Chocolate-Mocha Layer Easter Cake with Marshmallow and Chocolate-Mocha Icing

This is the cake I made for our Easter dinner. I did modify it some from a Brown Eyed Baker recipe, as well as the frostings. It came out better than I could have imagined. This will now be my go-to recipe for chocolate cake or cupcakes.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:
2½ cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup + 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder (Vaharona, Calebut or otherwise)-I used Calebut from France
1 tablespoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
3 eggs, at room temperature
1½ cups of 1% milk
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (into milk 10-15 minutes ahead)
1½ cups strong black coffee, hot
¾ cup vegetable oil
4½ teaspoons Bourbon vanilla extract

For the Marshmallow Icing:
1 bag powdered sugar
½ cup Crisco-Butter flavored (or can also use unsalted butter)
2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

1/2 cup half and half (thin to desired consistency)
1 package Cream Cheese-at room temperature
1/8 cup Monin Marshmallow flavored Syrup

For the Chocolate Mocha Frosting:
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup Mocha powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate, melted and cooled
½ cup heavy cream (until desired consistency is reached)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease six 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, grease the parchment, then flour the insides of the pans, tapping out excess; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk-with vinegar already added 10 minutes ahead), coffee, oil and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 20 seconds (the batter will be very thin).

Divide the batter evenly among six prepared pans (greased & floured). I use a 1 cup scoop, & add just under two cups to each pan, then divide what’s left over evenly. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pans in the oven. Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs), about 12 more minutes. Cool the cakes (in the pans) on wire racks for 20 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely. I covered each cake with Saran wrap, & stored in the fridge to be iced the next day.

Marshmallow Icing: Beat the butter (shortening), cream cheese, and powdered sugar on low speed until blended together, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract and increase the speed to medium-high; beat for 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, add the Marshmallow syrup, continue to mix on a low speed until well combined, and light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl as necessary.

Chocolate-Mocha Icing: Beat the butter and powdered sugar on low speed until blended together, about 1 minute. Add the Mocha powder, and vanilla. Beat on low until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and beat on medium-high speed for another minute.

Cake assembly: Place your first layer face-up on a cake plate and cover with one-third of the Marshmallow Icing. Place another cake layer face-up and cover with about ¾ to 1 cup of Chocolate-Mocha Frosting. Repeat, alternating marshmallow and chocolate filling layers, until you come to your cake final layer, which you will place face-down. Frost the entire outside of cake with the remaining
Chocolate-Mocha Frosting.

**Adapted from a Brown Eyed Baker recipe

 

Dark & White Chocolate Peppermint Bark....DIY Gifts!

I may still be wearing the P.J's I woke up in yesterday, which is the down side......but that's not important. The UP side is that I spent almost the entire weekend baking, and making DIY Christmas gifts for our friends & co-workers on base. In order to do that, I had to make some sacrifices, mainly-showering. But just to re-assure everyone that will be receiving a DIY gift from me, I showered the night before I started, so that technically counts!

After I made these, I packed them all up in the cutest Martha Stewart Treat boxes, which I found in a set that comes with ribbon, box, tissue paper & even a label...can't beat that! Not to mention that Christmas stuff at Michael's is the B.O.M.B.!

Enjoy....

Dark and White Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

1 & ½ bags high quality dark Chocolate chips

1 & ½ bags high quality White Chocolate chips

3 teaspoons real Peppermint Extract (divided)

1 box Candy canes (individually wrapped)

Wax paper

Non-stick spray

A large cookie sheet with no edge

A freezer (lol)

Directions:

Melt dark chocolate chips over a water bath on medium-low heat. Once melted mix in 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, mixing well until well combined. On a cookie sheet, cover with wax paper, then spray lightly with non-stick spray. Pour the melted chocolate evenly across the sheet, spreading with a spatula to coat evenly. Place into the freezer immediately.

Melt white chocolate chips over a water bath on medium-low heat. Once melted mix in 2 teaspoons peppermint extract, mixing well until well combined. Remove cookie sheet with dark chocolate from freezer, & pour white chocolate over the top, spreading quickly and evenly. Take care not to overwork the chocolate as it will begin to melt the darker layer underneath. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes & place back into the freezer overnight.

The next day: Remove bark from freezer, & cut into sections by splitting with the tip of a sharp knife. The bark should break into pieces. Store in fridge or in a zip lock bag for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Icing

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Icing

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter-room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.

2. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar together until well combined. Add the buttermilk, eggs, and peppermint extract. Melt chocolate chips, and add orange essence. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the melted chocolate and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

3. Using a large scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells, filling each well 2/3 full. Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Chocolate-Caramel Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Chocolate-Caramel Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting

For the cupcakes:

1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups high quality cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk, shaken

1/2 cup butter-softened to room temperature

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup homemade Caramel

½ cup freshly brewed hot coffee

For the Caramel Filling:

**See my recipe for Salted caramel sauce

For the Frosting:

2 sticks butter, softened to room temperature

2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Seeds/pulp of ½ of one vanilla bean

1 tablespoon whole cream-adjust upward to obtain the desired consistency

Directions: For the cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.

2. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium sized bowl, and then set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the buttermilk, salted caramel, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

3. Using a large scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells, filling each well 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack and cool completely.

4. With a very small spoon, dig out a circular well in the center of the cupcake. Then fill the center either by piping the cooled salted caramel into the well, or with a teaspoon. Finish by frosting with vanilla frosting.

For the Icing

In a large mixer, combine the sticks of butter, vanilla, and confection sugar gradually. Slowly add cream until you reach the desired consistency.

**Adapted from a Mybakingaddiction recipe