Cooking Instructions
1.
Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line four 7-inch or three eight 8-inch pans with parchment rounds, and spray with
Non-Stick Baking Spray (as needed)
.
2.
Add the
Granulated Sugar (2 1/2 cups)
and
Unsalted Butter (1 cup)
into the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix on high for 1 minute with a whisk attachment. The mixture should become light in color.
3.
In a separate bowl, combine
Water (1 cup)
, and
Buttermilk (1 cup)
. Add in
Black Cocoa Powder (1 cup)
, and whisk until no clumps remain.
4.
Add in the
Eggs (4)
, two at a time. Then add
Baking Soda (1 tsp)
,
Baking Powder (1/2 Tbsp)
, and
Salt (1 tsp)
. Mix on high for another minute.
5.
Next, add
All-Purpose Flour (1 cup)
into the butter and egg mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, to ensure the flour is fully incorporated.
6.
Pour in half of the buttermilk-cocoa mixture, and gently pulse the mixture to incorporate the liquid. Mix in the 2nd cup of
All-Purpose Flour (1 cup)
, at a low speed. Pour in the remaining buttermilk-cocoa mixture, and again gently pulse, then mix on low until fully combined.
7.
Add in the last cup of
All-Purpose Flour (1 cup)
, and mix on low until the flour is incorporated.
8.
Mix on high for 30 additional seconds, to incorporate a bit more air into the batter. Evenly divide between the prepared pans. I like to use a kitchen scale to ensure each pan has exactly the same amount of batter. Bake for 32-35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9.
Allow layers to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the edge of the pans to help separate the layers from the pans. Place the pans in the freezer for about 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
10.
While the cake layers bake and cool, make the chocolate buttercream frosting. Beat the
Unsalted Butter (2 cups)
on medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth.
11.
Add in the
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (1 cup)
, and mix on low until the cocoa is fully incorporated, and no clumps remain.
12.
Slowly add in the
Powdered Confectioners Sugar (6 cups)
, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of
Heavy Cream (1/2 cup)
.
13.
Mix in the cooled, melted
Dark Chocolate (1 1/3 cups)
.
14.
Once fully mixed, add in the
Salt (1/2 tsp)
. Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.
15.
Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers.
16.
Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board. Add an even layer of chocolate buttercream between each cake layer.
17.
Apply a thin coat of frosting around the cake, to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
18.
Melt
Chocolate Chips (1 cup)
, and pour onto a piece of parchment paper. Move the paper around, to distribute the chocolate into an even layer, then use binder clips to pinch the parchment paper and make a chocolate sail. Set aside to harden. Once the sail has fully hardened, add it to the top of the cake.
19.
Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper.
20.
Cut a 1-inch slit on the cake where you want the sail to go with a small knife, place the sail onto the cake and apply a layer of frosting on the bottom of the sail to keep it in place.
21.
Fill in around the sail with
Snickers® Candy Bar (to taste)
and
Chocolate Sprinkles (to taste)
.