Hot Chocolate Layer Cake with Marshmallow Buttercream and Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Name: Hot Chocolate Layer Cake
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 88 min
Ingredients: 360 g warm coffee or water ((for instant coffee use 2 teaspoon of instant coffee)); 360 g all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 300 g granulated sugar; 150 g dark brown sugar; 75 g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 165 g vegetable oil; 270 g sour cream 14-18% (room temperature); 3 large eggs (room temperature); 3 tsp vanilla extract; 50 g granulated sugar; 25 g honey (eg. acacia honey); 60 g whole milk; 100 g semi-sweet chocolate; 10 g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder; 15 g unsalted butter; 1 tsp vanilla extract; Small pinch of salt; 400 g unsalted butter; 225 g powdered sugar; 200 g marshmallow fluff; 1/2 tsp vanilla paste; Small pinch of salt after taste

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This Hot Chocolate Layer Cake is the ultimate cozy dessert! It has delicious layers of moist chocolate cake with marshmallow buttercream and homemade chocolate fudge sauce. This fudge sauce cake recipe is inspired by your favourite winter drink, hot cocoa, which makes it perfect for holidays, birthdays or whenever you want something decadent and comforting.

This Hot Chocolate Layer Cake is a perfect cozy winter dessert. This homemade hot chocolate-inspired cake has the best layered chocolate cake recipe, and marshmallow fluff buttercream and a gooey chocolate fudge filling. This easy holiday dessert is a showstopper and perfect for any holiday gathering or birthday celebrations.

For more winter dessert recipes, try Chocolate Cheesecake, Maple Apple Upside Down Cake and Brown Butter Hot Fudge Cake.

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WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS HOT CHOCOLATE CAKE
INGREDIENT YOU'LL NEED
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM FUDGE SAUCE
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
FAQ
HOW TO STORE THE CAKE
Hot Chocolate Layer Cake

WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS HOT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Hot Chocolate Inspired: This cake is a hot chocolate inspired twist on a delicious cup of hot cocoa, giving it lots of cozy winter vibes and rich flavors of chocolate and marshmallow.
Chocolate Cake: These chocolate cake layers are the best and most moist cake layers.
Marshmallow fluff buttercream: A whole tup of marshmallow fluff is used in the fluffy marshmallow buttercream.
Chocolate fudge sauce: In between each layer is drizzled with the best gooey homemade chocolate fudge sauce.

INGREDIENT YOU'LL NEED

These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy cake. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
Cornstarch: Helps give a light and soft cake
Sugars: The granulated sugar helps sweeten, as well as give moister to the cake. The brown sugar helps add extra toffee flavor to the cake.
Baking powder and baking soda: Help leaven and rise the cake, so it has light and fluffy texture.
Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the chocolate cake.
Egg: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking, so it comes to room temperature. (depending how warm your kitchen is).
Coffee: Use freshly brewed coffee. The coffee helps boost the chocolate flavor. It can be replaced with hot water if you don't want to add coffee to the cake. For the coffee I recommend using espresso or instant coffee.
Oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
Sour cream: Sour cream gives lots of moister to the cake, as well as helps give the cake a great structure. It is also used in the frosting for a creamy texture.
Unsweetened Cocoa powder: I use high quality dutch process cocoa powder for the best flavor, my favorite is from Valrhona.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Use a good quality chocolate chips or chopped chocolate for the frosting.
Butter: The butter is used in the frosting.
Marshmallow fluff: Store bought marshmallow fluff is used to make the marshmallow buttercream.
Semi-sweet chocolate: Use a bar or semi-sweet chocolate chips for the chocolate fudge sauce.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Here is how to make and bake these Hot Chocolate Layer Cake. This recipe needs a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer. You will need 3x 20 cm/8-inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper.

The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.

Before starting preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven and line 3x 20 cm/8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CAKE LAYERS

STEP 1: In a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and give it a stir with a hand whisk. In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and whisk them together until combined.

STEP 2: Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there are no lumps left in the batter.

STEP 3: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans and bake them for 28-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM FUDGE SAUCE

STEP 1: While the cakes bake, heat up the honey, granulated sugar and whole milk, in a small saucepan on medium heat, until the granulated sugar has melted and the milk is starting to bubble.

STEP 2: Pour the heated milk and sugar over a small bowl with the semi-sweet chocolate and cacao powder. Stir it together until the dark chocolate has melted and it’s gathered.

STEP 3: Add the butter, vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt and stir it in until the butter has melted and combined with the chocolate fudge sauce. Cover it with cling film so it touches the surface of the sauce and let it cool down on the counter top till room temperature.

STEP 4: For the marshmallow buttercream, whip on medium high speed the butter in a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar in 2 parts, whipping until each addition is fully incorporated.

STEP 5: Then add the marshmallow fluff, vanilla bean paste and a small pinch of salt and give it a final mix on low speed, so it becomes nice and smooth.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE

STEP 1: Place the first cake layer on your serving dish. Add 2 big scoops of marshmallow buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add 1-2 tablespoons of fudge sauce and even it out.

STEP 2: Repeat the process for the next cake layer. Add the last cake layer and cover the top and sides of the cake in a thin crumb coat. Then add the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake. Finally, decorate with large and small marshmallows. Optionally, use a blow torch to carefully toast the marshmallows.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.

FAQ

Can I replace the sour cream with something else?

Yes, substitute it 1:1 with full-fat Greek yogurt.

Can it be made a day ahead?

Yes, make each element the day before, so you only need to assemble it the next day. Store the cake layers in the freezer well wrapped in plastic wrap, the next day let them thaw for 1 hour, on a wire rack, before assembling the cake. Store the marshmallow frosting in the fridge in an airtight container. Before using it, let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Then give a mix in the you stand mixer, until smooth, and it ready to be assembled. Place the fudge sauce as well in the fridge and when ready to use, let it come to room temperature.

When do you know when a cake layer is done?

I recommend using a cake tester or a toothpick. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of the cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.

If I only have 2 baking pans, what do I do?

You can also easily still make 3 layers with two pans. Just leave ⅓ of the batter in the mixing bowl, while the other cake layers bake. Let the baked cake layers cool down for 5 minutes as mentioned in the instructions. Then clean and add new baking paper to one of the pans and bake the last cake layer.

HOW TO STORE THE CAKE

Store the Hot Chocolate Layer Cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator or covered well with plastic wrap. Let it come to room temperature before enjoying it. It is best enjoyed within 2-3 days.

If You Love This Recipe, You Should Try These Fall and Winter Recipes

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