Photo: Natalie Levin
For me, chocolate cake is the first choice on birthdays. A good chocolate cake automatically associates me a birthday celebration – it’s simply the ultimate cake for a party.
It can be a chocolate cake with chocolate candy (which is almost always what I make on my friends and family birthdays, both because of its nostalgic value and especially because it’s always a cake everyone loves). It can also be a chocolate mousse cake and even a really good chocolate pie would do the work. The most important thing is that the cake must be chocolatey!
A perfect chocolate cake for a particularly festive birthday should be a chocolate layer cake. Chocolate layer cake always makes a great impression and is a crowd please, so it is simply perfect for a delicious celebration.
Photo: Natalie Levin
This following recipe for a perfect birthday chocolate cake is one of my regulars in recent years whenever I need to make something a bit fancier than chocolate cake with Funfetti. It is very impressive and festive, made of layers of chocolate sponge brushed with a little milk and filled with rich chocolate cream, chocolate ganache and truffles on top.
This is a perfect birthday chocolate cake, especially because what you see is what you get. It’s THE best chocolate cake you can make – guaranteed, and chocolate is the main (not to say – only) ingredient in this cake. No background flavors, nothing but pure chocolatey taste in few different textures.
If you are celebrating a birthday soon, or know someone who is celebrating soon – I have no doubt that this cake will be perfect for the party. A few candles on top and you got it! Happy birthday ♥
Photo: Natalie Levin
Perfect Birthday Chocolate Cake
For the chocolate cake layers:
- 5 large eggs (separated)
- Pinch of salt
- 200 grams (1 cup) sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 30 ml. (2 tbsp.) vegetable oil
- 15 ml. (1 tbsp.) milk
- 175 grams (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 60 grams (6 tbsp.) cocoa powder
- 10 grams (2 tsp.) baking powder
For chocolate whipped cream:
- 150 grams dark chocolate
- 375 ml. (1 ½ cups) cold whipping cream
For chocolate ganache:
- 50 grams dark chocolate
- 45 ml. (3 tbsp.) whipping cream
For chocolate truffles:
- 80 ml. (1/3 cup) whipping cream
- 100 grams dark chocolate
- 2-3 tbsp. cocoa powder
For brushing the cake layers:
- 125 ml. (1/2 cup) milk
- Chocolate cake layers: heat the oven to 170c degrees and grease the pan.
- In a mixer bowl whip egg whites and salt until whitish foam begins to form.
- Gradually add in the sugar while whipping until you get a stable meringue.
- In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks, vanilla, oil and milk until smooth.
- Lower the mixer speed and add in while mixing the egg yolk mixture. Continue to whisk slowly until combined.
- Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into the bowl, and gently fold it until fully assimilated and batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the pan, straighten the top and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cake is stable and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out dry.
- Cool the cake completely at room temperature.
- Cut the cake into 3 equal layers using a long, serrated knife.
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Chocolate whipped cream: chop the chocolate and put in a bowl.
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Dissolve the chocolate in the microwave or over double-boiler until it is completely dissolved.
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In a mixer bowl, whip the cream into a very firm whipped cream.
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Add 2-3 tablespoons of whipped cream into the melted chocolate and mix well until combined.
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Add the chocolate mixture to the rest of the whipped cream and fold gently until you get a uniform chocolate whipped cream.
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Transfer the cream into a piping bag fitted with 2 cm piping tip.
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Assemble the cake: place a layer of cake on a serving plate and gently brush with milk.
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Drizzle about 1/2 of the amount of chocolate whipped cream in the form of uniform round mounds (mainly important in the sides, as seen in pictures).
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Place another layer of cake over the cream, gently brush it with milk and drizzle with the remaining chocolate whipped cream. Place the top layer of the cake and gently brush with some milk.
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Cool the cake for about an hour in the freezer for stabilization.
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Chocolate ganache: chop the chocolate and put in a bowl.
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Add the cream and melt together in a microwave or over double boiler until everything is melted and the mixture is uniform.
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Pour the ganache over the top of the cake in a smooth, thin layer.
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Chocolate truffles: chop the chocolate and put in a bowl.
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Add the cream and melt together in a microwave or over double boiler until everything is melted and the mixture is uniform.
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Pour the mixture into a silicon mini-dome mold and straighten the top with a palate.
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Freeze the chocolate truffles domes for about an hour until they are completely frozen and set.
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Remove from the pan and cover with cocoa powder.
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Arrange truffles domes at the top of the cake for decoration and serve.
- Chocolate cake of this type should be prepared the day before serving, so that the layers and flavors will merge and set well.
- If desired, the chocolate whipped cream can be prepared with milk chocolate in the same amount instead of dark chocolate for a sweeter result.
- Keep the cake in a closed container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
- It is recommended to remove the cake outside the fridge about half an hour before serving to room temperature so it is in perfect texture for eating.
- Instead of truffles, you can also decorate the cake with store bought chocolate candy bars.
Photo: Natalie Levin
Photo: Natalie Levin