A chocolate layer cake filled with dulce de leche is magic, and you should try it! I went a step further and added Swiss meringue to the mix. The result is chocolaty, sweet, and pretty irresistible. A birthday cake you'll want to make over and over.
Not-your-usual chocolate cake
A tall, scrumptious, chocolatey cake filled with dulce de leche and meringue is what we all need right now. I'm hoping you agree because this is one large cake recipe!
When I started this blog, a gazillion years ago it seems, for a few months I did virtual birthday cakes for my fellow food bloggers. It lasted several months, and there are some great recipes to prove it, like the carrot layer cake and the old-fashioned hummingbird cake.
This chocolate layer cake was the last on the list.
For an easy and quick chocolate icebox cake that also features this sweet jam, you should try the Chocotorta recipe, a simple dessert with it, and chocolate wafers.
Chocolate layers
This is one fantastic chocolate cake recipe.
Besides some obvious ingredients, like cocoa powder, it has yogurt and some milk chocolate in the batter which are two ingredients not normally associated with regular chocolate layer cake recipes. The result is moist, tender, full of chocolate, and very balanced in sweetness.
About the two different-sized pans. But the thing is that if you want more than two layers - I wanted 4 - you need two pans.
And my oven doesn't fit two 9-inch pans (the nerve I know), so I used a smaller one. So a best practice would be to use 2 8-inch round pans. Go ahead and make it a one-size cake if you want. It's easier to frost and make it look prettier, that's for sure.
The filling
Here I used my favorite cake filling in the world: dulce de leche. If you never tried it you should, especially with chocolate cake. The combination is magic.
- Dulce de leche: it's a sweet milk jam - a caramel-like mixture made by cooking milk and sugar for a while - originally from Argentina, my home country. We consume it like crazy here and there are many recipes in this blog that make it shine, like the Dulce de Leche Brownies or the best Alfajores ever.
- Swiss meringue: it's my favorite type to make, and I used it for both the filling and the frosting; some of it swirled with dulce de leche. Because why stop at one good thing, right? Let's have both together.
Bread crumbs
And that 'decoration' that looks like dirt?
I cut off the top of the larger cake layer to even it out. They always find it amusing to develop an upward mini bump, and if you want to make filled layers, it's easier if they are even.
So the pieces were crumbled and dried in a low oven and used to make even more rustic frosting that was already a mess and didn't even try to appear like the work of a pastry baker who decorates. I'm all about the recipes.
Make-ahead
- Cake: the layers can be made in advance and kept, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for up to a month.
- Dulce de leche: the best option is to buy it. Choose the 'pastry dulce de leche' which is thicker and made especially for filling. The label should have the words repostero (Spanish for pastry and baking). I use Vacalin dulce de leche repostero or Veronica dulce de leche repostero.
- Meringue: it can't be made in advance. It should be used immediately so it stays fluffy and wonderful.
Related recipes you might like:
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Chocolate Cake with Dulce de Leche
Ingredients
For the devil's food chocolate cake:
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
- ½ cup buttermilk, or whole milk
- ½ cup boiling water
- 4 ounces milk chocolate chips, or chunks
For the swiss meringue:
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 ½ cups dulce de leche repostero, like Vacalin dulce de leche repostero
Instructions
For the devil's food chocolate cake:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Butter a 9-inch and 6-inch (or two 8-inch) cake pans with removable bottoms. Dust with flour and shake off excess.
- Sift together 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- In a large bowl beat 10 tablespoons unsalted butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup brown sugar and ½ cup white sugar gradually and beat for 2 minutes after adding the last part.
- Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate. The mixture will look curdled, that's fine.
- Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with ½ cup buttermilk in 2 parts. Mix just until well combined.
- Slowly add ½ cup boiling water and mix just until combined.
- Add 4 ounces milk chocolate chips with a spatula, and divide between pans, using a bit more in the large one.
- Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle of both cakes, comes out clean.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack before filling and frosting. It can be made the day before and kept wrapped in plastic.
For the meringue:
- Put a pan with water over medium heat.
- On top of it, place the glass or metal bowl from the mixer with 4 egg whites and 1 cup sugar. The water should not touch the bottom of the pan.
- Mix constantly with a hand whisk. The water will start to boil. Don't let water get into the bowl. The mixture will be thick at first but will liquefy as it warms. This is your cue to remove it. It will also be warm to the touch (use your pinky finger to test).
- Transfer to the mixer (or mix with a hand-held electric beater) and whip until stiff and glossy, about 5 minutes. You should have rather stiff peaks.
To assemble the cake:
- Cut both cakes in half. If you want to, dab the cake plate with a bit of dulce de leche in the middle and place one of the large layers on top; that way the cake won't move.
- Fill with a thick layer of dulce de leche, about ¾ of the amount, spreading evenly but not reaching the edges completely. Top with the other large layer, pressing gently. The dulce de leche will fatten towards the edges.
- Add some meringue on top of the cake making a circle as big as the layers that you haven't used yet. Place one of those layers on top, and fill with meringue, not reaching the edges completely.
- Mix the rest of the dulce de leche with the meringue you have left, swirling just a few times to have a marble effect. (As you can see I didn't quite get that effect, but not for lack of trying…).
- Add a thin layer of meringue to all of the cake and then add a thicker one. However, you can. The meringue is soft for having a perfect frosting.
- Sprinkle with the chocolate crumbs.
Notes
Adapted from Baking from my Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan
DessertForTwo says
Well I think it's beautiful and I know it's delicious! I wish I had the courage the make something like this!
Christine @ 24 Carrot Kitchen says
Lovely cake and story. You are a wonderful writer (and photographer, of course)! Chocolate cakes are the best!
thelittleloaf says
Divine! Lucky them to have you as a friend, this cake looks insanely delicious.
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
Wow, wow, and wow!!! I wish we live nearby because I'd have had more than one slice of this scrumptious birthday cake. I am so sharing this, Paula!
Whitney @ The Newlywed Chefs says
Oh man, I wish my birthday was sooner so that I could make this! Hmmm... I might have to try it anyway! Looks so good!
Liz Berg says
Oh, my gosh!!! This is the BEST birthday cake anyone has made for me...EVER!!! I am so lucky that my birthday falls close to Dorie's and that I have sweet blogger friends who think of me when baking a decadent treat. Now I'm just hoping this generous friend has overnighted me a slice 😉 Thanks, Paula!!! xo
SallyBR says
WOW! I am speechless! I am a certified cake-o-phobe, so staring at your masterpiece leaves me in complete awe!
great job! Absolutely perfect!
Kitchen Riffs says
Wow, this looks so spectacular! Who wouldn't love to get this? I sure would! Super post - thanks.
Elisabeth Foodandthrift says
Paula, that is one decadent and beautiful chocolate B-Day cake for Dorie! She is such an inspiration to all, and you were so fortunate to meet her in person. What a gracious and sweet way to celebrate her birthday! Would love to have a huge slice...right now!
Amy Kim (@kimchi_mom) says
Well aren't you a sweet friend/daughter?! 🙂 This cake looks luscious!
peanutbutterandonion says
If I could live in this cake I would!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Paula,
you are the SWEETEST. I love this cake! Dirt and all. . 🙂 I think it's absolutely beautiful and looks delicious! Love the tiered look and with two types of chocolate in the batter?? I love this. . and I would not accept a cake from you without dulce de leche. oh my goodness, I love it! And what I would enjoy the most? Having a slice with you!!! I agree. . that would be wonderful! thank you my sweet friend! you made my day! when is Dorie's birthday?
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
Forget a pastry chef's cake. Those taste too pretty. Yours is a cake that can be totally enjoyed. I have never tried a meringue icing and I love the dulce de leche. I would be thrilled to get a birthday cake like this! (Actually I would be thrilled to get any birthday cake. I never do because everyone tells me that my birthday is to close to Xmas!) And thanks for adding me to your great list!
Deb says
An outstanding cake Paula! All your favorite birthday people should be very happy with this lovely dessert!
anna @ annamayeveryday says
What is that cake!! It shouldn't be allowed, looks too good!
Angie Schneider says
Perfect for chocolate lovers!
Marissa says
That is simply spectacular, Paula! It's 8am and now I'm hungry for cake!
Catherine @ Chocolate and Vegetables says
Oh, this looks amazing! Bookmarking for when I next have a chocolate lover's birthday on the horizon!
Pink Patisserie says
What a lovely idea to bake a birthday cake each month and I would be thrilled to have someone bake this for me! Oh my goodness, meringue and dulce de leche? It doesn't get any better..
yummychunklet says
Simply love Dorie's baked goods! This looks fantastic!