Chef notes
Show off your holiday spirit at the dessert table with this festive and easy-to-make chocolate cake.
Recipe via Woman's Day.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon red liquid food coloring
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- 3 chocolate wafer cookies, preferably Nabisco Famous Wafers
- Cornstarch, for the surface
- Red gel food coloring
- White fondant
- Gold food coloring spray
- Black fondant
Preparation
For the cake:
1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9- by 13-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two long sides; oil the parchment.
2.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, food coloring, vanilla, vinegar, and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
3.Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated.
4.Spread batter into prepared pan and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then use parchment overhangs to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on low speed until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Transfer 1 cup frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a large flat tip. Tint remaining frosting red and spread evenly all over cooled cake. Refrigerate until no longer tacky, 5 to 10 minutes.
To decorate:
Using remaining frosting, pipe a 3-inch-wide strip down the center of the cake lengthwise. Evenly space 2 wafer cookies on the top half and 1 on the bottom half for buttons. Lightly dust a clean work surface with cornstarch.
Roll out white fondant and cut into a 3-inch square. Using a smaller cutter, cut out center of square to make a belt buckle. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper and spray with gold spray; let dry, about 10 minutes. Roll black fondant into a 9- by 3-inch rectangle and place on the cake between the top 2 and bottom buttons. Top with belt buckle.
