Update 2022: After posting this recipe four years ago, I found that my one bowl chocolate cake recipe makes the best chocolate cupcakes! It’s what I prefer, and the crowds agree. So, this recipe has been updated with the new (and even easier to make!) recipe. 

Oh, chocolate. It’s made me weak in the knees since I was a kid sneaking it into the cart when my mom wasn’t looking. Some people prefer fruity desserts but I tend to lean toward the decadence of something chocolatey. If you’re in the same boat, then this recipe is for you: melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate buttercream that has been described by a friend as “the kind you need to put in the sink and fill the bowl with water because you can’t stop eating it.”

This recipe is everything you want in a chocolate cupcake – rich and decadent, moist and fudgy, and the perfect chocolatey flavor throughout. It’s a classic flavor pairing that will satisfy any chocolate lover in your life, and I’m a firm believer that every cake maker should have a good chocolate cake and chocolate buttercream recipe up their sleeve. Whether you pair the recipes together or use them separately to pair with other flavors, these are some great staples to add to your recipe box. 

You’ll notice that the cupcake recipe calls for hot coffee or hot water. You can absolutely use either, but the hot coffee will really help amplify the chocolate flavor in these cupcakes. It won’t add any coffee flavor in the process. I like to use fresh pour-over coffee, but you can use instant coffee or whatever you’re used to drinking at home.

I’ve kept the decoration simple with these babies by piping a swirl of chocolate buttercream with my Wilton 1M tip, but feel free to get creative with the design. They’re made even more beautiful with these pretty sprinkles from Fancy Sprinkles in the Birthday Balloons mix. I just love the pops of color and texture they add! 

Here’s a quick video of how to make these chocolate cupcakes before you read through the recipe below:

PS: If you’re into cake decorating videos like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube Channel! Click the Subscribe button while you’re there so you never miss a new video. 

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Chocolate Cupcakes With Chocolate Buttercream

Rich and moist chocolate cupcakes topped with decadent chocolate buttercream.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 15 cupcakes

Ingredients

One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 Cup (132g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 Cup (150g) white granulated sugar
• 1/3 Cup (30g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 Cup (60ml) vegetable oil
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) buttermilk, room temperature*
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) hot coffee or hot water**

Chocolate Buttercream

• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 Cup (45g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 Tbsp (45ml) whole milk, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Make The Chocolate Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF/177ºC and line a cupcake pan with 12-15 liners.
• Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix on low with either a hand mixer, the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, or by hand until combined. Add the hot coffee (or hot water) in a slow stream. Continue mixing on low until fully combined and smooth, 1-2 minutes. The batter will be very thin.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake liners (no more than ⅔ full) and bake for 15-18 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Make The Chocolate Buttercream

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter on high speed until creamy and light in color, about five minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle and turn the mixer to low, then add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue mixing on low speed until fully combined and uniform, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.

Assembly

• Let the cupcakes cool thoroughly before frosting with chocolate buttercream. In the images above, I've used Wilton tip 1M to pipe a swirl with the buttercream before adding these sprinkles. 

Notes

*DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

**hot coffee will not add any coffee flavor to the cupcakes, but it does help amplify the chocolate flavor better than hot water. 

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The chocolate cupcakes can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, they can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months. 
2. The chocolate buttercream recipe can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix with your stand mixer on low speed to bring it back to frosting consistency. 

Did you make these chocolate cupcakes? I want to know how it went! Leave a comment below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me. I love to see what you create!

The post One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

One of my very favorite pies to make for Thanksgiving is a chocolate pecan pie topped with salted caramel. The crunch of the pecans, richness of the chocolate, and sweetness of the caramel together are next level. I’m surprised it’s taken me this long to translate that flavor palette into cake form, but I’m beyond pleased with how it turned out – it’s the perfect pie alternative for your Thanksgiving feast and just an all-around amazing holiday flavor combo!

This Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake starts with my favorite ultra-decadent Chocolate Cake recipe that is super quick to throw together. It’s a one-bowl recipe and you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already. Easy. But we’re just getting started. 

The homemade Pecan Pie Filling and Salted Caramel you’ll be adding between those cake layers takes everything to the next level. I’m not kidding when I say that the Pecan Pie Filling tastes exactly like (you guessed it) pecan pie. You’ll be cooking both the filling and the caramel on the stove, and the aroma of them will fill your house with instant holiday cheer. Also, don’t be intimidated by the thought of making Salted Caramel from scratch – I promise it’s the easiest caramel you’ll ever make. There are only four ingredients and you don’t even need a candy thermometer to achieve caramel perfection. 

To tie all of these delicious holiday-inspired flavors together, I frosted the cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream. It’s the perfect compliment to the flavor palette and super easy to whip up and work with. Since the fillings are semi-thin, I piped a circle of Brown Sugar Buttercream around each layer before filling in the center with the fillings – a technique I explain in this Cake Basics blog post. 

For decorating the cake, I frosted a smooth layer of Brown Sugar Buttercream and dripped the sides with Salted Caramel (details on that are in the assembly instructions below). Then, I decorated the top of the cake with pecan halves, much like you would decorate a traditional pecan pie. Around the top edge, I piped a rope border using Wilton Tip 4B. It’s basically piping a continuous series of swirls while rotating the turntable until you’ve bordered the entire top edge. 

However you decorate this Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake with Salted Caramel, it’s sure to be tasty. It’s my ideal holiday flavor combo and I hope you love it as much as I do. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake with Salted Caramel

Inspired by my favorite Thanksgiving pecan pie recipe, this cake features layers of decadent chocolate cake, pecan pie filling, and homemade salted caramel, all wrapped up in tasty brown sugar buttercream. The perfect cozy holiday cake.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• 2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour
• 1 2/3 Cups (340g) white granulated sugar
• 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) full-fat buttermilk*, room temperature DIY recipe in notes
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot coffee or hot water

Pecan Pie Filling

• 1/2 Cup (100g) white granulated sugar
• 1/2 Cup (170g) packed brown sugar
• 2/3 Cup (160ml) light corn syrup
• 1/3 Cup (75g) unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 Cups (195g) chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Salted Caramel

• 1 Cup (200g) white granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into six slices
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1 1/4 tsp salt

Brown Sugar Buttercream

• 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 Cup (200g) packed brown sugar
• 7 Cups (840g) powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle. 
• Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer still on low, add the hot coffee (or hot water) in a slow stream, then turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin. 
• Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before filling and frosting.

Make the Pecan Pie Filling

• Combine the sugars, corn syrup, butter, eggs, pecans, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly for 6-8 minutes until the filling is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool completely before using as filling. It will thicken and stabilize as it cools.

Make the Salted Caramel

• Have everything pre-measured and ready to go (you’ll be constantly stirring). Place the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until it melts into an amber-colored liquid and no sugar clumps remain, 5-6 minutes. 
• Reduce the heat to medium. Carefully add the butter (it will bubble up when you do) and use a whisk to combine it with the sugar mixture until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, 2-3 minutes. 
• Add the heavy whipping cream in a steady stream while whisking. As soon as the cream is incorporated, let the caramel boil for a full minute before removing it from the heat and stirring in the salt. 
• Let the caramel cool to room temperature before using as a filling or drip. It will thicken as it cools. 

Make the Brown Sugar Buttercream

• With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium-high until it’s creamy, light, and homogenous. About 4 minutes.
• With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
• Add vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on low for another minute until fully incorporated.

Assembly

• Once the Chocolate Cakes have cooled completely, level and torte each layer to your desired height. Place the first layer on a turntable and pipe a circle of Brown Sugar Buttercream around the edge. Fill in the center with (room temperature) Pecan Pie Filling about 3/4 of the way to the top of the buttercream circle height-wise. Drizzle room temperature Salted Caramel on top of the Pecan Pie Filling. Here's a detailed tutorial on this filling method.
• Place the next cake layer on top and repeat the process of piping the buttercream circle and filling in the center with Pecan Pie Filling and Salted Caramel. Place the final layer on top, upside down so that the bottom of the cake layer is the top of the cake. Crumb coat the cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream and place it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to let everything set up.
• To create the cake design pictured, frost a smooth layer of Brown Sugar Buttercream around the cake and place it back into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to create a cold foundation for the Salted Caramel drip. Meanwhile, microwave the Salted Caramel in 10 second increments until it's slightly warmer than room temperature and good drip consistency (this post shows examples of perfect drip consistency with Chocolate Ganache and those same rules apply to Salted Caramel drip consistency). When the cake is nice and chilled and the Salted Caramel is perfect drip consistency, drip the cake. Place it back into the refrigerator for 10 minutes to let the caramel set.
• Create a design on the top of the cake with halved pecans. Prepare a piping bag with Wilton Tip 4B and fill it with Brown Sugar Buttercream. Holding the piping bag at a 45 degree angle pointed at the top of the cake, pipe a series of continuous swirls to create a rope border around the top edge.

Notes

DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The Chocolate Cake can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing to room temperature. 
2. The Pecan Pie Filling can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Bring back to room temperature before using in this recipe. 
3. The Salted Caramel can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, reheat it in the microwave in 10 second intervals until it reaches room temperature. 
4. The Brown Sugar Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

Did you make this Chocolate Caramel Pecan Pie Cake recipe? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram and show me! I love to see what you create.

The post Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake with Salted Caramel appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Now that I’ve shared my Eggnog Cake Recipe and my Hot Cocoa Cake recipe, it’s only fitting that I close out my 2020 holiday cakes with another that’s based on a festive drink: this decadent Peppermint Mocha Cake! This one may be my favorite one of all and it even impressed my husband, who is not a coffee drinker or a big fan of peppermint. We could not stop tasting it and talking about how good it was, so I am confident that you’ll love it too. Oh, and just look at that candy cane drip. 

I always try to get my flavors as close to the inspiration as possible, and the flavors going on in this Peppermint Mocha Cake ended up being spot on to the real deal. I thought about topping it with peppermint buttercream (I really wanted it to look like a striped candy cane at first), but the coffee buttercream was actually the perfect choice for the taste of this one. It gives you a great hit of coffee to balance out the peppermint and chocolate in the cake, and it’s so tasty you’ll want to sneak a few spoonfuls here and there or frost some cake scraps with it for snacking (that’s what I do). 

For the cake layers, I adapted my favorite Chocolate Cake recipe to include peppermint extract and hot coffee. In the original recipe, you pour in one cup of hot (simmering) water at the end, so for this version just make sure the coffee is hot, as in just-brewed. You can totally use instant coffee for this part too – I actually ended up using these Starbucks Via packets (made according to the package instructions) and they worked great! After those tweaks to the chocolate cake recipe that’s already extra moist and decadent, this version ended up being the ideal balance of peppermint, chocolate, and coffee. In other words, the perfect base for this Peppermint Mocha Cake. 

After filling and frosting the cake with Coffee Buttercream to enhance the coffee flavor of this cake, I dripped it with my go-to Chocolate Ganache recipe. After the drips set, it was super easy to press on candy cane bits and the result was so eye-catching! I basically used the same method as was used in this Sprinkle Drip Cake tutorial. One note on the candy cane drip though: adding the candy cane bits can’t be done too far ahead of time. When I left the cake in the refrigerator overnight, the moisture of the drip ended up melting a few of the pieces. If you do want to make this cake ahead and keep that drip looking perfect, be sure to add the candy cane pieces the day you’re serving the cake. They’ll press onto the drip just fine, even after it has set. 

To finish the look, I added a little piping to the top in a crescent moon shape using Wilton Tip 1 (for the rosettes) and 4B (for the stars). Then, I sprinkled more candy cane bits over the top. However you choose to decorate, this Peppermint Mocha Cake is downright delicious. As I type this weeks later, I’m already thinking about making it all over again. I consider that the sign of a good cake. Enjoy!

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Peppermint Mocha Cake Recipe

Inspired by the classic holiday coffee treat! Layers of peppermint mocha flavored cake and coffee buttercream, dripped with candy cane speckled chocolate ganache.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Peppermint Mocha Cake

• 2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour
• 1 2/3 Cups (340g) granulated white sugar
• 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 whole eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) full-fat buttermilk*, room temperature DIY recipe in notes
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot coffee

Coffee Buttercream

• 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 Cups (960g) powdered sugar
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp instant coffee or instant espresso powder
• 3 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate Ganache Drip

• 1/2 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream

Additional Garnish

• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes

Instructions

Make the Peppermint Mocha Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle. 
• Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, peppermint, and buttermilk and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer still on low, add the hot coffee in a slow stream, then turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin. 
• Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Make the Coffee Buttercream

• Combine the instant espresso/coffee with the whole milk and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter on med-high until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes), scraping down bowl and paddle a few times in between.
• Add powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down bowl and paddle between intervals. Then add the vanilla, the coffee/espresso milk mixture, and salt. Mix on low until fully incorporated, about one minute.

Make the Chocolate Ganache

• Place chocolate chips into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal). If you’re starting with a chocolate bar, chop it into small pieces until they’re about the size of chocolate chips. 
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm heavy whipping cream until it just starts to simmer. I always look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft simmer starting in the middle. When it's reached this point, pour the cream into your bowl of chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds. 
• Whisk it together until it’s uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk. Cool ganache at room temperature for 10-20 minutes, or until the ganache itself is room temperature or slightly above. 

Assembly

• After the Peppermint Mocha Cakes have cooled completely, level and torte the layers to your desired height. Then, fill and frost the cake with Coffee Buttercream. To create the look pictured, place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before dripping with chocolate ganache. Here are tips on how to create the perfect drip. Place the dripped cake back into the refrigerator for 5 minutes to let the drip set before pressing on the crushed candy cane pieces by hand.

Notes

*DIY Buttermilk Recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make Ahead Tips:

1. The Peppermint Mocha Cake layers can be made ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store the wrapped cake layers in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
2. The Coffee Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 
3. The Chocolate Ganache can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it as a drip, microwave it in 10 second increments, stirring after every interval until your ganache is room temperature and uniform in consistency.

To Make As Cupcakes: fill cupcake tins no more than 2/3 of the way full and bake at 350ºF for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Yields about 35-40 cupcakes.

Did you make this recipe? I want to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram. I love to see what you’re caking!

The post Peppermint Mocha Cake Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I know I’m not alone in saying that a mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows on top is downright nostalgic. It’s a distinct flavor combo that is enjoyable at any age, reminiscent of winter and the Holiday season. Remember how I talked about having a list of Holiday cake flavors I wanted to create? Well, this one has been on the top of the list for a few years now. So as soon as I had the energy toward the end of my maternity leave, I decided to do some recipe testing and check it off the list. Surprisingly, this one didn’t take much testing at all! It is packed with hot cocoa flavor, marshmallowey goodness, and all the nostalgia. Behold: 

Let’s talk about the flavors going on here. I really wanted every bite to taste like hot cocoa (without being literally hot), so I whipped up some Swiss Miss hot cocoa with whole milk, cooled it to room temperature, and used it to infuse my favorite Chocolate Cake recipe. The result is extra chocolatey and so moist that it’s almost fudgey – just the way I like a chocolate cake. It’s got that extra little kick of hot cocoa from the infusion, and paired with the rest of the recipe elements, it tastes just the way I imagined. I honestly could not stop eating this one, and that’s always a really good sign because I’ve had a lot of cake in my day and can usually refrain.

The cake layers are delicious on their own, but the Hot Cocoa Buttercream is what gives this cake that extra flavor boost and truly makes the recipe. It tastes just like hot cocoa, partly because I added a little cocoa powder + infused it with more of that hot cocoa made with whole milk that I used in the cake. And to really take this recipe beyond, I decided to fill the cake with a layer of Hot Cocoa Buttercream and a layer of Marshmallow Fluff. I mean, how could I not? 

To turn this delicious cake into a masterpiece, I frosted the outside with more Hot Cocoa Buttercream and left the top edge “unfinished,” aka I didn’t swipe the buttercream on top of the cake to make sharp edges. I like that an unfinished edge creates the look of movement, and it reminded me of a sloshy cup of hot cocoa. Finally, I cut up some mini marshmallows and added them to the side of the cake in an ombrè layout, then piled some larger marshmallows on top and dusted the whole thing with cocoa powder. Voila! 

The mini marshmallows are so sticky inside that you can just press them onto the buttercream once you cut them. I will admit, it does take a bit of time to cut them all up, but I just love the way this design looks! It’s such a tasty recipe though, you can decorate it any way you want and rest assured that it will taste amazing. Enjoy!

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Hot Cocoa Cake Recipe

Layers of hot cocoa infused cake, hot cocoa flavored buttercream, and marshmallow fluff – inspired by a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Hot Cocoa

• 1 1/4 Cups whole milk
• 3 1/2 Tbsp hot cocoa mix

Hot Cocoa Cake

• 2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Cups (300g) white granulated sugar
• 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch Process)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 whole eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot cocoa made with whole milk, room temperature
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot water

Hot Cocoa Buttercream

• 1 1/2 Cups (339g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 1/2 Cups (540g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 Cup (45g) cocoa powder
• 1/4 Cup (60g) hot cocoa made with whole milk, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Optional Fillings and Toppings

• Marshmallow Fluff for filling
• Mini and Large marshmallows for decoration

Instructions

Make the Hot Cocoa

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the whole milk until it begins to simmer. Whisk in the hot cocoa mix and set aside. Wait until it's entirely room temperature before continuing on with this recipe.

Make the Hot Cocoa Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle. 
• Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and hot cocoa and mix on low until just combined. Ensure that the hot water has been heated to a simmer, then with the mixer still on low, add the hot water in a slow stream. Turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin. 
• Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. 

Make the Hot Cocoa Buttercream

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip butter on medium speed until creamy and light in color, about four minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle and turn the mixer to low, then add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, hot cocoa, salt, and vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium and beat for two full minutes.

Assembly

• Once the cake layers are completely cool, torte them to the desired height. Pipe a ring of hot cocoa buttercream around the edge of the first cake layer, then fill the middle halfway with marshmallow fluff before filling the rest of the space with hot cocoa buttercream (here's a tutorial on this filling method). Add the next layer of cake on top and repeat the filling process before adding the final cake layer on top, upside down so that the smooth bottom of the cake is facing up. Crumb coat with the hot cocoa buttercream and refrigerate for 20 minutes, then frost a final layer of hot cocoa buttercream, leaving the top edge unfinished.
• Use a knife to slice mini marshmallows and place them onto the buttercream finish in an ombrè layout. The inside of the marshmallow should be sticky enough to press onto the side of the cake and adhere, but if you need to, use a little water to make it stickier. Finish the design by piling marshmallows of various sizes on top and dusting with cocoa powder.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips:

1. The Hot Cocoa Cake layers can be made ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store the wrapped cake layers in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
2. The Hot Cocoa Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

To Make As Cupcakes: fill cupcake tins no more than 2/3 of the way full and bake at 350ºF for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Yields about 35-40 cupcakes.

Did you make this recipe? I want to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram. I love to see what you’re caking!

The post Hot Cocoa Cake Recipe with Marshmallows appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Right after I made this Ruby Chocolate Buttercream recipe, I instantly thought to try it with my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I figured since ruby chocolate has predominant notes of raspberry, and raspberry and chocolate are a match made in heaven, the cake and buttercream combo would be a good fit. Well I was right (I love it when that happens!) – it was the perfect balance of berry and chocolate and such a delight to eat! You would think that the chocolate cake would overwhelm the berry notes but instead, the flavors work together in perfect harmony. And just look how pretty it is: 

This cake all starts with three layers of decadent chocolate cake. This is my go-to chocolate cake recipe because it’s a one-bowl cake, aka just add all the ingredients to one bowl (in the right order of course) and it’s ready to head into the oven in about five minutes! It comes out the same every single time: rich chocolate flavor with a fluffy yet moist crumb. I use it any time I need a cake with a chocolate base.

After baking up these beautiful chocolate cake layers, I filled and frosted them with Ruby Chocolate Buttercream and the flavor combo is so dreamy! This buttercream is so silky smooth and flavored by adding melted ruby cacao. I used these Chocolove Ruby Cacao bars for the buttercream (and the ruby chocolate ganache drip, and the ruby chocolate disks on top) and absolutely love the flavor: dominant raspberry notes with a hint of chocolate that’s not too bitter or too sweet. I could eat the ruby cacao all on its own, but whipping it up into buttercream is the perfect flavor compliment to this cake! And the best part is, the incredible flavor and pretty pink color are totally natural. It’s the latest innovation in the chocolate world since the introduction of white chocolate and I am here for it! 

I knew I wanted to try making the ruby cacao into ganache for a drip, and after a few attempts I discovered that the right ratio is a simple 1:1. I thought it would behave a bit more like white chocolate but it’s very much the same as working with a semi-sweet or milk chocolate. To make the ganache, I chopped the ruby cacao into bits and measured out 6 oz (about 2 bars). Then, I measured out an equal amount of heavy whipping cream (½ cup), brought it to a light boil, poured it over the ruby cacao bits, and whisked it all together. It turned out a little more brown-toned than mauve for some reason, so added a drop of Americolor Fuschia to match the rest of the cake. It was super easy to drip the cake with once it reached room temp.

To finish decorating, I melted more of the ruby cacao, tempered it, and poured it into disk shapes on wax paper. They dry firm after about 10 minutes in the refrigerator, after which you can use them however you want in your cake design! I ended up splatter painting mine with a little Americolor Bright White color gel to give it some additional intrigue and love the look so much. I stuck them right into the buttercream on top of the cake and finished everything off with some piped ruby chocolate buttercream. Use Wilton tip 4B for the stars and 1M for the rosettes if you’re into this design! However you decorate this cake, it is so SO tasty, the prettiest natural color ever, and is sure to impress any chocolate lover (especially if they’re into trying the latest innovations in the chocolate world!). Enjoy!

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Ruby Chocolate Cake Recipe

Layers of decadent chocolate cake, filled and frosted with a silky smooth ruby chocolate buttercream to create beautiful notes of raspberry that perfectly balance the chocolate flavor. Topped with ruby chocolate ganache and featuring an all-natural mauve color palette!

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

• 2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour
• 1 2/3 Cups (340g) white granulated sugar
• 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch Process)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) full-fat buttermilk*, room temperature DIY recipe in the notes
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot water

Ruby Chocolate Buttercream

• 9 oz (255g) ruby cacao, chopped into small bits
• 1 1/2 Cup (339g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/4 Cup (270g) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 Cup (80ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Ruby Chocolate Ganache

• 6 oz (170g) ruby cacao, chopped into small bits
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1-2 drops Americolor Fuschia or pink food color gel optional

Instructions

Make The Chocolate Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch cake pans or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle.
• Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer still on low, add the hot (just boiled) water in a slow stream, then turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin.
• Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Make The Ruby Chocolate Buttercream

• Add the ruby chocolate into a glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir until all the ruby chocolate is melted and there are no lumps. Alternatively, you can melt the ruby chocolate using a double boiler. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, add the powdered sugar, and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and paddle, give the melted ruby chocolate a few stirs and make sure it’s not hot enough to melt the butter (if it is still too hot, wait a few minutes before adding!), then add it in. Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla, heavy whipping cream, and salt and beat for another minute on medium.

Make The Ruby Chocolate Ganache

• Place the chopped ruby cacao into a glass or metal bowl and set aside. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm heavy whipping cream until it just starts to boil. I always look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft boil starting in the middle. When you see that it’s just starting to boil, pour it over the ruby cacao bits and let sit for about 20 seconds.
• Whisk it together until it’s uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk. Add a drop or two of Americolor Fuschia or pink food color gel of your choice if you want (the natural ganache color turns out more beige-toned for some reason).
• Cool ganache at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until the ganache itself is close to room temperature (a little warmer may be fine depending on how thin you like your drips).

Assembly

• When the chocolate cake layers have cooled completely, torte them before filling and frosting with ruby chocolate buttercream. Chill the frosted cake in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before dripping with the room temperature ruby chocolate ganache. It’s always best to do a test drip on the cake before dripping the whole thing – that way you can see whether you need to cool the ganache more or gently warm it in the microwave before committing to dripping the rest of the cake.
• After dripping the cake with ganache, place it in the refrigerator for at least five minutes to let it set. To create the design pictured, place a few tempered ruby chocolate disks on top of the cake (I splatter painted mine with Americolor Bright White). Use the remaining ruby chocolate buttercream to pipe rosettes with Wilton tip 1M and stars with Wilton tip 4B wherever you desire!

Notes

DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make ahead tips: 

1. The chocolate cake recipe can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing to room temperature. 
2. The ruby chocolate buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer to bring it back to piping/frosting consistency.
3. The ruby chocolate ganache can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it as a drip, microwave it in 10 second increments, stirring after every interval until your ganache is room temperature and uniform in consistency.

Did you make this recipe? I want to know how it went! Leave a comment below and be sure to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me your cake creation. I love to see my recipes out there in the world!

The post Ruby Chocolate Cake Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I’ve been curious about ruby chocolate for awhile now, mostly because of its gorgeous, all-natural mauve coloring. So when I saw these Chocolove Ruby Cacao bars at my local New Season’s, I almost squealed! I thought it was a super rare find but it turns out you can find ruby chocolate bars at most grocery stores now, especially around Valentine’s Day. It’s the latest chocolate confection since the invention of white chocolate, only it’s made from the ruby cocoa bean with no added flavoring or food coloring. 

I was totally (pleasantly!) surprised at the all-natural flavor of this Ruby Cacao bar – it tastes mostly like raspberry with a hint of chocolate. It’s a total pleasure to eat, not too sweet or bitter at all, but a perfect balance of fruit and chocolate flavor. I knew I had to try making it into a buttercream because I imagined it would pair perfectly with my favorite chocolate cake (spoiler alert: it is a match made in heaven). Plus I had to find out what color the buttercream would end up! 

To make this ruby chocolate buttercream, I used the method as my white chocolate buttercream recipe: melt the chocolate, cool it to room temp, and add it after creating the butter/powdered sugar mixture. You’ll notice that this buttercream doesn’t have a lot of powdered sugar in it, but trust me. There’s some sort of magic that happens after you add the melted chocolate and whip it all together. It ends up making more buttercream than you would expect (about 3 cups), frosts and pipes like a dream, and has such incredible flavor! A must try if you’re ready to experiment with a new kind of chocolate.

You’re probably wondering why the color of this chocolate is pink, since cacao beans are typically brown. If you Google image search ruby cacao beans, they’re actually a bit more ruby in color (hence the name), and the resulting chocolate gets even more of a pink hue after the beans have been processed in a specific way. It’s wild, and I’m a fan.

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Ruby Chocolate Buttercream

A silky smooth ruby chocolate buttercream with natural notes of berry and chocolate and all natural color. Perfect for piping cupcakes or frosting a smooth cake finish. Makes enough to frost 18 cupcakes, or fill/frost a 3 layer 4-inch cake.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 3 Cups

Ingredients

• 6 oz (170g) ruby chocolate, chopped into small bits
• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups (180g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 Cup (60ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

• Add the ruby chocolate into a glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir until all the ruby chocolate is melted and there are no lumps. Alternatively, you can melt the ruby chocolate using a double boiler. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, add the powdered sugar, and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and paddle, give the melted ruby chocolate a few stirs and make sure it’s not hot enough to melt the butter (if it is still too hot, wait a few minutes before adding!), then add it in. Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla, heavy whipping cream, and salt and beat for another minute on medium.

Notes

Make Ahead Tip: This buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer to bring it back to piping/frosting consistency.

Yield: This buttercream makes enough to:

• Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
• Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe. 

Did you make this recipe? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram so I can see what you’re caking. I love to see your creations!

The post Ruby Chocolate Buttercream Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I never got the chance to be a Girl Scout, but I have been loving their cookies for a lifetime and don’t plan on stopping any time soon. They’ve got an array of amazing flavors, but my favorite are Samoas and Thin Mints. Hands down. So when I was working on a peppermint hot chocolate cake this past Christmas and it came out of the oven tasting just like a Thin Mint, I knew just what I had to do with it. I never made that peppermint hot chocolate cake (maybe this year!), but I am oh so happy with this Thin Mint inspired cake in the meantime! 

It all starts with a moist, decadent Mint Chocolate cake. This is essentially my favorite chocolate cake recipe, but with mint extract (I used McCormick Pure Peppermint Extract for this) added to give it the perfect flavor. It’s really easy to go overboard with mint extract, which is why there isn’t a whole lot of it in this cake recipe, but the little bit that’s in there gives such a precise balance of mint and chocolate flavors – the same you’d find in a Thin Mint cookie. It’s a one-bowl cake recipe (yay!), which means you can whip it up in about five minutes and it’s easy for cakers of all skill levels. You really can’t go wrong with this one! 

To take this cake recipe beyond, I paired the Mint Chocolate Cake with Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream and layers of crumbled Thin Mints in between. Holy yum. I originally planned on crushing the Thin Mints and adding them straight to the buttercream, but I found that they muddled the color into a weird brownish green hue. So instead, I flavored the buttercream with a touch of mint, added a few drops of Americolor Mint Green, and added chopped semi-sweet chocolate chips. The added crunch of the crushed Thin Mints along with this Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream is to die for.

To get your hands on a box of Thin Mints, you’ve got a few different options. You can use the Girl Scout website to find a booth near you, order directly from a Girl Scout if you know one, or get them on Amazon. I do recommend buying them in person, because you can guarantee you are giving to a great cause (funding the Girl Scout program, which empowers young women and teaches them leadership skills) and they’re a little bit cheaper that way too. 

If you don’t have access to Thin Mints at all, you can feel free to try this recipe with a different mint chocolate cookie of your preference, or omit the cookies altogether. The cake and buttercream on their own taste like mint chocolate cake heaven, and it’s guaranteed to satisfy any lover of this flavor combo. Enjoy!

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Thin Mint Chocolate Cake

Layers of moist, decadent Mint Chocolate Cake with layers of crumbled Thin Mint cookies and Mint Chocolate Chip buttercream. A mint chocolate lover's dream!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

Mint Chocolate Cake

• 2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour
• 1 2/3 Cups (340g) white granulated sugar
• 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch Process)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) full-fat buttermilk, room temperature DIY recipe in notes below
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot water

Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream

• 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 7 Cups (840g) powdered sugar
• 6 Tbsp (89ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp pure peppermint extract
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• A few drops of green food color gel
• 1/2 Cup (92g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, finely chopped

Chocolate Ganache Drip

• 1/2 Cup (92g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream

Additional Fillings and Garnishes

• 8 Thin Mint cookies, crushed into crumbs
• 8 Thin Mint Cookies, whole (for garnish)

Instructions

Make the Mint Chocolate Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch cake pans or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle. 
• Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and buttermilk and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer still on low, add the hot water in a slow stream, then turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin. 
• Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.

Make the Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream

• With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light (almost white) in color. About 7 minutes. 
• Add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, mixing on low and scraping down after each addition to make sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and salt and mix on medium-low for another two minutes until fully incorporated.
• Add a few drops of green food color gel until the desired shade of mint green is reached. Then, gently fold in the chopped chocolate.

Make the Chocolate Ganache

• Place chocolate chips into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal).
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm heavy whipping cream until it just starts to boil. I always look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft boil starting in the middle. When you see that it’s just starting to boil, pour it into your bowl of chocolate and let sit for one minute. 
• Whisk it together until it’s uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk. Cool ganache at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until the ganache itself is room temperature. 

Assembly

• Torte the cooled Mint Chocolate Cake layers and place the first one on top of a cardboard cake circle, ensuring it stays put with a swipe of buttercream between the cake and cardboard. Add a layer of Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream as filling, followed by a layer of crushed Thin Mint cookies. Place the next cake layer on top and repeat the fillings before placing the final cake layer, upside down, on top.
• To create the design pictured, frost the cake with Mint Chocolate Chip buttercream and place it into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to firm up before adding the chocolate ganache. Once the chocolate ganache has reached room temperature and the cake finish is chilled, drip the cake with it (here is a great tutorial on how to drip cakes). Place back into the refrigerator for at least five minutes before finishing the cake with buttercream piping and more Thin Mint cookies.

Notes

DIY Buttermilk recipe: For this recipe, add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make ahead tips: the Mint Chocolate Cake can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing to room temperature. 

The Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer on medium for one minute to bring it back to frosting consistency. 

I’m so thrilled with how this Thin Mint Chocolate Cake recipe turned out and hope you love it as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco to show me your take on this cake. I love to see what you create with my recipes!

The post Thin Mint Chocolate Cake Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

After testing so many chocolate cake recipes over the years, I’ve come really close to perfection only to miss the mark on the essentials of a good chocolate cake: moistness, fluffiness, and great chocolate flavor. You know, the kind with the slightly sticky crumb that just melts in your mouth and almost makes your eyes roll back in your head because it’s just that good. While my chocolate cakes of the past have been acceptable, this one I’m about to share is the absolute best I’ve ever had. No joke. It’s fudgy, moist, decadent, and makes me so giddy I want to shout it from the rooftops!

The best part of this chocolate cake recipe is that it’s about as easy as a cake mix. It’s a one-bowl cake, meaning you basically put all the ingredients into one bowl (in the right order, of course) and whip it up into the smoothest chocolate cake batter ever. There are absolutely no complicated steps to this cake, which makes it super failproof and the perfect go-to chocolate cake recipe for your repertoire.

This cake is ultra-moist due to the vegetable oil base and the addition of buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make it from scratch using whole milk. Just mix it with white vinegar (exact recipe is in the notes below), let it sit for about 15 minutes, and voila! Perfect buttermilk every time.

You can pair this chocolate cake with almost any buttercream, but I’ve chosen to pair it with my favorite chocolate buttercream recipe to really enhance the chocolate flavor. In the past I’ve paired it with cherry, raspberry, almond, salted caramel, and vanilla buttercreams and those pairings have been super tasty.

The rope border on top of this cake was created using Wilton Tip 1M to pipe rosettes on top of one another around the edge of the cake. Then I topped it all off with one of my favorite sprinkle mixes ever – Rainbow Road by SprinklePop. I think sprinkles are the perfect finishing touch, but you can decorate however you’d like.

Here’s a video I made to show you all the tips and tricks for making this chocolate cake recipe (below). For more recipe videos like this one + tons of cake decorating videos, head to my YouTube Channel and be sure to click the Subscribe button so you never miss a new one!

Update 2022 – Two things: 1) I realized that you can absolutely make this recipe by hand instead of using a mixer! That makes it an even easier one bowl cake. Exact instructions are in the notes of the recipe below. 2) I prefer using hot coffee in this recipe (enhances the chocolate flavor big time!), but you can absolutely use hot water as an alternative.

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Perfect One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe

A moist, decadent chocolate cake that is so easy and quick to whip up, it’ll become a forever go-to. Top it with chocolate buttercream for the best chocolate cake ever. 

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

• 2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour
• 1 2/3 Cups (340g) white granulated sugar
• 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) full-fat buttermilk*, room temperature DIY recipe in the notes
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot coffee or hot water

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle. 
• Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer still on low, add the hot water in a slow stream, then turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin. 
• Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 32-36 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting with chocolate buttercream or frosting of your choice.

Notes

DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make ahead tips: this cake can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing to room temperature. 

To Make as Cupcakes: fill the tins no more than 2/3 full and bake at 350ºF for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

To Make by Hand (Without a Mixer): In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together until uniform. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk, and whisk everything together until smooth. Whisking constantly, add the hot coffee (or water) in a slow, steady stream. Continue whisking until the batter is smooth and uniform. It will be very thin. Pour into prepared cake pans and bake according to the recipe above. 

Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments below, or by tagging me on Instagram! I love to see your creations and hear your feedback.

The post The Perfect One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Cake and ice cream. They’re undoubtedly a perfect pairing when you serve them side by side, and even better when you combine them into one big beautiful ice cream cake! Since I don’t actually own an ice cream maker, I hadn’t yet ventured into the world of making ice cream before (let alone an ice cream cake). That is, until I discovered The Curious Creamery Ice Cream Cake Kits. These amazing creations are made for people like me, because there’s no ice cream maker required! Just whip up the ice cream mix according to the instructions, layer it with some delicious cake (which is also included in the kit), freeze it all together, and you’re good to go!

The Curious Creamery makes ice cream cake kits in flavors like Birthday Cake, Cookies and Cream, and Mudd Pie. They make tons of other ice cream mix flavors (some of which you can customize by adding your own flavoring right into the mix!) but the ice cream cake kits come with the addition of either cake mix or cookie pie crust for you to make a decadent dessert in minutes. The best part is, all you need for the ice cream portion is either a stand mixer or hand mixer, some cold dairy, a little sugar, and a freezer. It’s like pure magic!  

The flavor I chose to go with is Cookies and Cream, and my goodness, it was everything I’d hoped for and more. Immediately upon receiving the kit, I had a vision for the ultimate ice cream cake that seemed to come from the heavens. I pictured a sky high cake with multiple layers and flavors going on, so I opted for the Milk Bar approach to building it: use a 6-inch (leak proof!) springform pan as the base of the mold, add acetate strips to create the tallest cake mold ever, and fill up the entire thing with layer upon layer of flavor.  

The Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cake Kit comes with two tasty layers: a Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Mix that was unbelievably easy to whip up (literally took 5 minutes) and a Chocolate Cake mix that was fluffy and fail-proof (just add water!). Everything in the kit tastes great together, but the beauty of The Curious Creamery kits is that you can add your own flair if you want to. Since I wanted to have a lot of layers going on, I decided make some whipped marshmallow fluff and crush up some Oreos with the filling and all. That gave me a total of four different layers to use in my sky-high design. I decided to make it naked so you could see all the pretty layers, then added some fun piping and mini Oreos to the top.

I’ll walk you through the entire recipe for this delicious Cookies & Cream ice cream cake, but first, here’s a little video tutorial to show you how easy it is to create an ice cream cake with The Curious Creamery Ice Cream Cake Kits:

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by The Curious Creamery. Although I was compensated, all opinions are my own and this ice cream cake mix is truly as amazing as advertised. I was shocked at how easy and tasty it was, and I can’t wait to make more of the flavors!

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Sky High Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake

A 7-inch tall ice cream cake masterpiece with layers of chocolate cake, cookies and cream ice cream (no ice cream machine required!), whipped marshmallow fluff, and crushed Oreos. 

Servings 20 slices

Ingredients

Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake

• 2 packages The Curious Creamery Ice Cream Cake Kit in the Cookies & Cream flavor
• 1 1/3 cups (320ml) water
• 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, cold
• 2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
• 3/4 cup (154g) white granulated sugar
• 1 cup crushed Oreo cookies (about 12 cookies)
• Mini Oreos for garnish, optional

Whipped Marshmallow Fluff

• 2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
• 2 cups marshmallow fluff

Instructions

Make The Chocolate Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare two 6 inch cake pans by spraying with cooking spray and fitting a wax or parchment paper circle to the bottom. Place the cake mixes (there should be one pouch in each box, so two pouches total) into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the water and beat on low until ingredients are incorporated, about one minute. Scrape down the bowl and paddle, turn the mixer to medium, and beat for another two minutes. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes until turning out onto a wire rack to cool for an additional few hours. Let the cakes cool completely before moving on to the next steps.

Make The Cookies & Cream Ice Cream

• Combine the chilled milk and 2 cups heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the white granulated sugar and contents of both ice cream mix packets and stir gently to combine. Turn the mixer to high and whisk for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture becomes wavy and creamy and almost doubles in size. 

Make The Whipped Marshmallow Fluff

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the Heavy Whipping Cream until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the Marshmallow Fluff and whip the mixture on high until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Set the mixture aside.

Assembly

• Prepare a 6 inch leak-proof springform pan by fitting the bottom with a cardboard cake circle and fitting a strip of acetate to the sides. Torte the chocolate cake layers into three half-inch layers and place the first layer of chocolate cake in the bottom of the mold. 
• Next, fill a piping bag with whipped marshmallow fluff and pipe a layer on top of the chocolate cake. Sprinkle a layer of crushed Oreos on top of the whipped marshmallow fluff. Fill another piping bag with the Cookies and Cream ice cream mixture and pipe a layer on top of the crushed Oreos. 
• Add the next layer of Chocolate Cake and fit another acetate strip around it to heighten the cake mold. Continue with another layer of whipped marshmallow fluff, then crushed Oreos, then Cookies and Cream ice cream, and another layer of Chocolate Cake. Finish with a final layer of whipped marshmallow fluff, and use a piping tip to pipe some additional whipped marshmallow fluff around the top of the cake in any style you like (I used Wilton Tip 1M to do a swirl border). Garnish with more crushed Oreos and Mini Oreos. 
• Place the ice cream cake in the freezer for 4-6 hours, until very firm. After it’s frozen, release it from the springform pan and remove the acetate strips. 

Have you tried The Curious Creamery ice cream cake kits yet? I really think they’re a game changer! Order your very own ice cream cake kit here and let me know what flavor you chose. I can’t wait to see what you create with these magical kits!

The post Sky High Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.