I’m not kidding when I tell you that people are going to flip for this cake, which consists of thirteen layers of chocolate and Champagne buttercream deliciousness. It was perfect at our 2013 New Year’s Eve celebration! What’s the best part? It can easily be modified for any year New Year’s party . . . just use a number of layers to match the year: 2025 should be pretty interesting!
3 recipes Chocolate Cake
2 recipes Basic Buttercream, substituting Champagne for the milk
Gold sprinkles
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
6 9-inch round cake pans; cake leveler or long, serrated knife; small and large offset spatulas
DIFFICULTY: Easy
1. Bake 6 chocolate cake layers in 9-inch round cake pans. (You may not need this many cakes, depending on how many layers you ultimately want. Each full layer will make 3 thin layers.) Cool the layers completely, then freeze for at least 1 hour. The cakes should be very firm but still able to be cut.
2. Prepare the Champagne buttercream.
3. Using a cake leveler, slice each cake into 3 thin layers, each about ½ inch thick. You may have layers left over, depending on the year.
4. Place 1 layer on a cake stand and, using an offset spatula, spread the top with ¼ cup of buttercream. Smooth the buttercream as evenly as you can—some bakers will actually use a carpenter’s level during this process. Just be sure to step back and look at your cake periodically to make sure it’s level. If one side is too high, overcompensate with buttercream on the next layer to create a flat, even surface. If you find that your thin layers are getting too crumbly at any point, just place them back in the freezer to firm up before you finish the cake.
5. If your cake is steady and firm, cover it in a crumb coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
6. Cover the cake in buttercream, making the sides very smooth and leaving the top rough. Sprinkle the top generously with gold sprinkles.
7. Chill the cake until serving.
tips and tricks
This cake is tall and makes very wide servings! Serve slices on dinner plates, not cake plates.
