Description
Rich chocolate lovers discover this Chocolate Decadence Cake as an indulgent dessert from France. Cocoa-infused layers melt with creamy ganache, offering passionate bakers a luxurious culinary experience you will savor completely.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 ½ cups + 2 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder (360 mL)
- 2 ¼ cups light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tsps baking soda
- 1 ½ tsps baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tsps espresso powder
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups hot water (480 mL)
- 1 ½ cups full-fat sour cream (360 mL)
- ¼ cup milk (60 mL)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (120 mL)
- 1 ½ tsps vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups salted butter, softened (420 g)
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup + 2 tbsps freeze-dried raspberries, powdered
- 2 tbsps raspberry preserves
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened (170 g)
- ⅔ cup raspberry preserves
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate (113 g)
- ½ cup (120 mL)
Instructions
- Preheat: Warm the oven to 350℉ and thoroughly grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.
- Cocoa Base: Whisk hot water and cocoa until achieving a silky, lump-free consistency.
- Dry Mixture: Blend cake flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder in a comprehensive bowl.
- Wet Integration: Merge sour cream, milk, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract into dry ingredients, stirring until uniformly combined.
- Baking Process: Distribute batter evenly across prepared pans and bake for 23-27 minutes, verifying doneness with a clean toothpick test.
- Cooling Stage: Rest cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete temperature reduction.
- Frosting Preparation: Cream butter, then gradually incorporate powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, salt, powdered raspberries, and raspberry preserves until achieving a smooth, vibrant filling.
- Cream Cheese Enhancement: Fold softened cream cheese into frosting, beating until light and airy.
- Cake Assembly: Layer cake with raspberry frosting and preserves, ensuring even distribution between each tier.
- Frosting Technique: Apply a delicate crumb coat, chill for 30 minutes, then cover with a thick, smooth frosting layer.
- Chocolate Drip: Heat cream, pour over chopped chocolate, allow brief resting, then stir until glossy; mix in vegetable oil for enhanced shine.
- Final Decoration: Create elegant chocolate drips, pipe decorative frosting swirls, and garnish with fresh raspberries and mini chocolate chips.
Notes
- Cocoa Hydration Technique: Whisking hot water with cocoa ensures a smooth, lump-free mixture that enhances chocolate depth and prevents dry pockets in the cake.
- Temperature Precision: Maintain exact 350℉ oven temperature and use room temperature ingredients for consistent, even baking and optimal cake texture.
- Moisture-Locking Strategy: Adding sour cream and milk creates a tender, rich crumb that keeps the cake incredibly moist and prevents dryness.
- Frosting Stability Trick: Gradually incorporating powdered sugar prevents clumping and ensures a silky, spreadable frosting that holds its shape perfectly.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 63 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg