Day 5, A Cake-A-Day: Rich Chocolate Layer Cake

Today I left the cake choice up to our middle son.  He requested I make his favorite cake.  We have to make some adjustments to the recipe to make it his favorite, like leave out the coconut and the nuts.  Basically, it's chocolate, chocolate on chocolate.  He LOVES chocolate, especially creamy milk chocolate.  Here he is four years ago with his favorite cake.

Rich Chocolate Layer Cake and Soccer Cupcakes

This recipe, from Great Cakes, is also very easy, and gets rave reviews.  It's another box cake variation that is incredibly moist and a crowd favorite.

Remember one of my favorite cookbooks from this week's German Chocolate Cake?

I will post the complete recipe as it is in the book, but note, we make it without the coconut and nuts in the frosting.  Also, I made Baker Josef's (Trader Joe's) box frosting then added the sour cream and vanilla to it.

Rich Chocolate Layer Cake

1 box devil's food cake mix
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup mayonnaise
3 large eggs
1 cup water
2 16-ounce containers chocolate frosting
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter two cake pans, place a parchment paper circle in the bottom of each pan.  Butter the parchment.  Dust pans with flour.  Set aside.  Beat the cake mix, cocoa, mayo, eggs and water in a mixer on low speed until mixed, then increase speed to medium and beat for about 2 minutes.

Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and spread evenly.  Bake for about 35 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool pans on wire rack about 20 minutes.  Use a knife to loosen edges and then invert cakes on wire rack.  Let cool completely.

Cooling on wire rack

Frosting

Whisk the frosting, sour cream and vanilla together in large bowl.  Instead of container frosting this time we used Baker Josef's Chocolate box frosting.  I just saw it at the store.  I noticed Trader Joe's is expanding their baking section.  Woo Hoo!  Make it as directed, then add vanilla and sour cream

Baker Josef's new addition at Trader Joe's

After making the frosting combination, transfer 1 1/2 cups of frosting to a medium bowl and stir in the almonds and coconut.  Set aside.  The outer frosting will not have coconut and nuts in it.

Use a serrated knife, or if you have one of these cool kitchen gadgets, cut each cake layer in half.

This is a GREAT tool for making cake layers!

Line the edges of a serving plate with 3 inch wide pieces of parchment paper, so as not to get frosting all over your serving plate.  Place cake layer, split side down on top.  Place 1/3 of the filling on top of the layer and spread evenly.

Layer 1 done

Place a second layer on top and cover with another 1/3 of filling.  Repeat until you get to last layer.  Spread frosting over the top of the cake, smoothing out to edges.  Then spread remaining frosting over sides.  Serve or store covered up to 4 days.

Enjoy!!!