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cook:
12 h
880,148 views Inspired by Strip House's 24 Layer Chocolate Cake, add 4 more layers to that and you get a rich, chocolate drenched cake perfect for splitting among, well, 15-20 friends.
US
original
metric
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
For the Chocolate Cake
1 ¾ lb (7 sticks) butter, softened
4 lb sugar
14 eggs, room temperature
¾ lb cocoa powder
2 lb cake flour
¼ cup kosher salt
2 tbsp baking soda
¾ tsp baking powder
2 ⅓ cups coffee, chilled
2 ⅓ cup milk
¼ cup vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Custard
For the Cornstarch Slurry
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup cold milk
For the Custard
3 whole eggs
5 egg yolks
4 cups whole milk
7 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp vanilla extract
¾ cup flour
2 ¼ cups sugar
1 lb bittersweet chocolate
For the Chocolate Ganache
12 oz chocolate
1 ½ cups heavy cream, scald
TOOLS
oven
Babish measuring cups and spoons set
Babish mixing bowl
Babish glass bowl
Babish mini prep bowls
parchment paper
3 (11 inch) cake pans
Pam
stand mixer with paddle attachment
rubber spatula
whisk
cake tester
wire cooling racks
large pot
Babish sauce pot
ladle
fine mesh sieve
baking sheets
fridge
plastic wrap
Babish bread knife
microwave
cake board
offset spatula
2 (11 inch) springform pans
food prep gloves
clear acetate cake collars
freezer
food processor
cake turnstile
DIRECTIONS
1.
For the Chocolate Cake
1.
Preheat the oven to 325°F, grease and line 3 cake pans.
oven
Pam
parchment paper
3 (11 inch) cake pans
2.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar. Cream together, scraping the bowl multiple times, for 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
1 ¾ lb (7 sticks) butter, softened
4 lb sugar
stand mixer with paddle attachment
Babish measuring cups and spoons set
rubber spatula
3.
Once the butter and sugar have lightened in color, add the eggs, 1 at a time, allowing each egg to fully combine into the mixture.
14 eggs, room temperature
rubber spatula
stand mixer with paddle attachment
4.
While the butter, sugar, and eggs are mixing, combine the dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl. Add cocoa powder, cake flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to the mixing bowl, and whisk together for 1 minute, or until fully combined.
¾ lb cocoa powder
2 lb cake flour
¼ cup kosher salt
2 tbsp baking soda
¾ tsp baking powder
Babish mixing bowl
Babish measuring cups and spoons set
whisk
5.
Then, combine the wet ingredients in a large measuring cup. Whisking the coffee, milk and vanilla extract until combined.
2 ⅓ cups coffee, chilled
2 ⅓ cup milk
¼ cup vanilla extract
Babish mixing bowl
Babish measuring cups and spoons set
whisk
6.
Once the eggs are all combined, add ⅓ of the dry mixture on low speed. Once that has barely combined, add ⅓ of the liquid mixture and mix until just combined. Alternate until everything has been added.
stand mixer with paddle attachment
7.
Divide the batter equally into the greased pans and bake until a cake tester shows moist crumbs, About 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.
For the Chocolate Cake
3 (11 inch) cake pans
oven
cake tester
wire cooling racks
8.
For the Chocolate Custard
1.
For the Corn Starch Slurry
1.
Prepare the corn starch slurry in a mixing bowl by combining cold milk and cornstarch. Set aside.
1 cup cold milk
1 cup cornstarch
Babish mini prep bowls
Babish measuring cups and spoons set
whisk
2.
For the Custard
1.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks until fully homogenous and set them aside.
3 eggs
5 egg yolks
Babish mixing bowl
whisk
2.
Then, bring the milk and cream to a scald in a pot.
4 cups whole milk
7 cups heavy cream
Babish measuring cups and spoons set
Babish sauce pot
3.
Once you start to see wisps of steam on the surface of the mixture, ladle 1 cup of the milk-cream mixture into the egg mixture 1 ladleful at a time, whisking continuously.
ladle
Babish sauce pot
whisk
Babish mixing bowl
4.
In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar and reserve. Then slowly add and whisk that mixture to the milk-cream mixture in the pot.
¾ cup flour
2 ¼ cups sugar
Babish mini prep bowls
Babish measuring cups and spoons set
Babish sauce pot
whisk
5.
Bring the mixture up to a slow simmer before slowly adding the flour and sugar to the pot, whisking until dissolved.
¾ cup flour
2 ¼ cups sugar
Babish sauce pot
whisk
6.
Stir the cornstarch slurry into the mixture and bring to a bare simmer, whisking continuously.
For the Cornstarch Slurry
For the Custard
whisk
7.
Remove from the heat and add chocolate and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
12 oz chocolate
2 tbsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Custard
rubber spatula
Babish sauce pot
8.
Whisk and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a mixing bowl until completely silky and smooth.
For the Chocolate Custard
Babish mixing bowl
whisk
fine mesh sieve
9.
Spread the custard onto a sheet tray and allow it to come to room temperature. Then lightly cover with plastic wrap and chill until fully cold.
For the Chocolate Custard
baking sheets
plastic wrap
fridge
10.
For the Initial Assembly
1.
Using a bread knife, even out the top of the cakes until level, then cut each cake into at least 6 layers each, or until you run out of cake.
For the Chocolate Cake
Babish bread knife
2.
Transfer each layer onto a cake board and reserve the leftovers.
For the Chocolate Cake
cake board
3.
Crumble the leftover layers into cake crumbs and set aside. Chill the other layers.
For the Chocolate Cake
fridge
4.
Prepare 2, 11-inch springform pans with parchment paper and cake collars.
parchment paper
clear acetate cake collars
(11 inch) springform pans
5.
Begin with 1 layer of cake on the base of each springform pan, then add chocolate custard.
For the Chocolate Cake
For the Chocolate Custard
food prep gloves
2 (11 inch) springform pans
clear acetate cake collars
6.
Using an offset spatula, spread the custard to the edges, and top with another layer of cake. Continue alternating cake and custard until all cake layers have been added, ensuring evenness all the way through, then top with a final layer of custard.
For the Chocolate Cake
For the Chocolate Custard
2 (11 inch) springform pans
offset spatula
7.
Chill in the freezer and prepare the cake crumbs and the chocolate ganache.
freezer
8.
For the Cake Crumbs
1.
Spread the leftover cake crumbles evenly onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Then transfer to a 350°F convection oven for about 30 minutes.
For the Chocolate Cake
parchment paper
baking sheets
oven
2.
After 30 minutes, allow crumbs to cool before blitzing in a food processor until they’re the consistency of breadcrumbs. Set aside.
For the Chocolate Cake
food processor
3.
For the Chocolate Ganache
1.
In a large bowl, add the cream and microwave until steaming. Add chocolate and salt and cover. Allow to sit for several minutes, then uncover and whisk.
1 ½ cups heavy cream, scald
1 lb bittersweet chocolate
kosher salt
Babish glass bowl
Babish measuring cups and spoons set
whisk
2.
For the Layered Chocolate Cake Assembly
1.
Pour the chocolate ganache onto the surface of one of the cooled cakes in the springform pan. Tilt the pan until the entire surface is covered, then tap it on the counter to remove any bubbles.
For the Chocolate Ganache
For the Chocolate Cake
2 (11 inch) springform pans
2.
Chill both cakes in the freezer overnight.
For the Chocolate Cake
freezer
3.
Remove the chilled cake without the ganache from its springform pan and remove the cake collar, then set on a cake turnstile.
For the Chocolate Cake
cake turnstile
4.
Then, spread a small layer of custard on top of the cake.
For the Chocolate Custard
For the Chocolate Cake
cake turnstile
5.
Remove the springform pan and cake collar from the second, ganache-topped cake, then carefully place it on top of the first cake, making sure all sides are evenly aligned and the cake is level.
For the Chocolate Cake
cake turnstile
6.
Lightly cover the outside with the chocolate custard and lightly press cake crumbs onto the sides.
For the Chocolate Cake
cake turnstile
7.
Let sit for about two to three hours to allow the cake to return to room temperature.
8.
We recommend carefully and slowly heating your knife for easier slicing.
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