Black And White Layer Cake Recipes

BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.
• In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another small bowl, beat baking cocoa and 1 1/4 cups water with whisk until well blended. Set both bowls aside.
• In bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 2/3 cup softened butter and 1 1/3 cups sugar on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and cocoa mixture, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Pour 1 2/3 cups batter in each pan; spread evenly. Tap pans on counter 2 to 3 times to eliminate air bubbles from batter.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch with whisk. Beat in 1/3 cup water until smooth. Stir in chopped cherries. On medium-high heat, heat cherry mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.
• In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1 1/2 cups butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
• Fit decorating bag with 1/2-inch round piping tip; fill with frosting. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Pipe a thick frosting border around top edge of cake layer. Pipe a second border just inside the first border. Spread 2/3 cup of the cherry filling over top of cake inside borders. Top with second cake layer; repeat borders and filling. Place third cake layer on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press shaved chocolate around bottom half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• When ready to serve, mound maraschino cherries in center of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

BUTTERMILK WHITE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 9-inch round baking pans.
• Beat butter and vanilla extract together in a bowl until creamy. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. Beat butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, into flour mixture until fully incorporated.
• Beat egg whites in a glass or metal bowl until foamy. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until medium peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the tip of the peak formed by the egg whites should curl over slightly. Fold egg white mixture into batter until just combined. Pour batter evenly into the prepared baking pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Spread frosting atop one of the cakes and top with second cake. Spread the remaining frosting over the top cake and around the sides of both cakes.

BLACK-AND-WHITE PANCAKE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat a griddle over low heat for at least 10 minutes. (You want the griddle nice and hot over as low heat as possible to avoid burning the pancakes and to give them ample time to cook through.)
• 2. Make the pancakes: Whip up a batch of Maple Chocolate Cake, adding the water to the wet ingredients before whisking the batter until smooth.
• 3. Spray the griddle generously with nonstick spray. Making 2 pancakes at a time, pour two 1/2-cup scoops of batter onto the griddle. Use the back of a spoon to gently swirl and coax the pancakes into 7-inch circles. Cook the pancakes until the edges appear dry and set and bubbles are no longer popping on the surfaces, about 4 minutes on the first side. Use a thin, flexible metal spatula to gently flip the pancakes. Cook about 2 minutes more, or until the centers of the pancakes spring back when lightly touched. Remove the layers to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat the batter scooping and cooking process until you have 8 cake layers.
• 4. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and place 4 cake layers in a single layer on each sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
• 5. Make the cream filling: Pour the cream into a medium bowl. Whip the cream on high speed to stiff peaks. In a separate medium bowl, place the mascarpone, maple syrup, and vanilla bean paste. Beat on low speed, just until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken, about 30 seconds-don't overbeat, or the mascarpone will seize. Gently fold in the whipped cream until smooth.
• 6. Make the ganache filling: Combine the bittersweet chocolate with the cream in a small heatproof bowl. Microwave on high power for 45 to 60 seconds. Whisk the ganache until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth and the texture of chocolate pudding. Remove about 2 tablespoons of ganache to a small bowl and set aside for garnish.
• 7. To assemble the cake, remove the pancake layers from the refrigerator. Inspect the layers; choose the most handsome to be the top layer and set it aside. Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Dollop on 1/3 cup ofthe maple mascarpone cream and use a small offset spatula to smooth it out, with a l/2-inch border all around. Place a second layer on top, and press lightly to help it adhere. Spread about 2 1/2 tablespoons of ganache onto the layer, also with a 1/2-inch border around the cake. Continue the layering process 6 more times, alternating maple mascarpone cream and chocolate ganache with the layers, placing the best-looking cake layer on top.
• 8. To the remaining chocolate ganache, add a drizzle of cream, only about l/2 teaspoon or so, just enough to thin itto a honeylike consistency (warm the ganache in the microwave for about lO seconds or so to loosen it up first, if necessary). Drizzle the ganache artfully over the cake. Chill the cake for about 30 minutes before serving. This cake can be made up to 1 day in advance (let it soften on the counter for 15 minutes before slicing).

BASIC WHITE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Spread evenly into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Spread frosting between layers and over the top and sides of cake.

BLACK AND WHITE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Coat an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray, dust with 2 teaspoons flour.
• Place butter in large microwavable safe bowl. Cover and microwave 1 minute, or til butter melts. Add sugar, stir with a whisk. Add vanilla and egg whites, stir well. Stir in buttermilk, salt, baking soda.
• Lightly spoon 1 1/2 C flour into dry measuring cups, level with knife. Add flour, stirring JUST till blended. (DO NOT OVERSTIR) Spread half of batter into prepared pan. Add cocoa and almond extract to remaining batter, stir well with a whisk. Slowly pour chocolate batter over batter in pan.
• Bake 350 degrees for 30 min or till wooden pick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.
• 9 squares: Each cake square: 255 calories/5g protein/40.9g carb/22mg chol/1.3mg iron/324mg sod/32mg calc.

BASIC WHITE TWO-LAYER CAKE AND WHITE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and make sure that the rack is in the center of your oven. Spray two 8" round cake pans very generously with non-stick cooking spray (I used Baker's Joy ).
• In a large bowl, mix together cake flour, salt, and baking powder; set bowl aside.
• In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until it's light and fluffy (you can use a standing mixer or an electric hand mixer).
• In a large measuring cup, combine the milk, vanilla, and almond extract.
• Now it's time to add them all together! Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend on a low speed for about 30 seconds. Add about 1/2 of the milk mixture and blend again. Add in half of what's left of the flour mixture and blend again. Add in the rest of the milk mixture, blend for a couple of seconds, then the remaining flour mixture and blend at a low speed until the ingredients are barely mixed together (don't over mix!).
• In a separate bowl (or in your stand mixer using the whisk attachment), beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they reach "firm peak stage" (a.k.a. when the whisk is held sideways, the peaks will hold and the ridges will be distinct - this took about five minutes of whisking for me!). Fold the egg whites into the cake batter.
• Pour the cake batter evenly into the two prepared pans and bake them for 20-26 minutes (mine were done at 25), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cakes and let them finish cooling on wire racks.
• Combine the shortening, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl (you can use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer). Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with the milk or heavy cream, and mix it together until you have used it all. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk. If the frosting is too thin, add more sugar.
• Place one of your cooled, leveled cake layers on your cake stand . Using an offset spatula, place about 1/2 cup of frosting in the middle of the cake. Using your spatula, push the frosting out to the edges until the frosting is about 1/4"-1/2" thick (if you have a rotating cake stand, this step is really easy, but you can do it without it).
• Place the second layer of cake on top. You will now create the crumb coat (a thin layer of frosting that seals in all the crumbs to make it easy to decorate). Using the offset spatula, spread the frosting that has spilled out from between the layers smoothly over the surface. Add more frosting as needed, just keep the layer thin and smooth.
• Place about 1/2 cup of frosting on the top of the cake, pushing the frosting out to the edges until it's a smooth, flat surface.
• Now place the spatula against the edges of the cake and smooth out the excess frosting pushed over from the top of the cake.
• To help the cake firm up, stick it in the freezer for about 1-2 hours.
• From here, drop 1/2 cup frosting on the center of the cake and push it out to the edges as you did before, making the surface nice and smooth.
• Continue adding frosting to the top and edges of the cake until it's the smoothness and thickness you want. (Amanda says that the best way to get smooth frosting is to practice!)
• From there, continue to add more frosting to the top and sides of the cake until it's completely covered. I topped mine off with sprinkles, but you could get fancy and add some frosting decorations