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Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake

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Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted.

#HalloweenTreatsWeek and the giveaway included in this post are sponsored by Dixie Crystals. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures possible.

Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted. #HalloweenTreatsWeek

I’m not the best cake baker. Yes. I know this is a horrible way to start a post about a cake. But it’s true. I do not have a basic cake recipe that I can easily change up as needed. Because, well, if I make a cake, I have to take it into work. The other does not like my baked goods the second day. So, if I want cake, I’ll just buy it. It’s easier.

Of course, when I was a kid baking in the kitchen, I always made the Hershey chocolate cake and chocolate frosting. I resurrected that frosting for this recipe. How have I forgotten about it all this time? It’s so deliciously rich. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted. #HalloweenTreatsWeek

 

What is creaming versus reverse creaming? 

Most of you who have baked anything that combines butter, sugar, and flour have used the traditional creaming method. Creaming involves creaming butter and sugar until light and fluffy before adding the flour and the rest of the ingredients. It’s a tried-and-true method that produces consistently delicious results for all bakers. 

Reverse creaming takes the butter and combines it with all the dry ingredients first. Gluten begins to form when flour encounters liquids. In the reverse creaming method, the butter coats the glutenin and the gliadin in the flour. This, in theory, could inhibit gluten from forming. Yeah, that’s a bit science-y.

Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted. #HalloweenTreatsWeek

For other baked goods, gluten is perfectly fine. But for cakes, it’s really not a desirable result of your efforts. Gluten can take a cake from light and airy into a dense and tough cake. Those are two words you really do not associate with a cake. Unless it’s like a … I can’t even think of a cake you would describe with those two words and have it be good. 

What’s the all-in method? 

It’s kind of self-explanatory. You pretty much combine it all in one bowl and have at it with the mixer. Which is counter intuitive to probably most of us that have made any kind of quick bread, cake, brownie, etc. 

Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted. #HalloweenTreatsWeek

I might have to run a test of this cake against all three methods and see how it turns out. It would be an interesting experiment. But then I’d have 3 cakes to take to work.

Which creaming method works best?

From what I have read, most people cannot tell the difference between creamed and reverse creamed. At least not based on flavor and crumb texture. However, structurally the creamed cakes are a little domed on top and a slightly more open crumb inside the cake.

Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted. #HalloweenTreatsWeek

The reserve creamed cake appears to be more flat than the creamed cakes. The crumb is more velvety in texture and ultra-fine. It is the ideal cake for layer cakes. Reverse creamed cakes hold up to frosting and decorating very well.

Yes, I have some holes in my cake. But you can see the crumb is tight. Mine had a deliciously fudgy flavor and texture to it. But the crumb is very smooth and very delicious!

Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted. #HalloweenTreatsWeek

When I took the cakes out of the oven the puffed up like I anticipated. I just figured I would slice off the top making it level for frosting. But as they cooled, they were completely flat and perfectly even on top. Which made my job of slicing and decorating perfectly easy! 

There’s not enough frosting between the layers for my liking. I had to split the recipe and use it for two purposes. The rest of this frosting is in the poisoned apple macaron I made for this event. Which meant I did not have all the frosting I wanted for this cake. So, by all means, use all the frosting for your cakes. 

Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted. #HalloweenTreatsWeek

 

What does deadly dark chocolate layer cake taste like?

So much cholate in flavor! From the cocoa powder and the melted chocolate in the cake to the cocoa powder frosting, this cake has a ton of chocolate flavor in it. The cake has a brownie like flavor and slight brownie like consistency. The frosting is rich and full of dark chocolate flavor with a hint of coffee in there. Hence the deadly dark chocolate in the title. It is super rich and packed with delicious dark chocolate flavor.

I couldn’t resist the urge to nibble on the pieces of the cake I cut off to make the layers. I did not cut straight on more than one occasion. This left me with some pieces to nibble on. Heck, I could have made a trifle with them! I probably should have made a trifle. But this cake is also deadly in that it is addictive to nibble on.

Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted. #HalloweenTreatsWeek

Even the other asked for a couple of pieces. I was floored. I thought for sure I’d wind up having to eat the whole thing, but I didn’t. Of course, you want to be careful with your slices. Do not slice more than an inch at a time. If you do, you might want some milk to have with it. That was always my favorite. A slice of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and a tall, cold glass of milk.

This definitely one cake I will be making again. It makes 2 loaves so feel free to half it and make one or freeze the second one for later. Either way, just make this cake. You will not regret it! Deadly dark chocolate layer cake has all the chocolate flaves in there!

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Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted. #HalloweenTreatsWeek
Yield: 16

Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake

Cook Time: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake has two kinds of dark chocolate in it along with some coffee. The frosting is also a dark chocolate frosting making this one dangerous cake. One bite and you will be addicted.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup cubed butter
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup hot coffee
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the frosting:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup dark cocoa powder
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cake:

    1. Preheat oven to 325.
    2. Combine the flour with the salt, baking powder, and baking soda in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles coarse meal. Set aside.
    3. Melt the chocolate chips with the hot coffee in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer).
    4. Add the cocoa powder and beat at medium speed until combined.
    5. Stir in the sugar and brown sugar and beat until the mixture is fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
    6. Adds the eggs one at a time and then the egg yolks beating after each addition.
    7. Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract.
      Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes or until the batter is fluffy.
    8. Butter and flour two loaf pans and divide the batter evenly between the two.
    9. Tap the pans on the counter to even the batter out and release any air.
    10. Bake at 325 for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out sort of clean. A few crumbs sticking to it is okay. It will continue to cook once you take it out of the oven.
    11. Allow to cool in the pan 10 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling completely.

For the frosting:

    1. While the cakes cool make the frosting.
    2. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl on high 30 to 60 seconds.
    3. Using the whisk attachment, add the salt and cocoa powder. Beat on medium speed until they are combined.
    4. Slowly add the powdered sugar starting with 2 cups and then adding at 1/4 cup intervals to reach the desired consistency you want.
    5. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract and then beat the frosting on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sugar is no longer grainy.
    6. Slice the cakes in half. Spread the frosting between the layers and then spread the remaining frosting over the entire cake.
    7. Slice into 1/2 inch slices and serve.

Nutrition Information

Yield

16

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 435Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 105mgSodium 265mgCarbohydrates 55gFiber 2gSugar 42gProtein 5g

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