You don’t have to be attending a black tie affair to indulge in this exquisite Tuxedo Cake.
The name says it all: If you are looking to make a show-stopping dessert that is as elegant as it is delicious, look no further than this glorious tuxedo cake.
Although the origins of tuxedo cake, named for its contrasting black and white layers, is unknown, some foodie historians think it might be a variation of the opera cake, a classic French dessert composed (pun intended!) of layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup, separated by layers of ganache, buttercream, and covered with a chocolate glaze. There is a pretty well-known Costco version of the tuxedo cake that is popular, but we like the height and flavor of our recipe better.
The cake, filling, and ganache are all made separately, so the recipe is a bit time-consuming, but it’s worth every ounce of effort to get to the finished product. It’s a truly stunning dessert featuring layers of intensely rich and incredibly moist chocolate cake, a luscious, fluffy, mousse-like white chocolate filling, and a coating of heavenly ganache. You don’t need any special skills to expertly create any of this cake’s components—just some patience as you make your way step-by-step through the recipe. Tuxedo cake is the perfect finale to any special occasion: this cake is truly a celebration in and of itself.
Tips For A Perfect Tuxedo Cake
Except for the boiling water, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. Speaking of the boiling water, if you want to intensify the cake’s chocolate flavor, add some instant coffee granules. Sift your cocoa powder as well to avoid lumps in the batter. For the white chocolate filling and the ganache, use high-quality chocolate and chop both into small pieces so they will melt smoothly and evenly.
How To Make Ahead And Store
You can make the cakes a day ahead of time; let them cool completely and then wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and they can remain at room temperature until you are ready to assemble. You can also freeze the tightly wrapped cakes for up to 2 months (thaw overnight before assembling). To store the completed cake, place it in an airtight container and it will last in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
Although tuxedo cake is ultra-rich and decadent, it still might need some ice cream! Classic Vanilla is perfect, but sometimes I like to extend the black and white theme even further and serve this cake with Cookies and Cream Ice Cream. And for the seriously dedicated chocoholics in my crowd, there’s nothing better than tuxedo cake with Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, a drizzle of Chocolate Sauce, and a dollop of Chocolate Whipped Cream.
True to its name, the tuxedo cake is also the perfect ending to a high-end, upscale dinner party. Start with these impressive Shrimp Boats, followed by a classic Caesar Salad, and then onto the entree: Grilled Lobster Tail, Filet Mignon, these very fancy Fondant Potatoes, and some lovely Grilled Asparagus.
Tuxedo Cake
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
For the White Chocolate Filling:
- 1 cup white chocolate chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream divided
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Mix in the milk, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed until well combined.
- Slowly add the boiling water to the batter and mix until combined. The batter will be thin.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chopped white chocolate and 1/4 cup of heavy cream in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
- In a bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Add the melted white chocolate mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whip the remaining 3/4 cup of heavy cream to stiff peaks.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread the white chocolate filling evenly over the top.
- Place the second cake layer on top of the filling.
- In a saucepan, heat 1 cup of heavy cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer.
- Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Mix the chocolate and cream until smooth and glossy, then let it cool slightly.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes to set the ganache before serving.
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