Tiered Chocolate Buttercream Cake Food

DOUBLE-THE-LOVE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base and sides of deep, round 20cm and 15cm cake tins with baking parchment - making sure the paper comes a few cms above the sides.
• Boil the kettle. Put half the butter and chocolate in a pan and gently melt, stirring. Mix together half of the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarb with a pinch of salt. Whisk 2 of the eggs and 200ml buttermilk together. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture and egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Add 150ml boiling water and whizz everything together with an electric whisk until lump-free. Divide between the tins and bake for 40-45 mins, swapping round after 30 mins if they're on different shelves (the 15cm one should be done after 40 mins). To test they're cooked, push in a skewer and check it comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their tins.
• Repeat steps 1 and 2 again, so you end up with 2 x 20cm cakes and 2 x 15cm cakes.
• Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat together the butter and icing sugar, then beat in the white chocolate. When the cakes are cool, split each one in half. Use the icing to sandwich back together so you end up with 2 x four-layered cakes. Sit the 20cm cake on your serving plate and spread some more icing over the top. Sit the smaller cake on top of that, and completely cover with icing. Decorate with the chocolate buttons.
• If you want to add some flowers choose something edible, like roses. Make a posy, wrapping the stems in a little damp kitchen paper then some cling film, add a ribbon and add to the cake on the day of the wedding.

TIERED CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter one 4 by 3-inch cake pan, one 6 by 3-inch cake pan and one 8 by 3-inch cake pan. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter and flour the pans.
• Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on high speed until light, approximately 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. On low speed, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture alternately in thirds, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix the batter only until blended.
• Divide the batter between the three pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake on the middle rack of the oven as follows: for the 4-inch pan 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean; for the 6-inch pan 70 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean; and for the 8-inch pan 85 to 90 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean . Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes each on a cooling rack, carefully remove from the pans and allow to finish cooling.
• Place the 8-inch cake on a serving plate, flat side up. Frost the top and sides of that layer with buttercream. Place the 6-inch cake in the center of the top of the 8- inch cake, flat side up, and frost the top and sides. Place the 4-inch cake in the center of the top of the 6-inch cake, flat side down. Frost the top and sides of that layer with buttercream. Spread any remaining buttercream over the cake evenly.
• Chop the chocolates and place them in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan simmering water. Stir until melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• Mix the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place the bowl of egg whites over the pan of simmering water and heat the egg whites until they are warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Return the bowl to the electric mixer and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes, or until the meringue is cool and holds a stiff peak.
• Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl, add the melted chocolate, vanilla, espresso, and rum, if using, and mix for 1 minute or until the chocolate is completely blended in. If the buttercream seems very soft, allow it to cool, and beat it again.

SUPER DELICATE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the top of a double boiler, heat chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cook sugar and water until sugar is dissolved.
• In a separate medium bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon colored. Slowly pour in the hot sugar liquid, while beating at medium speed until soft and well mixed. Combine the yolk mixture with the butter mixture and continue to beat for 5 minutes.
• Beat in the rum and vanilla. Pour in the melted chocolate and beat until well mixed.