You can show off to all of your family and friends with this stunning and sophisticated Tuxedo Cake that is so moist and decadent with three kinds of chocolate in 5 different layers! Although it looks like a dessert you'd order at a fancy restaurant, it is actually quite simple to make. It just requires some time, and the techniques are simple with an easy one bowl chocolate cake recipe. There are two layers of moist chocolate cake with a layer of whipped white chocolate ganache and milk chocolate mousse that's covered with glossy dark chocolate ganache. This cake is a true celebration of chocolate and even though it looks so decadent, it is actually light on the palate. This will be such a hit at your next celebration!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Simple ingredients - this cake is very easy to make; you just need time to let the fillings set. The cake base is a quick one bowl recipe and the fillings have just 3 or 4 ingredients.
- Pure chocolate flavor - if you love chocolate, then this cake will be a true pleasure. There are three types of chocolate: dark, milk and white chocolate.
- Moist chocolate cake - a simple recipe produces a very moist rich chocolate cake that bakes evenly with a flat top so it is easy to make these neat layers.
- No-cook mousse - for the mousse layers, there are no eggs which means you don't need to cook anything over the stove or wait for anything to set.
- Easy methods - the cake batter is very easy to make with a bowl and a whisk, while the whipped ganache fillings are straightforward with a mousse-like texture minus the need for separating eggs or tempering custard.
WHAT IS TUXEDO CAKE?
Tuxedo cake is a type of decadent layer cake with thin layers of moist chocolate cake alternating with different airy, mousse-like chocolate fillings. They typically include white and milk or dark chocolate fillings to show contrast between white and black (like a formal tuxedo). It is generally presented in a rectangular or square format like Opera cake, rather than a round shape. A characteristic of tuxedo cake is a glossy chocolate ganache glaze over top.
INGREDIENTS FOR TUXEDO CAKE
Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- All purpose flour - you do not need specialty cake flour to make a wonderful chocolate cake. Just be sure to measure your flour correctly. Adding too much flour is the most common mistake and leads to tough and dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup and use a knife to level it off. This batter is meant to be thin so refrain from adding more flour to make it thicker.
- Granulated sugar - simple white sugar will keep this cake moist and tender.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is important to enhance the flavor of chocolate.
- Cocoa powder - I recommend getting some good quality cocoa powder. It's the main flavor and you want it to shine so use the best you can find. I love to use this Dutch Process cocoa powder for this recipe. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder and not cocoa mix.
- Eggs - one whole egg will set the structure of this cake and help emulsify the batter.
- Oil - this is an oil-based cake because oil is liquid at room temperature (it's an unsaturated fat) which means that the cake will still be soft when it's cold.
- Sour cream - one of my secrets to chocolate cake is sour cream! It contributes the dairy undertones, rich flavor and body (thanks to its high protein and fat content) that oil-based cakes lack.
- Hot coffee - you'll need to brew some hot coffee or make instant coffee and keep it hot to make the batter. Itis the main source of moisture in this cake and the coffee helps enhance the roasted cocoa notes. The cake does not taste like coffee.
- Dark chocolate - you'll need pure dark chocolate to make the glaze. Anything between 50 and 60% cocoa solids will work. You can use my favorite semisweet chocolate callets which means you don't need to chop them.
- Milk chocolate - pure milk chocolate is the bases of the whipped ganache filling that tastes like a denser version of chocolate mousse.
- Pure white chocolate - the other filling is whipped white chocolate ganache. It is one of my most popular recipes. It tastes like a cross between vanilla bean ice cream and white chocolate mousse.
- Whipping cream - look for whipping cream or "heavy" cream with 35% milkfat to make the fillings and the ganache glaze.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE TUXEDO CAKE
- STEP 1). Make the white chocolate whipped ganache. Finely chop the white chocolate and place it into a large bowl. Or, use these couverture white chocolate chips. Pour ¼ cup of cream into a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan and place the saucepan over medium heat. Watch it as it comes to a simmer. Once the cream is simmering, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate, cover the bowl and let stand for 2 minutes so the heat can gently melt the chocolate. Uncover the bowl and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and silky. Let it cool for 5 minutes so it is no longer hot and then pour in the remaining ½ cup of cold cream while whisking until combined.
- STEP 2). Chill the ganache. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for minimum 2 hours or overnight until completely cold. It must be thoroughly chilled before you move to the next step.
- STEP 3). Make the milk chocolate whipped ganache. Finely chop the chocolate and place it into a large bowl. Or, use these couverture milk chocolate chips. Pour ½ cup of cream into a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan with the cocoa powder and place the saucepan over medium heat. Watch it as it comes to a simmer. Once the cream is simmering, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate, cover the bowl and let stand for 2 minutes so the heat can gently melt the chocolate. Uncover the bowl and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and silky. Let it cool for 5 minutes so it is no longer hot and then pour in the remaining ½ cup of cold cream while whisking until combined.
- STEP 4). Chill the ganache. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for minimum 2 hours or overnight until completely cold. It must be thoroughly chilled before you move to the next step.
- STEP 5). Make the cake. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a medium bowl. Add sugar and salt, then whisk to blend evenly. Add oil, beaten egg, sour cream, vanilla and milk and slowly whisk it in until combined and the batter is smooth.
- STEP 6). Bake. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan.
- STEP 7). Slice the cake. When the cake is cool, cut it into two layers. I find that this cake bakes nice and evenly, however trim the top off the cake if necessary to level it off. Carefully slice the cake in half horizontally with a long serrated knife.
- STEP 8). Whip the fillings until thick and fluffy. Once thoroughly chilled, add the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste to the white chocolate ganache mixture and whip with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until thick, airy, fluffy and holds semi-stiff peaks. This will take 2-3 minutes but it depends on your mixer. Watch the video above to see the consistency you should be looking for because if you over-whip, then it will become grainy. Whip the chilled milk chocolate ganache mixture just until it holds SOFT peaks. This is very important as it is easy to over-whip this one. It will become grainy if you over-mix it so be sure to whip on medium speed until the beaters leave tracks and it holds a soft peak that curls over on your beaters.
- STEP 9). Assemble the cake. Place the bottom cake layer onto a serving plate. Spread the whipped white chocolate ganache filling evenly over the first layer using an offset spatula. Place the other layer carefully over top. Spread the milk chocolate ganache evenly over the cake. Place it in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- STEP 10). Make the ganache glaze. Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream and honey or corn syrup in a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. Watch it as it comes to a simmer. Once the cream is simmering, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate, cover the bowl and let stand for 2 minutes so the heat can gently melt the chocolate. Uncover the bowl and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Let it cool for about 5 minutes, then pour it over the chilled cake and quickly spread it out evenly. It will set quickly since the cake is cold. Chill for at least 20 minutes before slicing and decorate with chocolate curls and/or sprinkles before serving.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a neutral tasting oil like pure sunflower oil for the cleanest flavor to let the chocolate taste stand out.
- Do not reduce the sugar. The right amount of sugar will make cake moist because it binds water so that it stays tightly in the batter and doesn't evaporate excessively during baking. The right amount of sugar keeps the cake tender even when served cold.
- Keep an eye on the baking time. Set a timer for the first time stated in the recipe and check with a skewer - it should come out clean.
- Cool the ganache completely. Do not whip the white chocolate or milk chocolate ganache until they are thoroughly chilled or they will not whip to their full potential.
- Whip the ganache carefully on medium speed. The milk chocolate ganache will turn grainy very easily if over-whipped. Keep the mixer on medium speed and stop whipping after you see the beaters leaving tracks in the ganache and the mixture holds a soft curled peak.
RECIPE FAQ
Firstly - use a fresh oil! Do not use anything that's been opened for a long time and when you store oil, it should be in a cool dark place. Light and heat accelerate oxidation reactions that can make the flavor turn rancid. My oil of choice for baking is sunflower oil for its clean and neutral taste, but any other oil such as canola or safflower will do. You can even use olive oil, but keep in mind that it will add the taste of olive oil to the cake.
This recipe works with both Dutch process and natural cocoa powder. For a darker color like in this photo, I use high fat Dutch cocoa powder. My absolute preference is this one and this one. The first one is rich with a deep color while still having some nice complex fruity notes which some Dutch cocoa powders can lack. Natural cocoa has a wonderful fruity flavor and I like to use it as well. You can use Hershey's natural cocoa or this one that I love.
Sour cream really makes this cake delicious, but if sour cream is not available to you where you live, you can also make this recipe using an equal amount of full fat Greek yogurt. I have tested this and it worked well! Another suitable substitution is crème fraîche which is a type of fermented dairy product somewhere between yogurt and sour cream.
It's not more fat! Moisture comes from liquid, not fat. So you can add more butter and more oil, but it will really just make the cake more dense and more tender by shortening the texture. Fat will not make a cake moist as only liquids can add moisture. This cake is moist because of the amount of liquid in the batter.
The hot coffee adds so much moisture to this recipe. Oil makes the texture very soft and in turn gives the perception of "moistness". That's because oil is made up of mostly unsaturated fats that are liquid at room temperature. Butter contains more saturated fats that are solid at room temperature, therefore the texture of a butter cake will be more crumbly and firm.
Yes, you can make this cake in a 9-inch round pan. If you use an 8-inch round pan the cake and mousse layers will be taller and the cake will take longer to bake. If you use a 9x9-inch square pan, the cake layer and the truffle layer will be thinner.
If you want extra thick and tall filling layers, you can double all of the quantities. The only difference is that it will take slightly longer to chill and you may want to use an acetate strip to hold it in.
I would not recommend freezing this whole cake as the fillings will have a very different texture once thawed. However, you can freeze the cooled cake base. Just wrap it well in plastic and then store in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you love cake, check out these recipes!
Ultimate Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Lemon Pistachio Cake Sticky Toffee Date Cake Moist Lemon Blueberry Bread Olive Oil Chocolate Bundt Cake Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe with Chocolate Fudge Frosting Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Creamy Milk Chocolate Frosting Blueberry Peach Upside Down CakeFor the love of chocolate
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Video
Tuxedo Cake
Ingredients
Cake batter:
- ⅔ cup (95g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (28g) cocoa powder (I prefer this Dutch cocoa or this one)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60ml) sunflower oil
- 1 large egg, well beaten
- ¼ cup (60ml) full fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60ml) hot coffee
White Chocolate Whipped Ganache:
- 3 ½ oz (100g) white chocolate minimum 28% cocoa butter (see EXPERT TIPS above for important notes on white chocolate)
- ¾ cup (180ml) 35% heavy whipping cream, divided
- ½ teaspoon (5ml) vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
Milk Chocolate Whipped Ganache:
- 4 oz (113g) pure milk chocolate minimum 28% cocoa butter
- 1 cup (237ml) 35% heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 tablespoon (6g) cocoa powder (I prefer this Dutch cocoa or this one)
Ganache glaze:
- 3 oz (85g) semisweet dark chocolate, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (60ml) 35% heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) honey or corn syrup
Instructions
- Make the white chocolate whipped ganache. Finely chop the white chocolate and place it into a large bowl. Or, use these couverture white chocolate chips.
- Pour ¼ cup of cream into a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan and place the saucepan over medium heat. Watch it as it comes to a simmer. Once the cream is simmering, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate, cover the bowl and let stand for 2 minutes so the heat can gently melt the chocolate. Uncover the bowl and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and silky. It is important that the chocolate is completely melted at this stage. If it is cold in your house and the heat of the cream isn't enough to melt it, then place the bowl in the microwave for about 30 seconds on medium-high power and whisk again. Once smooth, let it cool for 5 minutes so it is no longer hot and then pour in the remaining ½ cup of cold cream while whisking until combined.
- Chill the ganache. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for minimum 2 hours or overnight until completely cold. It must be thoroughly chilled before you move to the next step.
- Make the milk chocolate whipped ganache. Finely chop the chocolate and place it into a large bowl. Or, use these couverture milk chocolate chips.
- Pour ½ cup of cream into a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan with the cocoa powder and place the saucepan over medium heat. Watch it as it comes to a simmer. Once the cream is simmering, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate, cover the bowl and let stand for 2 minutes so the heat can gently melt the chocolate. Uncover the bowl and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and silky. It is important that the chocolate is completely melted at this stage. If it is cold in your house and the heat of the cream isn't enough to melt it, then place the bowl in the microwave for about 30 seconds on medium-high power and whisk again. Once smooth, let it cool for 5 minutes so it is no longer hot and then pour in the remaining ½ cup of cold cream while whisking until combined.
- Chill the ganache. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for minimum 2 hours or overnight until completely cold. It must be thoroughly chilled before you move to the next step.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper leaving a 1-inch overhang at each side.
- Make the cake. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a medium
- bowl. Add sugar and salt, then whisk to blend evenly. Add oil, beaten egg, sour cream, vanilla and milk and slowly whisk it in until combined and the batter is smooth.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan.
- When the cake is cool, cut it into two layers. I find that this cake bakes nice and evenly, however trim the top off the cake if necessary to level it off. Carefully slice the cake in half horizontally with a long serrated knife.
- Whip the fillings until thick and fluffy. Once thoroughly chilled, add the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste to the white chocolate ganache mixture and whip with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until thick, airy, fluffy and holds semi-stiff peaks. This will take 2-3 minutes but it depends on your mixer. Watch the video above to see the consistency you should be looking for because if you over-whip, then it will become grainy. Whip the chilled milk chocolate ganache mixture just until it holds SOFT peaks. This is very important as it is easy to over-whip this one. It will become grainy if you over-mix it so be sure to whip on medium speed until the beaters leave tracks and it holds a soft peak that curls over on your beaters.
- Assemble the cake. Place the bottom cake layer onto a serving plate. Spread the whipped white chocolate ganache filling evenly over the first layer using an offset spatula. Place the other layer carefully over top. Spread the milk chocolate ganache evenly over the cake. Place it in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile make the ganache glaze. Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream and honey or corn syrup in a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. Watch it as it comes to a simmer. Once the cream is simmering, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate, cover the bowl and let stand for 2 minutes so the heat can gently melt the chocolate. Uncover the bowl and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Let it cool for about 5 minutes, then pour it over the chilled cake and quickly spread it out evenly. It will set quickly since the cake is cold. Chill for at least 20 minutes before slicing and decorate with chocolate curls and/or sprinkles before serving.
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