This enhanced cake mix baked up like a brownie mix which I will use again! I typically don't like chocolate cake but this was so good!
Enhanced Gluten Free Chocolate Box Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
15.25 ounces gluten free chocolate cake mix (I used 1 box Bob Red Mill Chocolate Cake mix)
½ cup granulated sugar
3.9 ounces chocolate instant pudding mix (1 small box)
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup unsalted butter melted (1½ sticks)
½ cup milk room temperature
4 large eggs room temperature
1 cup full-fat sour cream room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon espresso powder
Instructions
For the Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and line the inside bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the dry cake mix, granulated sugar, dry pudding mix, espresso powder and unsweetened cocoa powder together. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together (on low speed) the butter, milk, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract just until combined.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 2 minutes. While beating, use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl where the dry mix may have settled.
Pour the cake mix evenly between both prepared cake pans. Try to make the amounts in each pan as equal as possible (about 682 grams per pan) so that they bake at the same speed.
Bake for 32-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pans (on a wire rack) for 15 minutes before removing.
Let the cakes cool completely. If making this for a Black Forrest Cake- this is where you will soak the cake with the cherry syrup. I first poked both cakes with a toothpick and then used a basting brush to soak the cake with syrup.
To make the cakes firmer before frosting, cover the cakes completely in food-safe plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. This isn’t a required step, but it does help the cakes to be firmer before frosting so they don’t fall apart while frosting.
Cherry Syrup:
▢670g / 23.5 oz pitted morello cherries in syrup (sour cherries, in jar or can) , drained and juice reserved (Note 2)
▢1/3 cup kirsch or cherry liqueur (optional – sub with more reserved cherry juice, Note 3)
▢1/2 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
▢4 tsp cornstarch
Cherry syrup:
Drain cherries: Drain jar of cherries, reserving liquid.
Cherry corn starch slurry: Measure out 1/4 cup (60ml) of the reserved cherry juice and mix with the corn starch to make a slurry. Set aside.
Make cherry syrup: Place a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add the sugar and another 1/3 cup of reserved juice. Bring to a gentle simmer to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the corn starch slurry and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until it thickens into a thin syrup.
Soak cherries, cool: Remove from the heat and stir in the kirsch. Pour the syrup over the drained cherries and allow to cool completely before using.
Stabilized Whip Cream
This stabilized cream will hold form in the fridge for 3 to 4 days without deflating (like
normal whipped cream does).
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup (70g) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
3 3/4 cups (940ml) heavy / thickened cream (separate into 3 cups / 750ml and 3/4 cup
/ 190ml)
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
DIRECTIONS
1. Place the sugar and corn starch in a small saucepan.
2. Stirring constantly, slowly add 3/4 cup of the cream and the vanilla.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes,
stirring constantly, until it thickens.
4. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside to cool to room -temperature.
5. For best results with the cream, chill your beaters and bowl in the freezer and make sure the cream is really cold.
6. Add the remaining 3 cups of cream to your stand mixer large chilled bowl and beat
at low speed 2 for 30-45 seconds until small bubbles appear.
7. Increase the speed to medium speed 6 and beat another 30 seconds until the
beater leaves a faint trail.
8. Slowly add the cooled corn starch mixture and continue beating 1-2 minutes until soft
peaks form. DO NOT beat this until it is really thick and stiff or it will break. it
stiffens up more when you spread it on the layers. You only want soft peaks.
Recipe source: Cooks Illustrated / America’s Test Kitchen
Cake Assembly
Place one chocolate cake on a cake plate. Spread the stabilized whip cream on the cake. Place all the cherries on the whip cream and place the 2nd cake on top.
Frost a thin layer of frosting around the top and sides of the cake. This is called the “crumb coat”. This layer is meant to secure all the crumbs to the cake so you don’t have crumbs showing in your final layer.
Place the cake in the freezer for 10 minutes so the crumb coat hardens up a bit before frosting the final layer.
Frost the outside of the cake with the final layer and then decorate the cake as you like. Then make the ganache. Once made pour the ganache on the top of the cake.
Chocolate Ganache
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
two 4-ounce semi-sweet chocolate bars (226g), finely chopped
Make the ganache: Place chopped chocolate and corn syrup, if using, in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil—that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes as you prepare the whipped cream.
For decoration I took maraschino cherries and dipped them in ganache.
adapted from the following recipies:
Black Forest Cake - Sally's Baking Addiction
