Best 3 Debbie Simpsons Chocolate Cake Recipes

ZEBRA CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
• Add the butter, vegetable oil and sugar to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
• Add the eggs two at a time, mixing until well combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
• Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined.
• Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
• Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not overmix the batter.
• You should have roughly 5 1/2 cups of cake batter total. Divide it in half in two separate bowls (about 625g each, if using a food scale) and set aside.
• Melt the chopped chocolate, then add it to one of the bowls of cake batter that was set aside along with the black gel icing color and gently fold together to combine. Work somewhat quickly so that the chocolate in the cake batter doesn't firm up too much and make the cake batter more difficult to work with. If it thickens too much, it makes it harder to layer the colors of cake batter together easily.
• Drop alternating heaping spoonfuls of each batter to the cake pans and gently shake the pan side to side to spread it evenly after every 2-3 spoonfuls. So add a large spoonful of the vanilla batter to each cake pan, then add a large spoonful of chocolate batter to the center of the vanilla batter. Shake side to side to spread. Repeat until you've used all the cake batter between the two pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large mixer bowl until smooth.
• Add half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
• Add the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of water or milk and mix until well combined and smooth.
• Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
• Remove about 1 1/4 cups of the vanilla buttercream and set in another bowl. Add additional water or milk, if needed to get the right consistency of frosting.
• Add the cocoa powder to the remaining buttercream and mix until well combined and smooth.
• Add additional water or milk, if needed to get the right consistency of frosting, then add the black gel icing color to get the right shade of black.
• To put the cake together, use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes so that they're flat. These cakes don't have a large dome, but I like to make sure they're completely flat.
• Place the first cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round.
• Spread about 1 cup of chocolate buttercream evenly on top of the cake.
• Add the second layer of cake on top, then frost the outside of the cake with the chocolate buttercream.
• Use the remaining chocolate buttercream and the vanilla buttercream to create the swirls on top of the cake and the shells along the bottom. To create the two toned swirls, I find it easiest to add each color to their own piping bag, then put both piping bags into a larger piping bag fitted with the piping tip. Squeeze the larger piping bag to do your piping.
• Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE SWIRL DELIGHT

Steps:

• Cut each cake roll into 6 slices; reserve any broken chocolate coating for topping. Line bottom and sides of a 9-in. springform pan with cake slices, covering completely., Whisk milk and pudding mixes 2 minutes (mixture will be thick); spread onto bottom layer of cake rolls. Cover with whipped topping. Sprinkle with reserved chocolate pieces. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• For the cakes: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the interior of a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a mixer, beat the egg yolks with the oil, .5 cup of the sugar and 2 tablespoons water. With the mixer at low speed, add the cake flour mixture and beat until smooth; set aside.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Mix .25 of the whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them halfway. Bake until risen and lightly firm, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
• For the filling: Using a mixer, beat together the butter, confectioners' sugar and Marshmallow Fluff. Add cream and beat just until smooth. Fit a pastry bag with a round .25-inch tip, and fill bag with all but .25 cup of the filling. (Put the extra .25 cup in a pastry bag fitted with a .125-inch round tip, or in a small Ziplock bag, and reserve.) Plunge the tip into the side of a cupcake, filling just until you feel the cupcake swell. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
• For the frosting: Heat the cream just until bubbles begin to form on the edges of the pan, add the chocolate and remove from heat. Stir until melted and smooth. Add the butter, stirring to combine. Dip the top of a cupcake into the frosting, flip and set aside. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Allow frosting to set, about 20 minutes.
• With the small pastry bag of filling, or snipping a tiny corner off the Ziplock bag, pipe a tiny squiggle across the top of each cupcake. Place in an airtight container until serving.