Tuxedo Cake

Mile-high moist chocolate cake with fluffy frosting and topped with chocolate ganache and strawberries.

Adapted from Foodie Bride and originally from Pastry Queen

Yields: 10 – 12 servings

Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups room temperature water

1 cup canola or vegetable oil

3 cups granulated sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk (1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar, or substitute with fat-free Greek yogurt)

1 tablespoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

4 cups cold heavy whipping cream

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

For the Chocolate Glaze:

4 ounces dark chocolate (I used Ghiradelli)

1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup light corn syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate-covered strawberries for garnish

Directions

For the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease three 9-inch pans (or two 10-inch pans).

2. Combine sugar, flour, and cocoa.

3. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine butter, water, and canola oil. Cook just until butter has melted.

4. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and mix on low speed.

5. Add eggs, one at a time and mixing until each is incorporated. Then add buttermilk, baking soda, salt, and vanilla.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 - 40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back to the touch. Let cool completely before transferring to a plate. You will not be able to move the cake from this plate after adding frosting, so be sure this is the final location you want.

For the Frosting:

7. Whip the cold heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Stop beating after achieving stiff peaks, or else the mixture will break down into solid and liquid components.

8. Level the cake layers, if necessary. Evenly spread frosting over the first bottom layer, stack, spread over the second layer, stack, and cover the cake with a crumb coat. Refrigerate the cake for 5 minutes to let the crumb coat set. Then frost the cake with the rest of the frosting.

For the Glaze:

9. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Blend in the corn syrup and vanilla. Let cool to room temperature for 1 or 2 minutes, until not piping hot.

10. Pour the glaze directly over the center of the cake, allowing it to drip naturally down the sides of the cake. Garnish with chocolate-covered strawberries. Serve & enjoy!

Storage note: Keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. This cake tastes even better the next day because the flavors are given the time to really sink in.