I've had this cake floating around in my head for a while now. Yeah, I do that. I obsess about flavor combos in my head. Well anyway, this one actually got made. This was one of my contributions to Thanksgiving this year. This cake is a four layer chocolate gingerbread with hazelnut filling and cream cheese frosting. It was really good, I promise. This is one of those cakes that I used a mix for as a starting off base. Sometimes that's just the best way to go, trust me. I think this would make the perfect winter cake or Christmas dessert.
Chocolate Gingerbread Cake
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
1 c. all purpose flour
1c. sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 c. water
1/8 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 c. sour cream
3 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
Add all of the dry ingredients together in your mixer, stir well. Add the water, mix. Add the sour cream, oil and vanilla, mix well. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each. Stir until well combined. Use a rubber spatula to get any clumps from the bottom incorporated.
Hazelnut filling
1 stick room temperature butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. honey
2 tbs hazelnut syrup (such as Torani)
1 lb of confectioners sugar
Cream together shortening and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and honey. Add 1 tbs hazelnut syrup, mix well. Add the confectioners sugar 1 c. at a time. Add the last tbs of hazelnut syrup. If the filling is too stiff add more syrup until you get the right consistency, which should be that of frosting. If it's too thin you can add more sugar.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick butter
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
1 package cream cheese
2 lbs confectioners sugar
2 tsp vanilla
water or milk to thin
Cream butter and shortening until fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat well. Add the vanilla and mix. Add the sugar 1 c. at a time until incorporated. Add water or milk 1 tbs at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Happy baking,
Kim
