Tuxedo Cake with Whipped White Chocolate Ganache

A cross-section of the inside of the sliced cake.

Tuxedo Cake with Whipped White Chocolate Ganache

Tuxedo Cake is made with three layers of rich, moist chocolate cake and filled with a whipped white chocolate ganache and a silky chocolate fudge frosting. This is truly an incredible celebration cake!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Dessert

Keyword Cake, Chocolate Cake, Tuxedo Cake

Prep Time 1 15

Cook Time 21

Servings to 20 slices

Calories 1203kcal

Author Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

For the Cake Layers:

2 cups hot water
1 and 1/2 cups 2 tbsp natural cocoa powder Do not use dutch process. 157 grams
3 cups cake flour, spooned & leveled 330 grams
2 and 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed 482 grams
1 cup granulated sugar 206 grams
3 tsp baking soda
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp DeLallo Instant Espresso Powder
1 and 1/2 cups full sour cream, at room temperature 360 grams
1/4 cup milk, at room temperature 60 mL, I used 2%
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil 106 mL
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

1 and 1/2 cups salted butter, softened at room temperature 3 sticks. 24 tbsp, or 339 grams
7 and 1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream
3 tbsp corn syrup optional, adds shine to the frosting
1 cup + 2 tbsp natural cocoa powder You can use dutch process here if you want a really dark chocolate flavor
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp to 2 tsp DeLallo Instant Espresso Powder adding more here will add a bit of a coffee taste to the frosting since it's not being baked
pinch of salt
12 Ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature use the full fat blocks

White Chocolate Ganache

3 ounces heavy cream
8 ounces white chocolate

For Decorating

white chocolate shavings or curls (see note below)
fresh berries
mint sprigs

Instructions

Prep: Grease three 9-inch cake pans with shortening and place parchment paper rounds in the bottom. Grease those as well, then flour the pans, tapping out the excess. If you skip any part of this, the cake will stick. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 ° F.
Make the Cake Batter: Measure the hot water into a 4-cup glass measuring cup or medium bowl, then whisk in the cocoa until completely dissolved. Set aside to let come down to room temp. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients (including the sugars). Next, add the wet ingredients, including the room temp (not steaming hot!) cocoa and water mixture, and whisk until combined. There may be a few small lumps – that's fine.
Bake: Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 22 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs on it (not wet batter). Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge and invert onto cooling racks. Let cool completely.
Tip: I recommend rotating cake pans halfway through since every oven will have hot spots and this ensures an even bake.
Make the Frosting: Beat butter in a large mixing bowl on high speed until creamy – 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add powdered sugar, 2 cups at a time, mixing between each until creamy. Add 1-2 tbsp of heavy cream to help things come together. Add vanilla extract, cocoa powder, corn syrup, espresso powder, and salt and mix. Add cubed room temperature cream cheese, and mix well. (Adding this last prevents a weepy frosting – see more in blog post).
Make the Ganache: Add the finely chopped white chocolate to a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour over the white chocolate, and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until completely smooth – microwave in 10 second intervals if any lumps remain. Pop this in the fridge or freezer for 12 minutes to thicken, stirring halfway through.Once the white chocolate is ready, beat it with an electric mixer on high speed for about 1-2 minutes to whip the ganache. Then, use it immediately.
Assemble Cake: Place the first cake layer on a cake stand on top of a turntable. Spread 1 and 1/2 cups of chocolate frosting over the layer. Pipe a border of frosting around the cake layer and fill with 1/2 cup of the whipped ganache, spreading it evenly. Place the second cake layer on top and chill for 5-10 minutes to set things so the layers don't slide around. Repeat with the second layer. Add the final layer upside down for a flat top, and give the cake a thin layer of frosting on top and on the sides. Use a cake scraper to smooth out and remove excess. This is your crumb coat, so don't fret if it isn't perfect. Pop the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the frosting is set. Then, apply the remaining frosting, using the cake scraper to smooth the top and sides of the cake. Chill the entire cake in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until set, before covering it (with plastic wrap or a cake lid) or serving it.
Tip: If your frosting is getting too soft at any point from sitting out, pop it back in the fridge for a bit to firm back up.
Serve & Store: Decorate the top of the cake with white chocolate shavings or curls. Serve the cake once chilled as directed above. Slice into as many slices as desired! Store leftovers in an airtight container (or in a cake plate with plastic wrap pressed over the cut portion) in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Make Ahead Tips: Frosting can be made 1-2 days ahead. Cover tightly and store in the fridge. Let it come to room temp a bit before using, and mix it again to get it spreadable.Cake layers can be made 1-2 days ahead. Let cool completely, then place each layer on a plate, stick 2 toothpicks in the top of each layer, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. The top of the cake is so moist, so the toothpicks will prevent sticking. Store at room temp overnight, or in the fridge for 2 days.

Notes

Chocolate Curls: To make chocolate curls, melt 3 ounces chopped white chocolate with 1 tbsp of shortening or vegetable oil in 20 second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Pour this over the backside of a cookie sheet, spreading it as thin as possible. Place in the freezer for a few minutes - you want it to be solid, but you should *just* be able to leave a print from your finger, without making a depression. Then, use a cookie flipper or something similar with a blunt metal edge to scrape down the sheet pan (from the short side across, to cover the longest distance), to create curls. If the chocolate breaks, it's too cold - let it sit out for 30 seconds or so and keep trying. If it gets too soft, pop it back in the freezer. Touching them as little as possible, transfer the curls to a plate to freeze until ready to use.

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