Perfect Recipe

Chocolate Cake with Nutella Frosting

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Frosting:
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup nutella

Directions:

Make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Make the Frosting:
Whip the heavy cream until thick anf fluffy. Place the nutella in a large bowl and slowy add the whipped cream to it, folding it in. When you have incorporated all the whip cream into the nutella it should be a mocha color. If the cream is too pale or the nutella flavor isn’t strong enough, feel free to add more nutella by the tablespoon! I probably added up to 3/4 cup into my frosting!

Assembling the Cake:
Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Cake with Coconut and Chocolate Filling

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark or regular unsweetened cocoa powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 cup buttermilk

Coconut Filling:

8 tbsp sugar
200ml coconut milk
100gr grated coconut
1/2 can(200g), condensed milk

Chocolate Filling:

1/2 can(200g), condensed milk
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp chocolate powder

Frosting:

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil two 7.9inch (20cm) springform cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper.

To make the cake, in a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat oil, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla, until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in 1 cup melted chocolate chips until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
Divide batter into pans. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until just set, and a toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Coconut Filling:
In a heavy saucepan, mix all the ingredients. Put over low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until you are able to see the bottom of the pot when you tilt the pan,(the mixture should slide quickly). The longer you leave it to boil, the thicker it gets.

Chocolate Filling:
In a heavy saucepan, mix the condensed milk, cocoa and butter. Stir to dissolve the chocolate. Put over low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until you are able to see the bottom of the pot when you tilt the pan,(the mixture should slide quickly). This should take 10-12 minutes.The longer you leave it to boil, the thicker it gets.

Frosting:
In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, salt and milk; bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Boil 1 minute or until thickened; remove pan from heat and strain mixture into a small bowl. Cool completely in the refrigerator or freezer.
Beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute, in a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed. Beat in “chocolate pudding” mixture until well combined, about 1 minute. Beat in melted chocolate until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Assembling the cake:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack over it. Using a serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally. (If necessary, shave off any uneven pieces of cake with a serrated knife so that it is smooth and even on all sides.) Brush the tops of three layers each with some milk with coconut milk. Place the bottom layer on a 9-inch round of cardboard and set it on the wire rack. Spread half the coconut filling evenly on top of the layer. Top with a second layer of cake. Spread the chocolate filling evenly over it. Top with the third layer and spread the remaining coconut filling. Top with the fourth layer. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Spread the entire cake with the chocolate frosting or use fondant icing. Led to the refrigerator until serving time.

Devil’s Food with Passion Fruit Truffle Filling

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark or regular unsweetened cocoa powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 cup buttermilk

Filling:
500g white chocolate, finely chopped
400g whipping cream
¼ cup (60ml) concentrated bottled passion fruit juice

To brush the cake:
½ tablespoon concentrated bottled passion fruit juice diluted in 4 tablespoons water

Frosting:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil two 7.9inch (20cm) springform cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper.

Start by making the filling: place the cream in a saucepan and heat until it is nearly boiling. Remove from heat and add the chocolate all at once. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is silky and smooth. Add the juice, mix well; refrigerate it, well covered, for 4-6 hours or until set.

To make the cake, in a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat oil, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla, until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in 1 cup melted chocolate chips until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
Divide batter into pans. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until just set, and a toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

To make the frosting, in a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, salt and milk; bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Boil 1 minute or until thickened; remove pan from heat and strain mixture into a small bowl. Cool completely in the refrigerator or freezer.
Beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute, in a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed. Beat in “chocolate pudding” mixture until well combined, about 1 minute. Beat in melted chocolate until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread or pipe frosting on to cupcakes.

Assembling the cake: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack over it. Using a serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally. (If necessary, shave off any uneven pieces of cake with a serrated knife so that it is smooth and even on all sides.) Brush the tops of three layers each with some of the juice. Place the bottom layer on a 9-inch round of cardboard and set it on the wire rack. Spread 1/3 the filling evenly on top of the layer. Top with a second layer of cake. Spread other 1/3 of filling evenly over it. Top with the third layer and spread the remaining filling. Top with the fourth layer. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Spread the entire cake with the chocolate frosting. Led to the refrigerator until serving time. Decorate as you like.

Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Filling

Ingredients:

Cake:

5 eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tbsp baking powder

Topping and Filling:

395g sweetened condensed milk
400ml of milk
1/2 cup corn starch
100g dark chocolate
300g whipping cream
300g strawberry

Directions:

Cake:
Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a pan. Separate the eggs while they are still cold, and cover the whites and yolks with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming on the egg yolks and the whites from drying out. Let the yolks and whites reach room temperature before using (this will take about 30 minutes). Having the yolks and whites at room temperature will ensure that the eggs reach their full volume when beaten.

Into a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and butter with the sugar until smooth. Slowly add the flour, cocoa and baking powder. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Pour egg yolk mixture over whites, gently folding with a rubber spatula just until blended. Do not stir or beat. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before taking it out to cool completely on wire rack.

Topping and Filling:
Separate some strawberries for decoration, cut in slices the remain and reserves.In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the condensed milk, milk and corn starch. Beat with a whisk until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add the chocolate and stir until melted. When cold add the whipping cream.

Assembling the cake:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack over it. Using a serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally. (If necessary, shave off any uneven pieces of cake with a serrated knife so that it is smooth and even on all sides.) Place the bottom layer on a round of cardboard and set it on the wire rack. Spread half of the filling evenly on top of the layer(don’t use a lot because you’ll need some to cover the cake) with the chopped strawberries. Top with a second layer of cake. Spread the rest of the filling evenly over the entire cake. Led to the refrigerator until serving time.