Swiss Meringue Chocolate Cake

April 09, 2021

Swiss Meringue Chocolate Cake

Prep time: 20 minutes

Bake time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

* 2cups All Purpose Flour

* 2cups Granulated Sugar

* 3/4cup Cocoa Powder, sifted

* 1tsp Baking Powder

* 2tsp Baking Soda

* 1tsp Salt

* 1/2cup Canola Oil

* 1cup Buttermilk, at room temperature

* 1cup Hot water

* 2 Eggs, room temperature

* 2tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Meringue Buttercream:

* 5 Egg Whites

* 1 + 1/2cups Granulated Sugar

* 1 + 1/2cups Unsalted Butter at room temperature

* 1cup Chocolate, melted and cooled

Toppings:

Chocolate shavings, curls and sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350degrees. Grease and line the bottom of three 8" cake pans. Grease the sides of the pans as well. Set aside.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder in the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk with a hand whisk.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the Canola oil, buttermilk, 2 eggs, and vanilla and whisk well. Once the wet ingredients are well combined, gradually pour in the mixture into the dry ingredients, beating on low (use paddle attachment). Add in the hot water gradually while beating on low.

4. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans, and bake at 350degrees for 40 minutes or so, until inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean. Leave the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then turn them out on to a wire rack to cool fully.

5. To make the meringue buttercream, combine the sugar and egg whites in the bowl of the stand mixer with whisk attachment. Once combined, transfer the mixture to a bowl over a pot of boiling water. Whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy (sugar dissolves)- approximnately 3 minutes or so.

6. Place the bowl on the stand mixer and whisk for about 10 minutes until the bowl is cool to touch, and the meringue forms stiff peaks.

Note: the meringue must be cool to add the butter, so ensure the bowl cools down before starting the next step.

7. Switch the attachment to the paddle, and add the cubed butter one peice at a time, until fully combined and smooth. Add in the cooled melted chocolate and mix until smooth.

Note: If the buttercream is liquidy, leave in refrigerator for 20 minutes until thicker.

8. To assemble the cake, place one of the cakes on the cake stand of your choice. Add a layer of the meringue buttercream. Place the second cake over the first and add on more buttercream. Continue with the third layer. Add a layer of buttercream to the sides of the cake, and place in refrigerator to chill. Once the cake has chilled for 20 minutes and a second layer of frosting over the crumb layer. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles or other toppings of your choice.