*I’m sharing this post on behalf of SHARFFEN BERGER as part of a sponsored series by Social Stars.
One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is making and drinking my famous Thick Spiced Italian Hot Chocolate. I love it so much that I decided it needed to make in a more substantial form – cake. The most important part of any chocolate cake? The quality of the chocolate used. SCHARFFEN BERGER Unsweetened Cocoa Powder fit the bill flawlessly. Organic and non-gmo, SCHARFFEN BERGER Cocoa Powder is Rainforest Alliance Certified and sourced from small cocoa farms.
SHARFFEN BERGER Cocoa powder is pure in flavor, unbeatable in quality, and was the perfect cocoa powder to do my spiced hot chocolate cake justice.
The cake is pure chocolate. Soft and rich. Layering it with a spiced buttercream brings it to life. Grass-fed butter is whipped with powdered sugar, cinnamon, and just a dash of cayenne pepper. The cayenne adds a little bit of heat and is what sets this cake apart from other hot chocolate-inspired cakes. I topped the cake with little meringue mushrooms and cinnamon sticks, but if you wanted an easier way to decorate it, cinnamon sticks and rosemary sprigs would suffice. I like to store the cake in the fridge, but let it sit at room temperature for an hour or two before serving.
- FOR THE CAKE;
- 3 cups Flour
- 2½ cups Raw Cane Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 cup SCHARFFEN BERGER Cocoa Powder
- 1½ teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
- 1 teaspoon Espresso Powder
- 3 Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla
- ¾ cup Coconut Oil (liquefied)
- 1½ cups Milk
- 1 cup Boiling Water
- FOR THE FROSTING:
- 1 Pound Salted Grass-fed Butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons Vanilla
- 1½ teaspoons Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper(ground)
- 1 Pound Powdered Sugar
- FOR THE GANACHE:
- 1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips(I used 60%)
- ¾ cup Heavy Cream
- TOP WITH:
- Powdered Sugar
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Mini Pinecones
- Meringue Mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ½ cup Boiling Water
- FOR THE CAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8 inch round baking pans. Line the bottoms of each pan with a circle of parchment paper.
- Place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and espresso powder in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the egg, oil, milk, vanilla, and water to the dry ingredients and whisk in just until smooth. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until puffed and firm on top and a tester inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove and let cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Remove cake layers from pans and let cool completely before frosting.
- FOR THE FROSTING:
- Place the butter in a large bowl along with the vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Beat on low, adding the powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time, until all of the sugar has been whipped in. Scrape the bowl down, turn the speed up to medium, and beat the frosting for another 30 seconds.
- FOR THE GANACHE:
- Place the chocolate and cream in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Whisk together as the chocolate melts, until a smooth mixture forms. Remove from heat.
- TO ASSEMBLE:
- Frost the cake using the spiced frosting. Pour the ganache over the top of the cake spread just to the edges of the top of the cake. Chill until ganache is set.
- Dust the cake with powdered sugar and top with cinnamon sticks, mushrooms, and greenery.
This cake is pure magic <{:)
This cake is gorgeous. And if I may say, your photos are just beautiful! I almost get taken away by them and forget about the recipe …… almost, but not quite …… 😉
The photography and food styling are amazing. I loved the technique of frosting on the sides of the cake. I wondered how you did that. Beautiful!
This cake is beautiful!!!! I’m so going to make this for Christmas eve’s dessert xoxoxo
Thank you Claire!
Stunning photos and cake! What did you shoot this with? Turned out great!
Thank you Ella! I used a canon 5d mark ll with a 50mm 1.4 lens 🙂
Howbdo you make the marbling effect with the frosting on the side of your cake?
The sides of the cake are frosted with the spiced frosting, then scraped for a naked cake look where the cake layers show through. Then I swiped little dollops of the ganache across the side and scraped the sides with a bench scraper to blend it in =)
Stunning cake and photos. How did you get the look on the sides of the cake? It doesn’t appear to be just frosted with the spiced frosting as described in the assembly instructions.
Thanks!
Thank you so much! The sides of the cake are frosted with the spiced frosting, then scraped for a naked cake look where the cake layers show through. Then I swiped little dollops of the ganache across the side and scraped the sides with a bench scraper to blend it in. That’s it!
Did you use the ganache on the sides to achieve that effect?
Nevermind! Found where you already answered!
Wow!!! Look at this mouthwatering cake!! I’m def. Going to make this soon!! Check out the Recipe!!
Thank you Jennifer!
I don’t think I would have put actual mushrooms on the cake not my favorite but other than that this cake is awesome looking and I would definitely make for sure.
Thank you Robin! I wouldn’t put actual mushrooms on the cake either, yuck! Luckily, these are just made of meringue and chocolate =)
Looks delicious! Gotta try this recipe.
What a stunning cake! I would almost feel bad in eating such a beautiful peice of art… Almost!
looks so decadent, im goibg to have to give it a try
Looks delicious
Looks so delicious!
Thank you for this recipe. It looks so good, that I’ve decided to make it for my birthday next weekend
But, I’ll make it using 24 cm tins and I wonder how to adjust the measurements
Thanks!
OK, now off to the kitchen I go in hope of making something great like that!!!
Can’t wait to try this beautiful. Cake!
I was looking through the photos at Crowdtap and I was wondering if you were an artist it sure looks like it
everything looks to pretty to eat .
…OMG my pallet is so ready to taste this wonderful looking cake!
This recipe seems to be self explaining ,So my granddaughter and I are going to make this .It looks and sounds Delicious .
This cake is a little work of art.
Looks absolutely phenomenal!!!!
It looks beautiful and de delicious.
Yummy!!’
Zumbo on Australia’s TV show, “Jest Desserts” would be thrilled to offer contestants a chance to have this cake featured on his show.
I want a slice now, please
It looks too beautiful to eat!!
looks delicious and chocolately goodness.
This cake is delicious.looks as good as it tastes
Looks and sounds delicious!!
Looks delicious! Simply a beautiful display!
That cake looks absolutely amazing and I bet it tastes just as amazing as it looks
Looks Devine, can’t wait to try and make this.
Looks wonderful except the mushrooms. I don’t understand the mushrooms. Otherwise it looks wonderful.
Thanks Hope! The mushrooms are made of meringue and chocolate- like a little cookies
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe Kayley! I made it for my coworker’s 40th birthday and she was absolutely elated to receive it. A few others in the office said it was the best cake they’d ever had.
Well of course you cake and photos are delish and gorgeous as always! But the best part is the cutie pie in Mommy’s arms as she places the last few touches on the cake. Precious!!!