Please be sure to measure out all your ingredients before the class begins.
For this class, you will need the following equipment:
- A Scale or measuring cups
- Some teaspoons
- A rubber spatula or wooden spoon x2
- A medium size pot
- A whisk
- A medium size mixing bowl (preferably microwave safe)
- A medium size mixing bowl
- A large size mixing bowl
- 2 rectangle alumni pans
- A chef’s knife or paring knife
Don’t forget to look in the pantry for the following ingredients, or add them to the grocery list:
For the Cake:
- 3 cups of (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 ¼ cups (280 g) of unsalted butter
- 1 cup (100 g) of cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups (315 g) of lightly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (105 g) of sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- ¾ of a cup (180 ml) of sour cream or greek yogurt
For the Ganache:
- 3 cups 16 oz (320 g) of dark chocolate, chopped
- ⅔ cup (150 ml) of 35% heavy cream
- ¼ cup (85g) of light corn syrup
- ½ cup (115g) of cold unsalted butter, diced
For the cake
- 3 cups (360g) of all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp of baking soda
- 1 ¼ cups (280 g) of unsalted butter
- 1 cup (100 g) of cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups (315 g) lightly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (105 g) of sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- ¾ cup (180 ml) of sour cream
Ganache:
- 3 cups or 16 oz (320 g) of dark chocolate, chopped
- ⅔ cup (150 ml) of 35% heavy cream
- ¼ cup (85 g) of light corn syrup
- ½ cup (115 g) of cold unsalted butter, diced
Instructions:
Cake:
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two 8-inch (20 cm) springform pans with parchment paper. Butter and flour the sides.
- In a bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the beer and cocoa powder, stirring with a whisk. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, sugar and salt. With a whisk, add the lukewarm butter mixture alternately with the dry ingredients and eggs.
- Add the sour cream and stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Divide the batter among the pans and bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Remove from pans and let cool.
Ganache:
- Place the chocolate in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, bring the cream and syrup to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute.
- With a whisk, gently stir the mixture until the chocolate has completely melted. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until the ganache is spreadable but not too thick. If needed, microwave a few seconds at a time and stir until spreadable.
- Cut and discard the rounded tops of each cake. Spread one-quarter of the ganache onto one layer.
- Top with the second cake layer and frost with the remaining ganache.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 2 cups or 400g of granulated sugar
- 4 Egg whites or 1/2 cup or 120g of Egg whites
- 2 pounds or 4 cups or 908g of Butter (soft and unsalted)
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- In a large bowl over a double boiler on medium to high heat, combine egg whites and sugar.
- Slowly whisk the mixture together until sugar begins to melt and egg white becomes frothy. Be careful of hot steam from the double boiler. I like to wear oven mitts while mixing.
- The mixture is ready when the sugar is dissolved (no gritty sugar). The mixture will also be much more runny from when you started the process of cooking.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Starting on medium low, mix until mixture has cooled down.
- Once there's no visible steam coming from the mixture, turn the mixer to medium-high speed and continue mixing.
- The mixture will triple in volume and will become white, fluffy and glossy. You can now add the butter.
- Add softened butter gradually and whip until incorporated, then add the salt and vanilla or the flavours of your choice.
- Flavour the buttercream however you like, whip in extract, melted chocolate, fruit purees or even Oreo crumbs, let your creativity shine!!!
Buttercream Troubleshooting
The number one problem with buttercream is splitting, if this happens try one of the following solutions.
With heat – Warm Buttercream slightly, this can be done by microwaving it of 10 second blasts whisking each time until it comes together. Alternatively, remove a tablespoon of the mixture, melt it completely in the microwave and add it back to the mixture until it comes together.
With friction – Continue to whip buttercream in a stand mixer, sometimes it can take approximately 10 minutes to come back together.
With butter – Add more room temperature butter, do this 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes back together.
BONUS RECIPE!
AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM
YIELDS: yields enough buttercream to stack and mask a 6” round cake
INGREDIENTS:
- 900g butter (room temperature)
• 480g icing sugar (sifted)
• upto 250g whole milk(room temperature)
METHOD:
- Mix the room temperature butter using an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and fluffy
- Add sifted icing sugar in 2-3 parts. Mix each time starting on low speed and mix until the mixture is homogeneous, light and fluffy.
- Add milk a little at a time on low speed, thoroughly incorporating any liquid before the addition of more milk and scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time. You can add more milk for a looser texture or less milk for a firmer texture.
- Use buttercream to decorate on the same day or transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to one week or the freezer for up to three months. LET’S BAKE!
TIPS AND TRICKS:
- you can heat up your milk to room temperature in the microwave or in a saucepan
- icing sugar is also called “powdered” or “confectioner’s sugar” in some countries
- granulated sugar can be used in place of icing sugar, but the frosting will be a little bit granular in texture from the sugar crystals
- pair bold flavours which go well with butter for an ‘American’ buttercream
