Hot Fudge Whopper Cake

I am a firm believer that one of the most useful things you can learn when it comes to baking is how to make a decent looking cake.

And you know what?

It’s not as hard as you might think.

I originally wasn’t going to post this cake. I was in a hurry the day I photographed it and just didn’t like the photo.

Also, it was my husband’s birthday cake and I wasn’t sure I wanted to share with the world that I am married to a super old man.

Kidding. He’s young and very handsome.


And I’m not just saying that because I plan on going shopping tomorrow and spending a completely reasonable amount of money.

Anyways, I decided that this cake would be a good opportunity to share a few very basic steps in cake decorating.


1. Don’t be afraid to use a mix.
I always use Duncan Hines and receive tons of compliments on how yummy my cakes are. Make sure you mix for the entire 3 minutes like it says on the box. It’s important.

2. Don’t over bake.
All ovens are not equal. Set your timer for about 7 or 8 minutes less than the baking time on the box (or recipe). Begin checking your cake as soon as it goes off. Your cake is done when it springs back when lightly touched in the center.


3. Let your cake get good and cold.
Once your cake is cooled to room temperature, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for several hours or overnight. This will make it easier to handle and also helps it stay nice and moist.


4.  Using a cake leveler or a serrated knife, trim off the dome so the cake is flat.
Place your cakes cut side down before frosting. The uncut side is much easier to spread frosting on.

5. Spread a thin layer of frosting on your cake and allow to sit in the fridge for several hours.
This is your crumb coat. Do NOT skip this step. It seals in crumbs, so your cake will be easier to frost and crumb free.

6. Frosting consistency is key.
If a spatula doesn’t move easily through your frosting, it’s too thick and won’t spread well. It might also pull on your cake and tear pieces off of it. Frosting can easily be thinned with a bit of light corn syrup.

7. You don’t have to buy tons of piping tips and fancy equipment. Some chocolate ganache and candy garnish does the job just fine.


The buttercream frosting recipe I use is very simple:

(click here for printable recipe)


Basic Buttercream:
2 sticks salted butter, softened
4 cups sifted powder sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 or 4 Tablespoons milk
Corn syrup, if needed for thinning the frosting


Beat butter, milk and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat on low until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and increase speed to medium high. Beat for about 2-3 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.


This recipe is the base for all frosting recipes I make. Frosting is very easy and forgiving, so don’t be afraid to experiment.


You can swap some of the powdered sugar for cocoa powder, use cream cheese or peanut butter in place of some of the butter, add different extracts, or even sub heavy cream for the milk for a different texture. Just remember, if your frosting is too thin or not sweet enough, add powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add more liquid or corn syrup.

For this particular cake, I made a basic chocolate cake using Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix.

I had some hot fudge in my fridge, so I spread it between the layers before I spread my frosting on. I adapted the frosting from my basic recipe to make it taste like chocolate malt:

(click here for printable recipe)

Chocolate Malt Frosting:
2 sticks salted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup Ovaltine malt powder
1/2 cup warm water (I have found that using water in chocolate frosting instead of milk increases the chocolate taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla


Beat butter, vanilla and water until smooth. Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and Ovaltine and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Increase speed to medium high and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.


See how easy? You can totally make whatever frosting you want just using the basic recipe as a guide.


I love adding ganache to my cake because it’s an easy and yummy way to make it stand out. Here’s the recipe I always use:


(click here for printable recipe)


Ganache:
4 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla


Heat cream in a saucepan over medium low heat until simmering. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in the corn syrup and allow to cool and thicken.

Before pouring a ganache on your cake, make sure your frosting is chilled and set. This will keep it from making a big melty mess of your cake. Spoon or pour ganache on the center of the cake and spread right to the edges. It will drip down by itself.

Another good thing about ganache? If your frosting job is less than perfect, it will cover it all up.

Now all that is left to do is garnish with candy or even small cookies. I made a border around the bottom with Whoppers and added a large one to the center.

A cake leveler and a variety of spatulas are the only tools I strongly recommend. You can purchase them from Sweet! Baking supply. Prices are reasonable and shipping is very fast.

Just remember–even ugly cakes deserve to be loved. So if your cake doesn’t turn out perfect on the first try, just eat it and make another one.

I hope you guys have a fabulous weekend!!