light Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick/4 ounces/113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line two 9 x 2-inch round cake pans with wax paper and grease the paper.
2. Make the Chocolate Cake:
In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, coarsely chopped chocolate and the 1/2 cup of water and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until smooth. Let cool slightly, stirring occasionally.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and egg yolks until blended. Gradually beat in the chocolate mixture. Beat in the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the milk, until smooth. Beat in the vanilla (batter will be rather thin.)
4. In a medium bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until barely firm. Stir one-third of the whites into the batter. Fold in the remaining whites until incorporated.
5. Scrape the batter into the two prepared pans. Bake the cakes in the bottom third of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for 15 minutes, then remove from pans and place right side up on racks to cool completely.
Top Tier
Butter Cake
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350F (180C). Line the bottoms of two 9 x 2-inch round cake pans with parchment or wax paper.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt onto a piece of wax paper; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle blade, beat the butter on medium speed until it is lighter in color; about 45 seconds. Add the sugar in a steady stream, then stop the machine and scrape down the bowl. Resume beating, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture is very light in color and texture, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Gradually pour in the eggs, about a tablespoon at a time. (If the mixture looks curdled, stop adding the eggs, increase the speed to high, and beat until it looks smooth and shiny. Return the speed to medium, and add the remaining eggs.) Continue beating until the mixture is ivory-colored.The entire process of adding and beating the eggs should take 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Reduce the mixture speed to low. Add the flour mixture in four additions, alternating with three additions of the milk. After each addition, beat until smooth and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla with the final addition of milk. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pans.
6. Bake until the tops spring back when the cakes are lightly pressed in the centers and a toothpick inserted in the centres comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
7.Transfer the layers to wire cooling racks and cool for about 10 minutes. Invert onto the racks or plates and remove the pans. Peel off the paper liners and place them back on the layers, sticky sides up. Invert onto wire racks, right side up, and cool completely on the wax paper. Frost and fill cake when completely cooled.
Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting
Ingredients:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup milk, or as needed
Directions:
Melt the chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water until completely melted. Add butter, vanilla and salt. Mix with the sugar, beat hard with a wooden spoon, adding milk until icing becomes thick and is of good spreading consistency.
Ganache
Ingredients:
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Directions:
1. Place the chopped chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
2. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over a cake. Start at the center of the cake and work outward.
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