Black and White Cake

For my mom's birthday I made this AMAZING cake from a Food Network Magazine. If you follow my blog you'll remember I made another one from this issue before, Strawberry Ice Cream Cake. I love this issue because it has a basic chocolate and a basic vanilla cake in the back and then 12 different (one for each month) variations on those cakes.

The one I chose for my mom was a black and white mocha cake, but none of us like coffee so I used the cake and filling from the recipe while altering the ganache from it by looking at the other recipes for it in the magazine. It turned out perfect! On top of that, the two cake recipes are so amazing, you'll never need to use another recipe for cake again!

Chocolate Cake
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Coat two 9" round cake pans with cooking spray.
• Whisk cocoa powder and 1 & 1/2 cups boiling water until smooth. Set aside.
• Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
• Add eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
• Beat in cocoa mixture until just combined.
• Divide batter between two prepared pans, tap against counter to help settle.
• Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool for about 10 minutes, remove from pans.
• Using a large serrated knife, cut the tops off to make them level.

Vanilla Cake

2 sticks butter, softened

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 & 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 & 1/4 cups whole milk

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Coat two 9" round cake pans with cooking spray.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• Beat in the vanilla and milk.
• Beat in the flour mixture until just smooth.
• Divide batter between two prepared pans.
• Bake approximately 30 minutes, until cakes are light golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted int he middle comes out clean.
• Let cool for 10 minutes, remove from pans.
• Using a large serrated knife, cut the tops off to make them level.

Ganache

6 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

• Put the chocolate and salt in a medium bowl.
• Bring heavy cream to a simmer.
• Pour cream over chocolate and whisk until smooth.
• Let sit for approximately one hour, until thick but not set.

Filling

8 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped

2 & 1/2 sticks butter, softened

Pinch of salt

1 & 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

• Over medium heat, melt the milk chocolate.
• Beat the butter and salt until fluffy.
• Add the chocolate to the butter and beat until combined.
• Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth.
• Add vanilla and cocoa powder and beat until smooth.

• Begin assembling the cake.
• Start with a chocolate layer and top with 3/4 cup of the filling.
• Top with a vanilla layer and another 3/4 cup filling.
• Repeat with the other chocolate and vanilla layers, topping the cake with the remaining filling.
• Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.
• Let sit at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes before slicing.