Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Peanut Butter Caramel Mousse Filling and Whipped Dark Chocolate Frosting

I have been playing around with my chocolate cake recipe for around 2 decades now. There was always some little thing I wanted different in it every time I made it. I feel like a go-to chocolate cake that’s easy and quick to make is something everyone should have in their back pocket. One you can whip out for birthdays, special occasions, tuesdays… you know, chocolate cake emergencies.

After making countless trials over the years when I made this one I wrote on the recipe “THIS IS IT!” and is it ever! For me, this is exactly what I want in a chocolate cake. Moist, super chocolaty, easy enough my kids or husband could make, and could be made with all manner of fillings to change it up.

I used this Wilton 10″ x 4″ cake pan set (makes 4 layers, plus a little extra for a few cupcakes) for pictures but it can be made into 2 (8 inch) rounds as well or a 9 by 13 pan, just bake longer.
You could easily adapt this recipe using a different type of chocolate. Milk chocolate will obviously be sweeter, I would use semi sweet for a pretty similar result to the dark chocolate. My go-to is the big pound plus dark chocolate bar from Trader Joe’s. (Just the plain dark chocolate, not the extra dark).
For the caramel sauce I used my homemade pink salt caramel sauce but you could also use a premade caramel sauce, I won’t tell.

Assembly goes quick, just make a dam of frosting around the outer edge:

Fill with mousse:
(This is really a flavored Chantilly cream)

Drizzle with caramel sauce:

And repeat. Frost outer cake with frosting. Add fancy shards if you’re feelin fancy.
Cupcakes are easy , just remove a hole of cake and fill with mousse. Overfill if you want extra mousse… and yes, you do! Top with frosting and a fancy shard!

Whipped Chocolate Frosting

This is my go to chocolate frosting. It is super fluffy and chocolaty but it when refrigerated it will set up a little so it’s great for piping too.

I usually use semi sweet chocolate chips but any will work. Milk chocolate will be sweeter of course and dark chocolate will have a deeper flavor.

My girls love it on a graham cracker if I have left over or it can be frozen in containers and leave on the counter to thaw overnight before using.

Spread on cake, sandwich between the best ever peanut butter cookies or my personal favorite, on angel food cake topped with lots of strawberries!

Sourdough Chocolate Cake

If nothing has convinced you that you need a sourdough starter in your life yet, this will. At least it convinces me that I can’t do without one!
This started as a recipe from King Arthur Baking and after I made some tweaks it is the favorite chocolate cake recipe in our house.
When I was a teenager working in a historical tea house I learned the trick of adding coffee to chocolate recipes. Since we don’t drink coffee I keep Pero (a coffee substitute) on hand for the trick but if you don’t have coffee or Pero it will still be one amazing chocolate cake!
This cake freezes very well too and keeps tender and fluffy and stays fresh much longer because of the sourdough.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

It’s that time of year again. You know what I’m talking about if you planted zucchini in your garden. It’s now piling up on your counter, filling your fridge…
My 13 year old was in charge of our garden this year. Earlier this year we volunteered at our local food bank and she learned you can donate produce from your garden so she was really excited to take that on. We have an Asian Pear tree that produces a lot of fruit so between that and the garden she’s donated over 100 pounds so far! That still leaves zucchini on my counter though. I wanted to make something special to celebrate her hard work and remembered my chocolate carrot cake (the most fantastic carrot cake EVER) and wondered how it translate to zucchini. I was NOT disappointed! Rich, tender, moist, and chocolaty!
I have no doubt this recipe will be made again before zucchini time is up!

Chocolate Carrot Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

I considered saving this recipe for next Easter… but there’s no way I’m waiting that long! Besides Mother’s Day is this weekend and this would make any mother happy! Unless she’s one of those people who don’t like chocolate… do those people really exist?
Anyways, last week I promised my daughter we could make a dessert one night. I had carrots that needed used up and my husband voted for carrot cake and my daughter wanted chocolate. So we mashed the 2 ideas together and this is my favorite chocolate cake now.
Super moist, flavorful, with a great texture. I resisted adding my usual excessive spices like I would a carrot cake since I wanted the chocolate to shine here. Just a bit of cinnamon compliments the chocolate.
And the chocolate cream cheese frosting is my new favorite child.
Not too sweet, with a little tang. Perfect.

A note on sifting. If you don’t have a sifter just use a fine sieve. Or even whisk together well. Cocoa powder tends to clump so this step helps make sure you don’t have any clumps of cocoa in the cake.

CHANTILLY CREAM

Chantilly cream is just a fancy way of saying sweetened whipped cream.
Useful for many things and my favorite filling to use for choux pastry. I even like it for frosting a rich chocolate cake or angel food cake.
The cookies and cream variation has been used for filling birthday cake in our house for many years.
I like to stabilize mine but if you don’t want to just omit the clearjel or gelatin powder.



STABILIZED CHANTILLY CREAM:
Makes approximately 4 cups

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons instant clearjel, or 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder

Whip cream to soft peaks then add powdered sugar and clearjel (if using). Continue whipping to desired consistency.

If using gelatin:
Sprinkle gelatin over 2 Tablespoons of cold water in a microwave safe bowl.
Set aside for 5 minutes to bloom. Microwave on high heat 10 seconds to dissolve. Let cool while you whip cream. Add in towards end.


FOR MEXICAN CHOCOLATE:
4 oz dark or bittersweet chocolate
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
pinch chipotle
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
pinch ancho, optional
1/3 cup heavy cream

Heat heavy cream to simmer in small pot. Pour over remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Let cool then add to whipped cream at end.



FOR SALTED CARAMEL:
Add 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce to whipped cream and additional fine sea salt, to taste



FOR CHOCOLATE:
Add 1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder with the powdered sugar

FOR COOKIES AND CREAM:
Fold 20 chopped sandwich cookies into finished cream.

Cake Mix Crepes

My daughter asked for a crepe cake a couple birthdays ago… but she kind of wanted cake too.  So the compromise was crepes made from cake!
To say this was a hit is the understatement of the year. Especially since it was decorated in lots of colorful candies!  These are way easier than you think and they are so fun for kids to make. They don’t have to look perfect and piping skills aren’t needed.  Just spread the tops of crepes with frosting or whipped cream and layer them up.  No need to frost the sides!
You can make them with any flavor cake mix you want and add all kinds of fun twists with whatever you want to sprinkle in between the layers for texture.

CAKE MIX CREPES
makes approximately 22 (7″ across) crepes

For crepes:
Cake mix of choice (made according to package directions)
3 extra eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
melted butter

For Stabilized whipped cream:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons instant clearjel
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Place cake mix and ingredients on package in a large bowl.  Add the 3 extra eggs and the milk and mix several minutes until smooth.
Heat a nonstick pan (or crepe pan) over medium heat and brush with melted butter.
Add about 1/3 cup batter (depending on size of pan and crepes desired) and spread in a circular motion so it isn’t too thick.
I find using the back of the ladle works best for me, I just skim the top of the batter without touching the pan, kind of like spreading sauce on a pizza.

When you see bubbles on top and edges are setting flip crepe over.

Cook until second side is lightly golden.  Place crepes on a tea towel lined tray while you finish the batter.

While crepes cool make filling or frosting.  If making whipped cream place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until cream is fluffy and holds its shape.  (I use a hand mixer or stand mixer).

Layer crepes with filling of choice (and sprinkles or extra toppings if desired!)

And have fun decorating!

It totally needed candy, I know.  And edible gold stars.  I know.

And candles if it’s your birthday!

 

When you cut into it.. look at all those layers and sprinkles!

Hamburger Cupcakes

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These were the perfect addition to a Scooby-Doo themed party!

HAMBURGER CUPCAKES

Chocolate cake batter or brownie batter
White cake batter
Sesame seeds
Frosting

Bake the chocolate cake in a sheet pan to make a thin layer.
Bake the white cake in mini muffin tins.
Cut small circles out of the cooled chocolate cake to make the burger patties.
Cut the white cake in half to make the buns.
Use different colors of frosting to make the condiments.
Sprinkle tops with sesame seeds.
Place a toothpick through each one, add a washi tape flag if desired.

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Perfect with the cookie hot dogs and fries!

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Tie Dye Scooby Doo Cake

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Have you ever tried a tie-dye cake? They are easier than you think and super fun to do with kids.  You can really do these in any colors you like as well.  Think purple and orange for Halloween, red and green for Christmas, pink and white for a flowery cake.. you get the idea.  It’s super easy, here’s how.

Separate cake batter into 6 equal portions and color.

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Decide what order you want the colors in, then pour your first color in the prepared pans.  Each color should be poured into the center, the weight of the batter will push the other colors out to the edge.

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Repeat until batter is used.

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Bake as usual.

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And decorate! We used our trusty Marshmallow Fondant recipe to make a Scooby-Doo to go on top.

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The fun part is cutting into this cake!

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Cookie Butter Petit Fours

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I’m pretty sure Santa would like these little Christmas cakes for a change.  Cookie butter is basically Christmas in a jar after all.  I used this brownie bites pan (makes petit fours WAY easier and quicker) but you could even make a large cake using the same cookie butter filling and glaze.

Cookie Butter Petit Fours

Chocolate cake

Filling:
1/2 cup Cookie Butter
1 cup heavy cream

Glaze:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Bake cake, mix or your favorite recipe (I used a silicone pan that makes small squares).  You can also bake it in a large baking sheet, cool, then cut squares.
Make filling: Whip cream to stiff peaks then fold cookie butter in.
Make glaze: Heat cream to almost boiling (in microwave or a small pot).  Add chocolate and mix until smooth.
To assemble, sandwich 2 pieces of cake with some filling and spoon a little glaze over the top, letting drip down the sides.  If you don’t want exposed sides you can spread glaze around sides as well.



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