Best 3 Four Layer Chocolate Birthday Cake With Milk Chocolate Ganache And Nutella Buttercream Recipes

FOUR-LAYER BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter four 9-inch-round pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Combine the granulated sugar and vegetable oil in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla and beat on high speed until the batter is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low speed, beat the flour mixture into the sugar mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until the batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Tint with gel food coloring (see below).
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake, 2 pans at a time, until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes in the pans, then invert onto racks to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until thick, 2 more minutes. Beat in the milk, a little at a time, until the frosting is spreadable.
• Assemble the cake: Spread about 1 1/2 cups frosting between the cake layers, then cover the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting and coat with toppings (see below).
• How to Color the Batter:
• Use gel food coloring for cakes: You don't need to add as much, and the colors are brighter.
• Solid: Tint the batter 1 color; divide among 4 pans.
• Striped: Divide the batter between 2 bowls; tint each one a different color. Divide each color between 2 pans.
• Ombre: Divide the batter among 4 bowls; tint in varying shades of the same color. Pour into 4 pans.
• Rainbow: Divide the batter among 4 bowls; tint each one a different color. Pour into 4 pans.
• The Toppings:
• Mini Marshmallows: You'll need about one 10 1/2-ounce bag. For a multicolored look, use fruit-flavored mini marshmallows.
• Chocolate Rocks: You'll need about 3 cups. Find them at specialty candy stores, or order online.
• Ombre Coconut: Divide one 7-ounce bag coconut among 3 resealable plastic bags. Add an increasing number of drops of the same food coloring to each bag and shake.
• Nonpareils: Use rainbow or single-color nonpareils; you'll need about 3/4 cup. Set your cake on a cake plate in the sink or on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch loose nonpareils.

FOUR-LAYER CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH MILK CHOCOLATE GANACHE & NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• CAKE: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter two 9"-diameter cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Butter parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Heat chocolate, coffee, and ⅔ cup cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water (water should not touch bottom of bowl), stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Let cool, then whisk eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla into chocolate mixture. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix salt, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 cups flour in a large bowl just to combine. Add brown sugar, oil, ½ cup butter, and ½ cup reserved chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed until flour is evenly distributed and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add remaining chocolate mixture in 2 additions, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed and beating until smooth after each addition. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake cake until top is firm to the touch and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer cake pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Let cool completely. Using a serrated knife and moving it back and forth in long, even strokes, carefully halve cakes lengthwise. GANACHE: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring cream and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Pour over chocolate; let sit 10 minutes, then whisk gently until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and glossy. Let ganache cool, 30 to 45 minutes. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter into ganache until mixture is light and fluffy and has turned matte, about 3 minutes. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on a platter. Using a rubber spatula, spread one-third of ganache over cake, spreading to edges. Place another cake layer, cut side down, on top and spread another third of ganache over cake. Repeat process once more with another cake layer and remaining ganache; top with remaining cake layer (leave top bare). Chill cake 1 to 8 hours. BUTTERCREAM: While cake is chilling, beat egg yolks, egg, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until mixture is pale and thick and falls back onto itself in a slowly dissipating ribbon, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, bring sugar and 3 tablespoons water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Clip thermometer to the side of saucepan and boil, swirling pan (do not stir), until thermometer registers 238˚F. Immediately remove from heat. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually stream hot sugar syrup into eggs aiming for where the egg meets the side of the bowl (this will prevent hot sugar from splattering). Increase speed to high and beat mixture until light and fluffy and sides of bowl are cool to the touch, 5 to 8 minutes. Add butter a piece at a time, beating to thoroughly incorporate before adding the next piece and scraping down sides of bowl often. Add Nutella and vanilla and beat, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl, until mixture is smooth and homogenous. Spread buttercream all over top and sides of chilled cake, making decorative swirls and swooshes. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Do Ahead: Cake can be assembled 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered.

FOUR-LAYER CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH MILK CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350˚. Butter two 9"-diameter cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Butter parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• Heat chocolate, coffee, and ⅔ cup cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water (water should not touch bottom of bowl), stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Let cool, then whisk eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla into chocolate mixture.
• Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix salt, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 cups flour in a large bowl just to combine. Add brown sugar, oil, ½ cup butter, and ½ cup reserved chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed until flour is evenly distributed and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add remaining chocolate mixture in 2 additions, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed and beating until smooth after each addition. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
• Bake cake until top is firm to the touch and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes. Transfer cake pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• Using a serrated knife and moving it back and forth in long, even strokes, carefully halve cakes lengthwise.
• Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on a platter. Using a rubber spatula, spread one-third of ganache over cake, spreading to edges. Place another cake layer, cut side down, on top and spread another third of ganache over cake. Repeat process once more with another cake layer and remaining ganache; top with remaining cake layer (leave top bare). Chill cake 1-8 hour.
• Spread buttercream all over top and sides of chilled cake, making decorative swirls and swooshes. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.