Here’s the Layer Cake Recipe!

We made this fantastic Black and White Layer Cake in class this past weekend.  It’s a great way to feed a crowd.  You’ll be a popular person.

White Layer Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting

Adapted from Food and Wine-Giant Black and White Cake

serves about 32

cake:

6 cups cake flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups milk

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla

3 sticks butter, softened

4 cups sugar

8 eggs, room temp

powdered sugar

frosting and filling:

1 quart cream (4 cups)

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 pounds bittersweet chocolate chips

4 sticks butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350º. Line three 12×17 sheet pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and vanilla. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate each one before adding the next. Lower your mixer speed and alternately add the dry and wet ingredients.

Spread the batter evenly on the 3 sheet pans. Bake for about 25 minutes, until cakes spring back lightly when touched and cake looks dry when a small portion is peeled up. Let cakes cool for about 20 minutes. Run a spatula around the edges of cakes to loosen from sides. Dust the tops of the cakes generously with powdered sugar. Place parchment paper on a cardboard that is the same size as the cake, place on top of one layer and then flip over. Carefully peel the paper from the bottom of the cake. A large cutting board makes a good base to assemble and serve this cake on. Place cutting board on top of cake where paper was peeled off and then flip to place this first layer on the cutting board. Repeat flipping and peeling paper off of remaining two layers and set aside.

frosting and filling: In a very large saucepan, combine 3 1/2 cups of the cream with the sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring until slightly reduced. Remove from heat. Add the chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Using the stand mixer on medium to low speed, beat in the remaining 1/2 cup of cream. Add the butter and beat until creamy, about 1 minute. Transfer half of this ganache to a bowl and set aside. Beat in the powdered sugar to make the filling.

 Immediately spread one third of the filling on top of the cake that is on the cutting board. Top with a second layer of cake and spread with another third of the filling. Top with third layer and top with remaining filling, lightly spreading some on the sides of the cake to create a crumb coat. Chill cake for 20 minutes.

 Place cutting board on top of a wire rack, set inside a sheet pan. Pour the ganache that you set aside all over the cake, gently pushing and spreading to coat. The less you work with this coat the shinier and smoother the finish will be. Once complete, clean up the edges of the cutting board serving plate.