Servings: 14 slices
Calories: 1127kcal
Equipment
- 3 8" round cake pans
- Stand mixer with whisk and paddle
- Hand mixer optional
- Instant read thermometer
- Digital scale
- Heatproof bowls
Ingredients
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
- 315 g cake flour 2 ½ cups
- 70 g natural cocoa powder sifted
- 1 tsp fine seas salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 340 g granulated sugar
- 225 g unsalted butter room temp
- 180 g neutral oil I used grapeseed
- 4 large eggs room temp
- 240 g sour cream room temp
- 240 ml buttermilk room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 g dark chocolate 60-70% melted & cooled
Dark Chocolate Ganache Whip
- 300 g dark chocolate 60-70% chopped
- 360 ml heavy cream
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Swiss Meringue Chocolate Buttercream
- 200 g egg whites about 6 large eggs
- 300 g granulated sugar
- 450 g unsalted butter softened but cool
- 200 g dark chocolate around 60% melted & cooled
- 1 pinch fine seas salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
- Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and line three 8 inch round pans with parchment rounds.
- In a large bowl whisk flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In the mixer bowl with paddle, cream butter and sugar on medium high until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stream in the oil and mix until fully combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each and scraping the bowl.
- Mix in sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
- On low speed add dry ingredients in three additions alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry mix. Stop when just combined.
- Stir in the melted chocolate until the batter is uniform.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Target about 775 g per pan.
- Bake 28 to 32 minutes until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs.
- Cool 10 minutes in pans, then turn out to wire racks and cool completely.
Dark Chocolate Ganache Whip
- Heat cream until steaming. Pour over the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit 2 minutes.
- Stir gently from the center until smooth and glossy. Add salt and vanilla.
- Cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until thick and spreadable.
- Whip with a hand mixer on medium low just until it looks like chocolate mousse. Do not over whip.
Swiss Meringue Chocolate Buttercream
- Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl set over gently simmering water. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160F.
- Transfer to a mixer with the whisk. Beat on high until glossy stiff peaks form and the bowl is cool, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Switch to paddle. Add butter a few tablespoons at a time. If it looks curdled keep mixing until smooth.
- Mix in cooled melted chocolate, salt, and vanilla. Beat until silky and spreadable.
Assembly
- Level cakes if needed. Place the first layer on a board.
- Spread a generous layer of whipped ganache. Top with the second layer and repeat.
- Add the final cake layer.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream. Chill 20 minutes.
- Frost smoothly with the remaining buttercream.
- Finish with a light snowfall of grated dark chocolate, cocoa nibs if you want gentle texture, or any extra ganache you have.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 1127kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 87g | Saturated Fat: 46g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 198mg | Sodium: 395mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 1798IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 1mg
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