It’s my turn to host Project Pastry Queen so I chose the very first recipe that I ever baked from the book – the reason I bought the book – the Tuxedo Cake.

People have always gone nuts over this cake, even before taking a bite into it. The mile high cake, the fluffy white frosting, and the beautifully contrasting chocolate glaze is an impressive sight. Inside is a moist chocolate cake filled with more fluffy white frosting.

The only changes I made to the original recipe was that I reduced the sugar from 4 cups and replaced the buttermilk with fat-free Greek yogurt (0% Fage). I love using it in baked goods because it keeps all the moisture in the cake without any of the fat. The recipe does call for one potentially hard-to-find ingredient: golden syrup. I fell in love with it and use it nearly exclusively in place of corn syrup now. You might try looking near the honey and syrup, on the International food aisle if you have a larger grocery store (it’s with the British foods in my store), or on the baking aisle near the corn syrup. If you can’t find it, this site has a suggested substitute (though I’ve never tried it).

Check out how the other Project Pastry Queen members tackled the tuxedo cake this week. I’m hoping someone went the cupcake route – because I curse myself for not doing it everytime I’m elbow-deep in still-too-hot chocolate glaze 🙂

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Tuxedo Cake

An impressive, moist chocolate cake, fluffy white whipped cream frosting, and chocolate glaze.

Ingredients

• For the cake:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk or fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• For the frosting:
• 4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• For the glaze:
• 4 oz dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp Lyle's Golden Syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Chocolate-covered strawberries (optional)

Instructions

1. To make the cake, spray 3 9-inch pans (or two 10-inch pans) with nonstick spray and preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine the butter, water, and canola oil in a medium sauce pan set over medium heat and cook just until butter has melted.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the sugar, flour, and cocoa.
4. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and mix on low.
5. Increase to medium and add one egg at a time.
6. Add the buttermilk (or yogurt), followed by the baking soda, salt, and vanilla.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cakes comes out with moist crumbs attached.
8. Let cool 10 minutes in pan and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely, about one hour.
9. To make the frosting, whip the heavy cream on high until soft peaks form.
10. Add the powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
11. Level the cake layers, if necessary.
12. Top the first layer with ~1/2-2/3 cup frosting, spread evenly, and then top with the second cake layer.
13. Repeat and then cover the cake with remaining frosting.
14. Refrigerate for one hour.
15. Heat chopped chocolate, heavy cream, and golden syrup in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals until completely melted, stirring in between.
16. Stir in vanilla and stick in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to cool.
17. Stir after chilling. The glaze should be pourable but very thick. I test a small spoonful down one side of the cake - if it stops running before it hits the bottom or just as it hits the bottom, it's done. If it's too thick, add a Tbsp or two more golden syrup or heat for 10 seconds in the microwave.
18. Pour the thickened glaze over the top, gently pushing it towards the edges so it will overflow.
19. Refrigerate until time to serve.
20. Serve with chocolate-covered strawberries (optional). Leftovers will keep in a covered container in the fridge for a few days.

Notes

Yields: 1 3-layer, 9-inch cake

Adapted from The Pastry Queen

Estimated time: 3 hours