Triple Chocolate Layer Cake

Ingredients

1 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp cocoa powder, sifted
2 Tbs almond milk
2 Tbs cocoa powder, extra, sifted
3 1/2 cups (500 g) plain flour
2 cups (440 g) caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200mL vegetable oil
400mL almond milk, extra
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

Buttercream:

500 g plant-based butter, softened
4 cups (640 g) icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract
200 g dairy-free dark chocolate, melted, cooled
100 g dairy-free white chocolate, melted, cooled

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C. Lightly grease the bases and sides of three 20 cm (base measurement) round cake pans and line with baking paper. Place the coffee and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Add half the milk and stir until smooth. Place the extra cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Add remaining milk and stir to combine.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl. Combine the oil, extra milk, vanilla and vinegar in a jug. Gradually add to the flour mixture, stirring to combine. Divide the cake batter evenly among 3 bowls.

Add the coffee mixture to 1 portion and stir to combine. Add cocoa powder mixture to another portion and stir to combine. Pour each portion of cake batter into a prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centres comes out clean. Set aside in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring cakes to wire racks to cool completely. Use a large serrated knife to trim the top of each cake to level.

Meanwhile, to make buttercream, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl for 6-8 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Divide the buttercream evenly among 3 bowls. Add three-quarters of the dark chocolate to 1 portion and fold to combine. Add the remaining dark chocolate and half the white chocolate to another portion and stir to combine. Add the remaining white chocolate to the remaining portion of buttercream and stir to combine.

Place the dark chocolate cake on a serving platter. Spread with 2/3 cup of the dark chocolate buttercream. Top with the coffee cake. Spread with 2/3 cup of the milk chocolate buttercream. Top with the vanilla cake and place in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill.

Place one-third of the white chocolate buttercream, the remaining dark chocolate buttercream and the remaining milk chocolate buttercream in 3 separate piping bags fitted with 1 cm plain nozzles. Starting from the bottom of the cake, pipe the dark chocolate buttercream horizontally around one-third of the cake.

Continue piping with the milk chocolate buttercream and white chocolate buttercream. Use a palette knife to smooth the buttercream, allowing the colours to blend together slightly. Spread the remaining white chocolate buttercream over the top of the cake. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or until icing is set.

Credits: Coles

Photo Credits: Coles