| Black Magic Chocolate Cake adapted from Hershey’s Kitchen
1-3/4 (224g) cups all-purpose flour Rum Raisin (prepare the night before) 90g raisins
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream 3 large (165 grams) egg whites Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream from Handle the Heat 2/3 cup (133 grams) granulated sugar |
To make Black Magic chocolate cake
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 7-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes (Batter will be thin). Pour batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake 30-40 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen cake from side of pan and remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. To make Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream In a large saucepan, place mixing bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Add egg whites and cups sugar and whisk together until frothy. Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 160˚F (takes about 3 min). Sugar should be fully dissolved (no granules when rubbing mixture between finger tips). Mixture will feel hot to the touch (or like the temperature of warm milk). Once bowl is at room temperature, switch to paddle attachment, and whip together until soft peaks form. Add butter 1 Tbsp at a time. Once all butter is in, scrape down the bowl and continue beating until it reaches a thick whipped consistency. It may look lumpy – it’s a good sign, keep beating until it changes consistency to become smooth, thick and whipped. Add vanilla extract and salt and mix on med-high until incorporated and silky. Set aside 1/2 of the buttercream for the rum raisin filling. Set aside 1/2 of the buttercream for the decorations on top (it will be colored pink, purple and orange) and the piped letters. To Make Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Similar method as above! In a large saucepan, place mixing bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Add egg whites and cups sugar and whisk together until frothy. Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 160˚F (takes about 3 min). Sugar should be fully dissolved (no granules when rubbing mixture between finger tips). Mixture will feel hot to the touch (or like the temperature of warm milk). Fit stand mixer with whisk attachment and beat the egg white mixture on medium speed until slightly cooled and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. If the mixture looks curdled, that’s okay. Just keep beating until it becomes smooth. If the butter becomes too warm and greasy, refrigerate the bowl for 10 to 15 minutes then continue to beat until smooth. Add chocolate and vanilla and mix until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light, fluffy, and well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. To make Rum Raisin Filling The day before, soak the 90g raisins with rum overnight in the fridge. Take 1/2 of the vanilla swiss meringue buttercream and mix in the soaked raisins. Adjust the amount of rum based on the consistency of the buttercream. To assemble Place first first layer on cake board, and fill the top with half of the rum raisin filling. Place a second cake layer on top and fill with the other half of the rum raisin filling. Place the third cake layer on top. Crumb coat the entire cake with chocolate swiss meringue buttercream, and refridgerate. When firm, frost the entire cake with chocolate buttercream. Use open star tips to pipe on designs on the cake. Use a round Wilton tip (size 2 or 3 willl work well) to pipe on letters. |
My Dose of Sugar 