Chocolate chip layer cake with whipped chocolate chip buttercream and ganache drip
Sally's Baking Recipes · 10 min video
Read about layer cakes in the BrightCulinary Book
Timestamp
Ingredients
Method
Techniques
- cake flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
Whisk cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
Cream butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, a couple of minutes.
- butter
- sugar
- 5 whole egg whites
Add five egg whites and beat on high until combined, about two minutes.
- sour cream
- vanilla extract
Beat in sour cream and vanilla extract on high; scrape down the bowl.
- whole milk
On low speed add the dry ingredients and slowly pour in the whole milk; mix on low just until combined, avoiding overmixing.
Adding dry ingredients and whole milk
- mini chocolate chips
- flour
Toss mini chocolate chips with a little flour so they do not sink, and gently fold them in by hand until evenly distributed.
- nonstick spray
Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds; spray pans and parchment with nonstick spray or grease with butter.
Lining and greasing three 8-inch pans
Divide the batter evenly and smooth the tops with an offset spatula.
Bake about 25 minutes at 350F, rotating halfway if the oven has hot spots and tenting with foil if browning too quickly.
Done when the edges pull slightly from the pan and the center springs back when poked. Cool in the pans one hour, then on a rack completely.
- butter
Buttercream: beat butter on medium until creamy, about two minutes, scraping the paddle and bowl.
- confectioner sugar
- heavy cream
- vanilla
- salt
Add confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, vanilla and a little salt; start on low, then beat on high until light and fluffy, about four minutes.
Assemble: about a cup of buttercream between each layer, the middle layer upside down, the top layer right side up.
Stacking the layers
Frost the top and sides with the remaining buttercream, thicker than a crumb coat, using a large flat spatula on the sides.
Frosting without a crumb coat
- chopped chocolate
- warm heavy cream
Ganache: stir chopped chocolate into warm heavy cream until smooth; transfer to a squeeze bottle.
Drip the warm ganache around the chilled cake's edge in a zigzag, then squeeze the rest on top and spread to the edges, working quickly.
Ganache drip
Refrigerate at least 20 minutes to set the ganache before slicing; garnish optionally with berries, chocolate chips or buttercream.