Lindt Excellence Classic Dark Chocolate Cake Recipe
Chocolate cake is a classic for a reason. That’s why everyone should have at least one in their repertoire. Whether you’re throwing a birthday party or hosting a dinner, this recipe works for celebrations big and small. And adding dark chocolate to the equation makes it feel extra decadent.
78% Cocoa Dark Chocolate EXCELLENCE Bar (3.5 oz)
45 minutes
Ambitious
10 people
Ingredients
- 2 Cups (475 mL) All-purpose flour
- ¼ Cup (60 mL) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ Tsp (9 mL) Baking soda
- 1 Tsp (5 mL) Baking powder
- 1 Tsp (5 mL) Salt
- 1 Cup (235 mL) Lightly packed dark brown sugar
- ½ Cup (120 mL) Granulated sugar
- ¾ Cup (180 mL) Unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 Bars (100 g each) Lindt Excellence 95% Cocoa, melted in a double boiler or microwave, and cooled
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Tsp (10 mL) Vanilla extract
- 1 ½ Cups (355 mL) Buttermilk
- Chocolate buttercream frosting
- 2 Cups (475 mL) Unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ Cups (355 mL) Icing sugar
- 2 Bars (100 g each) Lindt Excellence 78% Cocoa, melted in a double boiler or microwave, and cooled
- 1 Tsp (5 mL) Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter three 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift flour with cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugars with butter on medium-high until light and fluffy, 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low and stream in melted chocolate until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, just until combined. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture into butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with buttermilk in 2 parts. Divide batter between pans, smoothing tops.
- Bake in center of oven until a tester inserted into the center of cakes comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack. After 10 minutes, run a knife around sides of cakes. Turn out of pans. Invert and cool on racks, about 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator, 2 more hours.
- To assemble a layered cake, trim tops of cakes if needed. Place 1 cake round on a cake stand. Spread with ½ cup of the buttercream (see instructions, below). Lay another cake round on top. Repeat spreading and layering. Frost sides and top of cake.
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting – In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with icing sugar on medium until combined, 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low and stream in melted chocolate until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until very light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
