A moist and rich chocolate cake that is layered with chocolate custard and coated with crushed chocolate chunks! This cake is chocolate heaven and would be perfect to make for any chocoholic in your life! It combines a moist chocolate cake with a cold and creamy chocolate custard and the chocolate chips provide a nice textural counterbalance between each bite!
😋 Taste and features
- 3 layers of a rich and moist chocolate cake with custard filling
- Creamy and decadent chocolate custard buttercream between each layer
- Crushed chocolate chips dusted with cocoa powder on the outside
🖊 Recipe note
I am a huge fan of a chocolate custard cake from a bakery in NYC and I spent a week spending time trying to reverse engineer this and I think I came pretty close! The cake is light and fluffy but tastes great on its own and has a soft and fluffy buttercream in between each layer!
🛒 Ingredients needed
Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Custard German Buttercream
🗒️ Step by step instructions
Chocolate Custard German Buttercream Instructions (Make the day before or a few hours ahead)
Step 1. Place 4 egg yolks in a large bowl and then pour in milk and vanilla extract. Sift cornstarch and cocoa powder into the bowl with wet ingredients. Then add in granulated sugar and whisk till combined.
Step 2. Pour custard into a large curved sauce pan and constantly mix on low-medium heat until it starts to simmer and thicken. Pour custard through a strainer/sieve and cover with a saran wrap to rest in fridge for at least four hours to overnight.
Step 3. Whip room temperature butter for 1 minute and then mix in powdered sugar. Then add in the room temperature custard 1 tbsp at a time until combined and set aside.
Chocolate Cake Instructions
Before you start: Heat oven to 350F and grease 2 8″inch round pans. Place parchment paper in each pan to make it easier to lift up after.
Step 1. Sift all purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Then add in granulated white sugar into the bow and whisk again.
Step 2. Pour oil, buttermilk, coffee, eggs and vanilla extract into dry ingredients and mix again.
Step 3. Bake for 35-40 minutes and cool cake before cutting the domed tops off.
Step 4. Spread buttercream equally between each layer and spread buttercream on top. Then crush chocolate chips and mix in cocoa powder and sprinkle on top and edges.
👩🍳 Top tips
- Make sure you use a sieve for both the buttercream and the cake – this is a crucial step to ensuring equal cake rise and smooth buttercream
- Weigh the amount of batter you put in each cake pan so that the bake times are even
- Use room temperature for the buttercream to ensure a smooth texture – you should be able to poke through the butter
💡 Variations
Size Variation: This recipe calls for 3 6″ inch round cake pans but you can also use 2 8″ inch round cake pans but I would decrease the baking time by 10 minutes.
Buttercream Variation: German buttercream takes longer to make but I do think it’s worth the extra effort! If you’re short on time you can make an American Buttercream which takes much less time!
🤔 Substitutions
No buttermilk? Swap it from 3/4 cup whole milk and 1 tbsp of lemon juice and wait 5 minutes before adding to batter.
🧺 Storage tips
- Room Temperature: Store at room temperature in an an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
- Fridge: Cool cake completely and then store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. I would suggest keeping it one piece as pre-slicing it can cause it to try out.
🔎 Related recipes
Want more chocolate recipes? Here are a few you can try!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Custard Layer Cake
Equipment
- 3 6" inch round cake pans
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour (240 Grams)
- 2 Cups Granulated White Sugar (400 Grams)
- 3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder (75 Grams)
- 3/4 Cup Buttermilk (180 Grams)
- 3/4 Cup Coffee (180 Grams)
- 2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil (144 Grams)
- 2 Eggs (Grade A Large)
- 3 tsp Baking Soda (12 Grams)
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract (8 Grams)
- 1 tsp Salt (6 Grams)
German Chocolate Custard Buttercream
- 2 Cups Whole Milk (240 Grams)
- 4 Egg Yolks (Grade A Large)
- 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar (200 Grams)
- 1/2 Cup Corn Starch (64 Grams)
- 1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder (35 Grams)
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract (8 Grams)
- 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar (50 Grams)
Optional Chocolate Chip Exterior
- 1 1/2 Cup Crushed Chocolate Chips (255 Grams)
- 1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder (25 Grams)
Instructions
Chocolate Custard German Buttercream
- Crack 4 eggs and place 4 egg yolks in a large bowl. Then pour in milk and vanilla extract.
- Sift flour, sugar and cornstarch into the wet ingredients and whisk till combined.
- Pour into a large curved sauce pan and mix on low-medium heat until it starts to simmer and thicken. Make sure you keep whisking to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
- Pour custard in a strainer/sieve (do not skip this step) to catch cooked eggs and unmixed custard!
- Let is chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight and then let it come to room temperature along with your 2 stick of butter.
- Whip room temperature butter for 1 minute and then mix in powdered sugar. Then add in the room temperature custard 1 tbsp at a time until combined and set aside.
Chocolate Cake
- Heat oven to 350F and grease 2 8"inch round pans. Place parchment paper in each pan to make it easier to lift up after.
- Sift all purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Then add in granulated white sugar into the bow and whisk again.
- Pour oil, buttermilk, coffee, eggs and vanilla extract into dry ingredients and mix again.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes and cool cake before cutting the domed tops off.
- Spread buttercream equally between each layer and spread buttercream on top. Then crush chocolate chips and mix in cocoa powder and sprinkle on top and edges.
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