Glazed Chocolate Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter bottom and side of pan, then line bottom with a round of parchment.
• Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
• Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to medium-low and add flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture (batter will appear curdled).
• Transfer batter to cake pan and smooth top. Bake until cake begins to pull away from side of pan and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Make glaze while cake cools:
• Bring cream to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, then pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 1 minute. Gently whisk until smooth, then stir in corn syrup. Cool completely, gently stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes (glaze will thicken).
• Carefully peel off parchment from cake. Pour glaze onto center of cake and spread to edges with a spatula. Decorate with sprinkles and/or nonpareils.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease three 9-inch cake pans and line with rounds of parchment or waxed paper.
• In a mixer, cream together butter, sugar and shortening until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time and continue to mix on medium until eggs are well incorporated. Stir in vanilla.
• Sift flour, then add salt, baking soda and baking powder. Sift a second time. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and milk in about 4 additions, then increase speed to medium. Beat until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl.
• Spread 3/4 cup batter in each pan. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until cake springs lightly when pressed with a finger. Flip cake out of pan onto paper towels or cake rack while still very warm. Repeat with second set of layers.
• When first layers go into oven, start to make icing. Put sugar and cocoa in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan and mix well. Turn heat to medium-high and add butter and milks, bringing to a boil. Boil for about 4 minutes, stirring continually, careful to watch that it does not boil over. Lower heat to simmer, add vanilla and stir occasionally for another 7 to 10 minutes. If using a candy thermometer, cook to the point just before soft ball stage or about 230 degrees.
• Begin icing first layers, still warm, when second batch is in the oven. Flip layers over so that top side faces up. Use about 4 tablespoons of icing per layer. Icing will be thin but will firm up as it cools. Stack layers, then continue icing and stacking as layers are baked.
• When all layers are iced and stacked, glaze top and sides of cake. Contours of layers will be visible through icing. If icing hardens too much while frosting cake, set back on low heat and stir until it is spreadable.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the base and sides with parchment paper.
• For the cake: Cream the butter and brown sugar together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated before adding the next and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Add about half of the flour mixture to the mixer bowl and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl well, then add the buttermilk and mix on low speed to combine. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed to incorporate.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool the cake for 10 minutes in the pan, then unlock and remove the sides of the pan and remove the parchment strips. Cool the cake completely on a cooling rack placed over a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• For the glaze: Put the chocolate and espresso powder in a medium bowl. Heat the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, then pour the cream over the chocolate. Let sit for 30 seconds, then stir until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a measuring cup with a pour spout.
• Start by pouring glaze around the edges of the cake, then continue pouring and working towards the center of the cake until it is covered. Let the glaze set for 5 minutes, then gently transfer to a serving platter or cake stand (do not let the glaze set fully on the cooling rack). Once the glaze is set, the cake is ready to serve.

Steps:

• For filling:
• Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Combine sugar and cornstarch in large bowl. Beat egg yolks into sugar mixture. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; add chocolate, butter and vanilla and whisk until mixture is smooth. Transfer filling to medium bowl. Cool, stirring occasionally. Gently press plastic wrap directly onto surface of filling; cover and chill until cold, at least 3 hours.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 17 1/4 x 11 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan. Line pan with parchment paper. Sift first 6 ingredients into large bowl. Whisk coffee, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; mix just until combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack. Using small knife, cut around edges of pan. Turn cake out onto work surface. Peel off parchment. Trim tough edges. Cut cake crosswise into three 5x10 1/2-inch pieces. (Filling and cake can be made ahead. Keep filling refrigerated up to 2 days. Wrap cake layers in plastic and refrigerate up to 1 day.)
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread half of filling over top. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining filling over. Top with third cake layer. Pour lukewarm glaze over top and sides of cake, covering completely. Smooth sides with spatula. Refrigerate 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover and keep refrigerated.)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all cake ingredients except chocolate chips and walnuts. Blend well with a handheld mixer, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Fold chocolate chips and walnuts (optional) into batter.
• Divide batter in half and pour evenly into two greased and floured round layer cake pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least one hour before turning out.
• Carefully turn first cake out of pan onto cake plate with flat side on plate and round side facing up. With a knife, carefully trim the rounded edge to make a flat surface for the filling.
• For filling, stir together brown sugar, cornstarch, salt and water in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, cook (stirring constantly) until mixture begins to thicken (to a pudding-like consistency) and boil. Boil and stir for one minute. Remove from heat. Cool for at least 10 minutes. Spread filling over top of bottom layer of cake.
• Carefully turn second cake out of pan. Place flat side of cake atop bottom layer of cake (covered with filling) with round side facing up. Do not trim rounded top surface of cake.
• For glaze, heat chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. Spread over top layer of cake, allowing some of the glaze to drip down the sides of the cake.
• For bundt cake without filling, follow cake and glaze instructions. Baking time for cake may vary due to its being one layer instead of two. Turn cake out of bundt pan with flat side facing down and top with glaze as directed above.

Steps:

• For filling: Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan.
• Remove from heat.
• Combine sugar and cornstarch in large bowl.
• Beat egg yolks into sugar mixture.
• Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture.
• Return mixture to saucepan.
• Whisk over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute.
• Remove from heat; add chocolate, butter and vanilla and whisk until mixture is smooth.
• Transfer filling to medium bowl.
• Cool, stirring occasionally.
• Gently press plastic wrap directly onto surface of filling; cover and chill until cold, at least 3 hours.
• For cake: Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Butter 17 1/4 x 11 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan.
• Line pan with parchment paper.
• Sift first 6 ingredients into large bowl.
• Whisk coffee, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl.
• Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; mix just until combined.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan, spreading evenly.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
• Cool cake completely in pan on rack.
• Using small knife, cut around edges of pan.
• Turn cake out onto work surface.
• Peel off parchment.
• Trim tough edges.
• Cut cake crosswise into three 5x10 1/2-inch pieces.
• (Filling and cake can be made ahead. Keep filling refrigerated up to 2 days. Wrap cake layers in plastic and refrigerate up to 1 day.) Place 1 cake layer on platter.
• Spread half of filling over top.
• Top with second cake layer.
• Spread remaining filling over.
• Top with third cake layer.
• Pour lukewarm glaze over top and sides of cake, covering completely.
• Smooth sides with spatula.
• Refrigerate 2 hours.
• (Can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover and keep refrigerated.).
• Chocolate Glaze (Makes 3 cups): Bring cream to simmer in large saucepan over low heat.
• Add chocolate, whisk until smooth.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in corn syrup.
• Cool glaze until barely lukewarm.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 8-inch round cake pan. In medium saucepan, melt butter and 16 oz. chocolate over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Gently stir in eggs until well combined. Pour into greased pan. Place cake pan in 13x9-inch pan; add warm water until 1 inch deep.
• Bake at 350°F. for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set. Remove cake pan from water bath; place on wire rack. Cool 40 minutes.
• Carefully run knife around edge of pan; invert cake onto wire rack. Cool an additional 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine whipping cream, corn syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add 3 oz. chocolate; stir until melted and smooth.
• Place cake on serving platter. Place pieces of waxed paper under cake to catch drips. Slowly pour glaze over top and sides of cake to cover. With narrow metal spatula, smooth glaze over cake. Sprinkle hazelnuts around top edge of cake. When glaze is set, remove waxed paper. Store in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Place bittersweet chocolate, finelychopped, in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan,heat heavy cream over medium-high;when bubbling around edge, pour overchocolate. Let stand 5 minutes, then whiskuntil shiny and smooth.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Generously grease and lightly flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan, or spray with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, mix cake mix, chocolate milk, butter, eggs, sour cream and dry pudding mix with spoon until well blended (batter will be very thick). Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon into pan.
• Bake 56 to 64 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn pan upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate; remove pan. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat glaze ingredients over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Drizzle over cake. Store loosely covered.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees, with a rack in the middle. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour blend, almond meal, baking powder and sea salt until well combined.
• In a stand mixer with a paddle, beat 12 tablespoons butter for 2 minutes until light and fluffy; add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the egg yolks, one at a time, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in vanilla. Beat in half the flour mix, then drizzle in half the buttermilk until incorporated. Repeat with the remaining flour mix and buttermilk, scraping down the mixer sides between additions.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and the top of the cake is firm to the touch. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the cake edges and invert onto a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature.
• Prepare the glaze: In a small heavy saucepan, heat the cream on low heat, to the boiling point, then stir in the chocolate and rum. Stir until melted and smooth, adding more cream if the mixture seems too thick. It should coat the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat and let the glaze cool until just tepid.
• Spread the cherry preserves over the top of one of the cake layers. Take the other cake layer and stack it upside-down on top of the first layer. Pour the glaze on to the center of the cake, allowing the excess to flow down the sides. Smooth out the top quickly and evenly with a large offset metal spatula.