Devil's Food Layer Cake With Peppermint Frosting
Ready In: 2 hrs 10 mins
Yields: 1 4 LAYER CAKE
Ingredients
CAKE
- 2 2⁄3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1⁄4 cups sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1⁄4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 cups ice water
DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- 1 1⁄3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 14 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM
- 12 ounces high-quality white chocolate, finely chopped (such as Lindt or Perugina)
- 3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
PEPPERMINT FROSTING
- 2 1⁄4 cups sugar
- 1⁄2 cup water
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1⁄2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- bittersweet chocolate curls
Directions
- PREPARE CAKE:.
- Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F
- Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides.
- Dust pans with flour; tap out excess.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in medium bowl to blend.
- Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended.
- Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Beat in yolk.
- Add cocoa and beat until well blended.
- Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with ice water in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until just blended and smooth after each addition.
- Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops.
- Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
- Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes; invert cakes onto racks and cool completely.
- *(Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.)
- PREPARE DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE:.
- Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan.
- Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.
- Transfer to small bowl; chill until firm enough to spread, about 1 hour.
- **(Can be made 1 day ahead. Before using, let stand at room temperature until soft enough to spread, about 30 minutes.)
- PREPARE WHITE CHOCLATE CREAM:.
- Place white chocolate in large heatproof bowl.
- Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in saucepan.
- Pour hot cream over white chocolate.
- Let stand 1 minute; whisk until smooth; whisk in extract.
- Cover; chill until mixture thickens and is cold, at least 4 hours.
- ***(Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill).
- Add 2 cups chilled cream to white chocolate cream and beat until smooth and peaks form.
- ****(Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk to thicken, if necessary, before using.)
- ASSEMBLING THE CAKE:.
- Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half.
- Place 1 cake layer on platter, cut side up.
- Spread 1/3 of dark chocolate ganache over cake.
- Spoon 2 cups white chocolate cream in dollops over cake; spread evenly to edges.
- Top with second cake layer, cut side down; spread 1/3 of ganache over, then 2 cups white chocolate cream.
- Repeat with third cake layer, cut side up, remaining ganache, and remaining cream.
- Cover with fourth cake layer, cut side down.
- Chill while preparing frosting.
- PREPARE PEPPERMINT FROSTING:.
- Combine sugar, 1/2 cup water, egg whites, and corn syrup in large bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer.
- Whisk by hand to blend well.
- Set bowl with mixture over saucepan of gently simmering water; whisk constantly with hand whisk until mixture resembles marshmallow creme and ribbons form when whisk is lifted, 8 to 9 minutes.
- Whisk in peppermint extract.
- Remove bowl from over water and attach bowl to heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.
- Beat on high speed until mixture is barely warm to touch and very thick, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Using offset spatula and working quickly, spread frosting over top and sides of cake.
- Sprinkle chocolate curls over top and sides.
- ***** (DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill.).
- E N J O Y !
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