Un chocolate layer cake Terribly delicious with its cocoa sponge and its chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream icing. A perfect birthday cake to put candles on!
This is a fairly simple layer cake recipe: it only requires two steps. soft cocoa sponge cake topped with a Swiss chocolate meringue buttercreamThis icing allows you to make decorations that hold well, that's its advantage.
And then, depending on the occasion, it will also serve as a very beautiful birthday cake ! All you have to do is plant the candles there...
How to make this chocolate layer cake?
We first start by preparing the three discs cocoa sponge cake from the layer cake. It is very soft and well cocoa. You just have to mix all the ingredients (ending with the milk).
After cooking, let them cool for the next step. Moreover, this step can be done the day before, to avoid any stress!
Then we tackle the icing. To do this, we make the Swiss meringue (a meringue made in a double boiler, then whipped in a food processor or mixer). Add to this meringue diced butter at room temperature then the melted chocolate. The result is a Swiss chocolate meringue buttercream.
The assembly is carried out by placing a disc of sponge cake on which we deposit a layer of icing, then so on. Finally, cover all the layer cake with the remaining icing, finally using a sleeve pocket for the last touches! I list all my equipment at the bottom of the recipe.
Recipe details
I advise you to prepare the sponge cake in advance, and focus on frosting and assembling on D-Day or even the day before.
I use three 15cm molds in diameter, but you can use only one mold. You will need to cook 3 times, one after the other.
For the success of the Swiss meringue buttercream, make sure that your butter is ambient temperature. Neither too soft / liquid nor too cold. This guarantees a good mix with the Swiss meringue.
For the decor, take your time! Smoothing is not done well the first time. I always use a angled spatula which allows me to have smooth edges like in my photos.
More Layer Cake Recipes to Try
If you like layer cakes, then I recommend you take a look at other recipes on the blog that you might also like: Carrot layer cake with spices, Devil's food cake / Devil's food cake, Raspberry coconut layer cake, Layer cake lemon poppy.
If you make this recipe, don't hesitate to tag @liliebakery on Instagram so I can see your chocolate layer cakes!
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 200 g granulated sugar to be dosed according to your taste
- 70 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cc baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 190 ml milk at room temperature
- 1,5 cc natural vanilla extract
- 100 g dark chocolate pastry more or less full-bodied according to your tastes
- 5 egg whites ambient temperature
- 220 g granulated sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 340 g diced soft butter at room temperature
- 2 cc natural vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 170 ° traditional heat. Cut circles of baking paper to put in the bottom of three 15cm molds (or your mold if you make 3 successive batches).
- In a container, combine the flour, powdered sugar, bitter cocoa, baking powder, salt. Separately, relax the eggs with a fork then add to the dry ingredients. Finally, add the milk and vanilla extract.
- Divide the dough into the 3 molds and bake for about 30 minutes. Then let cool, then unmold on a rack. Put the cakes in the fridge (wrapped) if making the icing the next day.
- Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie or in the microwave, then leave to cool.
- In a double boiler, manually whisk the egg whites and powdered sugar with the pinch of salt. Remove the container when the egg whites have reached a temperature of 55 ° c.
- Continue to whip with a food processor or mixer until the container is completely cold (about 10 minutes).
- At this point, add the diced butter at room temperature, one by one, continuing to whisk for at least 5 minutes, medium speed.
- Finish by adding the vanilla extract and the melted chocolate (ideally with the flat mixer of the food processor).
- Place a cardboard holder on your serving cake pan (this is optional). Secure it with a little icing. Ideally, take a turntable to put under your cake pan, the icing will be easier to achieve.
- Take the first disc of sponge cake, fix it on the cardboard support using a knob of icing. Cover it with a layer of icing then place the second disc. Ditto, layer of icing then 1rd disc.
- Place a layer of icing on top and spread over the layer cake using a spatula to cover it entirely, this is the famous "crumb-coat". Be careful, this layer must be very thin, you can see the 3 cakes through. Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Continue the icing by distributing (as best as possible) the cream on top and sides using an angled spatula. You have to leave a minimum of traces of course ...
- Fill a pastry bag fitted with a fluted tip with the rest of the cream, and make small domes all around the cake (at the base and on the top) to have a rendering as in my photos.
- Decorate with chocolate or grated chocolate sprinkles. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
it's magnificent! and worthy of a display case, I don't know if I would dare eat it... (OH OF COURSE I WOULD!!!)
It is really superb!
Gorgeous! I'm putting it aside because it's exactly the kind of cake I'd like for my birthday in early 2013!
This layer cake is just incredibly beautiful! I'll take this opportunity to wish you a happy birthday then!
If the recipe doesn't scare me, it's really the assembly that seems more than complex to me!
See you soon
Thank you Fraise Basilic! Indeed, the assembly/decor is the least easy to do, but even if the decor is not the best, the taste will be there!
BEAUTIFUL!!! What a beautiful birthday cake!!!!
wow wow wow, I love it. You had a lot of fun, tell me for your birthday ;)
This is THE day when we don't deny ourselves anything, right? :-)
Wow!!! It's so good to treat yourself ;)
This cake is really very very beautiful! And happy birthday :)
Thanks Co! :-)
Phew, a marvel!...
This cake is MAGNIFICENT! Worthy of a great Parisian pastry shop!
What a beautiful compliment! Thanks LeeYaa!
he is just perfect, magnificent...BRAVO ♥
Bisous
Wow, that's a piece of cake!!! It's a feast for the eyes and I'm sure it must have been delicious :P Magnificent!! You're really very very talented :P
Wow! Another beautiful achievement. Beautiful... I would say magnificent!
Kisses X
No but WOAW!!!! It's magnificent! You are really very talented, I admire your recipes, your photos, it's always a taste and visual delight ^^ Oh and I forgot: Happy birthdayyyyyyy ^^ Kisses
Thank you to you for these compliments! See you soon.
He is BEAUTIFUL!!!! <3 A very happy birthday, a little late.... ;-)
Thanks Gaëlle :-) I saw your tag, I have to try to find the time to do it too... See you soon!
Your cakes are so beautiful...it makes you dream, it's magnificent! What great work! Well done!
Thank you Marie! Pastry is a dream, you're right! See you soon.
he is sublime, happy birthday ;-)
I can't seem to make the frosting this smooth, congratulations it really turned out well.
Thanks Kiki! :-) It's true, smoothing is not easy, I spent a crazy amount of time on it... See you soon!
It is really superb !!! your blog is beautiful too !!!
Thank you Céline for your message and your visit, see you soon!
Hello Lilie! I am amazed every time I see this cake... I take this opportunity to send you a little tag: http://www.moi-gourmande-oui-et-alors.com/?p=1362 B
Have a good day!
Superb, and greedy what an appetizing cake, perfect to celebrate a superb birthday !!! Thank you for sharing!
Wow! It's superb! I can't believe it, there is not ONE trace, the smoothing is perfect (Admit it, you missed 3 before, is that it?... lol). Your creations are a real pleasure for the eyes and the taste buds!
Eheheh, Sabrina, it's my first smoothing on layer cake, it's true, but I spent time on it :-)
OMG this cake is so tempting. I dream of having the courage and talent to make such a cake one day.
Your cake is really beautiful, you seem to have mastered the icing! Ps: happy birthday ; )
Thanks Eva! You have to be patient for the icing, but it can be done, nothing insurmountable... :-)
This cake is sumptuous!!! I discovered your blog, I hasten to add it to my favorites. For the next birthday, I come to look for a recipe on your blog :-)
It's sublime, I love it!
Wow... He's sublime!
Wow! It's beautiful! I just discovered your blog and I think it's going to go straight to my favorites. Biz
Beautiful, I envy everyone who was invited to taste it.
Happy birthday anyway!
I tried the recipe and honestly everyone loved it! Thank you :)
GORGEOUS
coucou
I discovered your blog thanks to my little sister who tried one of your recipes, and well I find it super awesome.
I was speechless in front of your birthday cake and in front of the layer cake covered in roses.
I think I will come often to visit your blog.
very good continuation and above all continue to treat us
Hello,
While looking for an idea for cakes to make for the holidays with my children, I came across yours which is really a pleasure for the eyes, my children are salivating in advance
I just want to know if the proportions you put for the cakes are for one or is it for all three?
Thank you in advance, well done and good luck
Hello, the proportions listed correspond to the 3 levels of cake. Thank you for your visit, @ soon.
Wow wow wow!
This cake is absolutely fabulous! And I'm sure it was excellent!
In any case BRAVO!
hello Lillie, this cake is really beautiful Congratulations
Tell me then make the whole cake the old one then place it in the fridge?
See you soon
Bravo for this superb cake !!
I have a little "technical" question: is there no fat, butter or oil in the base of your cake?
Thank you for your answer and have a good weekend!
Super cake, it must be delicious;) a small question what butter do you use for the icing please?
Sooooo beautiful it's great and thanks again for your recipes I made it for my husband's birthday he was delighted and my children too you are a real baking fairy I send you lots of kisses and thanks again thanks to you it was a nice surprise
Thank you very much Mimi! :-)
Super beautiful cake and super beautiful blog ^^ I love the recipe, both the cake and the buttercream. The result is just magnificent and the icing on your cake is just PERFECT!!!
hello i just want to know if you put butter in the cake or not? thank you
Hello, no butter in the cake recipe, yes in the icing. See you soon.
Hello, I would like to know if our mold is larger, the quantities change or stay the same, thank you, my mold is 24cm, I don't have any smaller ones.
Hello, I think you will need to double the quantities (subject to change, as I have not tested with a 24cm mold...). See you soon
Hello.
quick question. i prepared the dough three times instead of just once....so i will have three cakes. do you think can i freeze one?
Thank you in advance
Hello Emily, yes no worries, it freezes very well when cooked (not garnished). @ soon
Hi,
I noticed that there was no butter in the cake, is this normal?
I tried it anyway, but I think I made a mistake, I cooked the whole mixture in a single mold, it was all deflated and pasty, there you go, it's not the recipe's fault but I think you had to cut the dough into 3 as it was said,
thank you again for all these recipes,
fafa
Hello, it is indeed normal that there is no butter. For the recipe, it is mentioned to do 3 successive cookings in the same mold or to use 3 different molds to go faster. Indeed if you poured all the dough in one and the same cooking, the cake simply could not cook properly. See you soon
Hello,
how to achieve such a perfect assembly? The icing is completely uniform, perfectly smooth, no trace of a spatula!
Hello, I always use a small angled spatula to smooth my layer cakes, no secret other than that! See you soon
Bonjour.
This cake looks DE-LI-CIOUS!!! Bravoo ;)
Do you think it is possible to cook the dough in one go in a 15cm by 10cm high mold...??
Merci :)
Hi beautiful! I would like to know if the Swiss buttercream frosting could be covered with sugar paste? Kisses!
Hello, yes you can use Swiss meringue buttercream to lay a thin layer on the cake before covering it with sugar paste. @ soon
Hello Lilie. as you can see I took a pseudo; I haven't made this beautiful cake yet but it won't be long. I just made your 3 chocolate bavarois and I can tell you that I had a blast with it. It's wonderful and I'm very happy to have found your blog because you have recipes that are really out of the ordinary. not always good for the figure but what do you want it's so good and beautiful to look at. Thank you for everything and continue to make us dream you are the best. See you soon. Kisses.
Wow, well what compliments :-) Thank you to you, and good food! @ soon
Hello, I'm Lady Gâteaux and as my name suggests, I'm a fan of pastries and also chocolate (hence my stop on this magnificent Layer Cake!)! Your icing is just perfect...Bravo!
I invite you to come and visit my pastry shop window on my Lady Cakes Page on FB or on my website http://www.lady-gateaux.com...Miam !
Congratulations for this cake, it's magnificent! I was wondering (unless I'm mistaken) if it's normal that there is no butter in the chocolate cake dough?
Hello, yes it's normal, butter is not obligatory. See you soon
Hello, I would like to know: when whisking the sugar with the egg whites in a bain-marie, do we use a hand whisk or the mixer? Thank you
Hello lili again a magnificent achievement
I was wondering can I prepare the icing the day before and poach the day? Or better do everything the day before and put it in the fridge please
Thank you
Years
Hello Lilie, I have to make a layer cake for 18 people but the only mold I made is 26 cm. What should I do regarding the quantities? I was thinking of making only 2 cakes so can I keep the same quantities as your recipe where I try 3 cakes and multiply by 2?
[…] for my Easter cake to make a Layer cake using Lilie Bakery's chocolate cake as a base. I then made a whipped ganache with milk chocolate and mascarpone, then a […]
Hello Lilie! Do you think it's possible to make and assemble this cake a day in advance? Would the icing keep for a day in the fridge?
Merci :)
Hello Marion, if you put in the cold, the butter in the icing will harden. Ideally, it is kept under a bell. Or you take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before tasting.
Hello Lilie,
I made this cake for my son's birthday. It wasn't as pretty as yours but it was delicious. I had never made Swiss meringue buttercream before so I was a little nervous but it was a success.
A very big thank you for sharing, I will come back often to take a look at your wonderful blog.
Céline
Thank you Céline for your little note :)
Hello :)! Superb cake :)! I have a question, do we make the sponge cake 3 times or do we try to divide the dough into 3?
Thank you for your answer kisses :)
We must divide this dough into 3 molds, for 3 discs of sponge cake. See you soon
Good evening quelke quantity for 24 cm molds
So I test them and I say super good the cream a killer thank you for this easy recipe a thousand thank you Catherine
Super thank you Catherine for your return :)
Hello, I would like to make this very beautiful cake but I have not found the cooking time. Can someone help me please?
Cooking is 30 minutes;)
Quick question, do you have to put several layers of icing? If so, do you have to put the cake back to cool after each layer?
A good layer of icing is enough for the final decoration;)
Bonjour.
I tested this recipe yesterday but even if it is good it is not my favorite texture and much too sweet for me and my partner. But it remains personal because I have made several of your recipes that we loved. So my question is can I use the recipe for your peanut butter chocolate cupcakes to make this layer cake? Because the biscuit is extra soft and I love it and the buttercream is less sickening but in terms of proportion is that enough or do I have to double it or just add 1/3 of the recipe to get this layer cake please?
Hello Noémie, it is indeed very sweet, you can try to adapt the cupcake recipe into a layer cake, by trying to double the proportions. Adjustments may be necessary.
Hello
I don't see the amount of butter to make the cakes? Is it an oversight?
Thank you for your generosity
Laure
Hello Laure, yes it's normal, there is no butter ;)
Hello, I don't understand what this measurement 11/2 cc of vanilla extract corresponds to?
Thank you for answering me, I can't wait to get started.
Hello
1 1/2 = 1,5;)
Hello Lili, is it possible to make the same cake in one go in a 15x10 sponge cake mold please? Thank you
[…] chose for my Layer cake to take as a base the chocolate cake of Lilie Bakery. I then made a whipped ganache with milk chocolate and mascarpone, then an icing […]
do you have to use unsweetened cocoa or you can use nesquik
Hello thank you for this recipe.
A question please, if I put the cake in 1 mold is it possible? Thank you
Hello, yes it is possible, you will have to cut into 3 equal levels then
I had a blast with this cake !! As advised I did it in advance and everything was perfect, I can not wait to test other recipes
Hello,
For the buttercream, I wonder if I can make it with milk chocolate and in this case should I put more chocolate?
Have a nice day and thank you for your blog.
Hello Jacqueline, I'm afraid that with milk chocolate it would be too sickening. Here the chocolate is not very strong (52% cocoa), it is mixed with Swiss meringue buttercream, which further reduces its intensity. If you really want to try, don't change the amount of chocolate because it would change the final texture. See you soon :)
Hello
Could you tell me if the recipe has changed recently? I had in mind 150gr of flour and 300 of sugar. I thought it was a lot that had marked me but excellent sponge cake
Hello Naima, thank you for your message. In a desire to reduce the sugar present in my recipes, I have slightly reduced the amount of sugar in this chocolate layer cake. However, if you want to have the same result as before in terms of sugar, you can definitely add more. It must suit your taste :) See you soon!
It's 2023 and this recipe is still as beautiful and good. Well done for this magnificent recipe and what's more it's simple. I'm 13 years old and I succeeded. Well done again.
Well done ! Goodbye :)
I would like to make this cake for my daughter's 4th birthday, she loves chocolate. However, I would like to use food coloring because she would like a Frozen and Rapunzel cake...
I'm thinking of using white chocolate for the outside frosting instead... what do you think? If so, how much?
Hello Mathilde, I understand your request but it would be a completely different recipe because white chocolate is not measured at all like dark chocolate. I advise you to find another recipe for the icing like here: https://liliebakery.fr/gateau-princesse-vanille-chocolat/
Good morning!! After having tested and LOVED 2 of your recipes (lemon meringue logs and vanilla caramel pecan logs, photos and comments to come :-))
I plan on making this one for my youngest's birthday.
Quick question ^^ Can I make it in advance and freeze it??
In fact, I would like to keep the surprise intact and take advantage of the last days of school to do it :-D
Hello Angelina, yes you can freeze the cake discs individually in the freezer or freeze the fully decorated cake. Make sure to wrap it well so that it does not get damp. To defrost it will be in the refrigerator for 6 hours. See you soon :)
This looks super cute! I'm going to try making this for my kids' double birthday! Does it start to melt if it sits out for more than 2 hours without being refrigerated?
Thank you in advance
Hello Léonor, this layer cake is best taken out of the fridge 30 minutes before because it is a Swiss meringue buttercream frosting. Two hours might be a bit long. Once the guests are served, you can put it back in the fridge though. See you soon :)