Tuxedo Cake

The tuxedo cake not only sounds impressive but looks and tastes impressive.  This recipe comes from the Pastry Queen Cookbook by Rebecca Rather.  Rebecca is a pastry chef from Texas.  The tuxedo cake is the Pastry Queens number one birthday cake and best selling cake at  the bakery.  I prepared this cake last week for my father-in-laws 85 birthday.  This cake will satisfy your birthday guests with its rich chocolate glaze and white whip cream frosting.  I did substitute whole wheat pastry flour for the all purpose flour in this recipe.

Tuxedo Cake:
Serves;  12-14 People
Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees

Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter(2 sticks)
2 cups water
1 cup canola oil
4 cups sugar
1 cup high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 -9 inch round pans with cooking spray with flour like Pam with flour.  In a large bowl or mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter, oil and sugar for 2 minutes or until smooth.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat well between each egg addition.  Add the buttermilk, baking soda, salt, vanilla to the batter.  Mix the flour and cocoa powder together.  Then add the flour/cocoa powder mixture to the batter. Mix the batter until all ingredients have been incorporated.  Evenly pour the cake batter between the 3 greased cake pans.  The pans should be be filled 3/4 of the way.  Don't over fill them or they will spill over into your oven.  Bake the cakes at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each layer comes clean.  Cool the cakes on a wire rack.  Cool the cakes completely for 2 hours before frosting.

Whipped Cream Frosting:
4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Making the Frosting:
Using a mixer with a wire whisk attachment, whisk the heavy whipping cream on high until soft peaks form.  On low, add the powder sugar slowly to the cream.  Then turn the mixer on high until the frosting is stiff and the powder sugar has fully been incorporated about 1 more minute.  Place 1 cake on a large cake platter or plate.  Spread the whip cream frosting over the top of the 1st cake.  Top the cake with another cake and spread the frosting over the 2nd cake.  Then add the 3rd cake and frost the top and sides of all the cakes. Refrigerate the cake until the whip cream frosting has stabilized for one hour.



Chocolate Glaze:
4 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Making the Glaze:
Heat the cream until is is very hot.  Pour the hot cream over the small chocolate pieces.  Stir until the chocolate is fully melted.  Stir in the vanilla.  Let the chocolate glaze cool for 10 minutes.  Slowly pour the chocolate glaze over the cake allowing it to cover the top of the cake and drizzles down the sides.  Leave some of the white whip cream frosting showing on the sides of the cake.  Refrigerate the cake until the glaze is set for about one hour.  The cake will keep for up to two days in the refrigerator.

Tuxedo Cake