Makes 1 no. 8” layer cake

Ingredients

Midnight Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup black cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons espresso powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups water
• ¾ cup canola oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar

Ganache Filling and Decoration

• 8oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into chunks
• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• ½ teaspoon black food coloring gel*

Buttercream Frosting

• 4½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons red food coloring gel*
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

“Coal” Candy

• 3 tablespoons unflavoured popping candy
• ½ tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon black cocoa

*Measurement dependant on strength of color. Please note that if using liquid coloring a larger quantity may be required, which in turn may affect the consistency of what you’re coloring. Color to personal preference

Method

Midnight Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350F
2. Prepare 3 no. 8” diameter baking pans by greasing/spraying and lining with baking parchment
3. In a large bowl combine all the cake ingredients- the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, black cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, water, canola oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar
4. Whisk slowly until fully combined, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to avoid any dry ingredient residue. Continue mixing until fully blended and smooth
5. Divide and pour into your prepared pans. If needed gently tilt the pans to allow the cake batter to flow into an even layer
6. Bake in your preheated oven for between 20-25minutesm or until a cake tester, or skewer, comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Remove the cake from the oven allow to cool in tin for 5 minutes in a rack
7. After allowing to cool for 5 minutes, remove from the pans and allow the cakes to cool fully before decorating

Ganache Filling and Decoration

1. For the ganache, place the chocolate pieces in a medium heatproof bowl
2. Heat the heavy cream/ whipping cream, in a small pan over a medium heat until just below boiling (look for small bubbles at the edge of the cream in the pan)
3. Remove the cream from the heat and gently pour the warmed cream over the chocolate pieces in the bowl. Leave to rest for 5 minutes
4. After 5 minutes, gently stir the chocolate/ cream mixture with a whisk to emulsify it. It will appear mottled and speckled at first but continue gently stirring until it thickens and is uniform in color
5. Once fully smooth and uniform in color, set aside and leave to fully cool for 1 hour before dividing the mixture into two separate bowls. After 30 mins, using an electric whisk, beat one of the bowls of mixture to a fluffy, whipped consistency (this will be your filling ganache). Set both aside for about another hour until the they to a spreadable consistency. (The cooling/thickening process can be speeded up by placing the bowls of mixture in your refrigerator)

Buttercream Frosting

1. In a bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl
3. Reduce the speed to low and the add in sugar/cocoa mixture a cup at a time. Combine on low speed until all the sugar/ cocoa mixture has been added
4. With mixer on low speed, add in milk, red food coloring and vinegar
5. Increase speed medium and mix for 2 minutes until smooth. After this time, increase the speed to medium/ high and whip for a further 2 minutes

“Coal” Candy

1. Put the coconut oil into a heat proof bowl and heat in a microwave for 20 seconds until the coconut oil is melted
2. Add in the popping candy and stir to fully coat it in the melted oil
3. Add the black cocoa and stir until an even color and it looks like “coal dust”

To assemble and decorate

1. Level off the cake layer to flat
2. Frost each layer with a ring of frosting. Pipe or spread an even layer of the whipped chocolate ganache inside the ring of buttercream frosting. Stack the next layer on top and repeat the process.
3. Using the buttercream frosting apply a light crumb coating on the outside of the cake and let the cake chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
4. Frost the cake the remaining frosting, and chilli again for a further 20 minutes
5. Use the remaining (unwhipped) ganache to decorate the cake. You can either apply a final top layer by smoothing the ganache on top, or as I’ve done, using a Wilton #233 tip apply a “fur trim” to the edge.
6. Decorate with the black “coal candy”

Adapted from a recipe by layercakeparade