Chocolate cream layer cake fills chocolate layers with a cooked milk frosting and finishes them with semisweet ganache. The frosting begins as a cooked flour paste rather than powdered sugar buttercream.
The milk belongs in that cooked frosting, while heavy cream makes the ganache. Keep both separate from the coffee in the cake batter.
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Why This Cooked Cream Frosting Works
Cooking milk, sugar and flour through the bubbling stage thickens the paste before butter is introduced. A fully cooled paste can then beat into softened butter without melting it.
Chilling the frosted cake gives the ganache a firmer surface. Cooling the chocolate mixture to pouring consistency prevents it from melting the white frosting underneath.
Ingredients for Chocolate Cream Layer Cake
For the cake
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cup warm coffee
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ((not Dutch process))
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the frosting
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter ((room temperature))
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 dash salt
For the ganache
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
Pan preparation
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
Coffee: Use the measured warm coffee in cake batter.
Cake cocoa: Natural unsweetened cocoa is listed for this leavening formula.
Frosting flour: Its quarter cup is separate from the cake flour.
Butter: Use softened frosting butter with completely cool cooked paste.
Ganache: Eight ounces semisweet chocolate pair with the separate two thirds cup cream.
How to Make Chocolate Cream Layer Cake
- Bake layers. Prepare two nine inch pans and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix wet and sifted dry cake ingredients separately, combine gently and divide. Bake 25 to 35 minutes until central crumb has no wet batter, then unmold and cool.
- Cook frosting. Whisk frosting milk, sugar and flour in a saucepan. Stir over heat until bubbling and continue 2 minutes. Cool the paste promptly and fully in a shallow covered container.
- Beat and frost. Beat softened butter and gradually add cool paste, frosting vanilla and salt. Fill and cover cold cake layers and refrigerate until firm.
- Add ganache. Pour steaming ganache cream over chopped chocolate, rest briefly and stir smooth. Cool to pouring consistency, coat the cold cake and chill before cutting twelve slices.
Serving the Cream Layer Cake
Serve after the ganache is set. For another chocolate dessert, see pumpkin cheesecake brownies.
For a chilled fruit option, try berry tart. No extra whipped cream filling is needed beyond this cooked frosting formula.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate covered for up to 3 to 4 days. Protect the cut face and keep the cooked milk frosting cold between serving periods.
Freeze portions or unfrosted layers for up to 2 months for quality. Thaw refrigerated without reheating. Cooked frosting and ganache can change surface texture after freezing, so use careful support when slicing.
Tips and Substitutions
- Separate flour quantities. Cake flour and frosting flour go into different mixtures.
- Cook paste fully. Continue for the listed bubbling time.
- Cool before butter. Warm paste loosens the frosting.
- Add paste gradually. Small additions blend more evenly.
- Use cold layers. Warm cake softens the coating.
- Cool ganache. It should pour without being hot.
- Check allergens. Wheat, egg and milk are present; chocolate may contain soy or other allergens.
- Keep finished cake cold. Avoid raw batter and refrigerate dairy frosting. Follow FDA food handling guidance.
Chocolate Cream Layer Cake FAQs
Does this frosting use powdered sugar?
No. Granulated sugar cooks with flour and milk before the paste is beaten into butter.
Is the ganache cream part of the frosting milk?
No. Heavy cream is reserved for the chocolate ganache.
Why cool the paste fully?
Warm paste can melt softened butter and leave a loose mixture. Cool first, then beat in gradually.
Can hot ganache go over frosting?
Cool it to pouring consistency. Hot chocolate can soften the layer beneath.
What is the yield?
Two nine inch layers form one cake divided into twelve slices.
Chocolate Cream Layer Cake with Ermine and Ganache
Equipment
- Two nine inch round cake pans
- Mixer
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Heatproof bowl
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cup warm coffee
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the frosting
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 dash salt
For the ganache
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
Pan preparation
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
Instructions
- Combine separate cake wet and dry mixtures and divide into two prepared nine inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 35 minutes and cool.
- Cook frosting milk, sugar and flour to bubbling and continue 2 minutes. Cool fully, then beat gradually into softened butter with vanilla and salt.
- Fill and coat cold layers and refrigerate until firm.
- Pour steaming cream over chopped chocolate, stir smooth after a brief rest and cool to pouring consistency. Coat and chill before twelve way slicing.
