Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 250 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 350 g granulated sugar
- 85 g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 6 g baking powder
- 6 g baking soda
- 4 g salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 240 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 120 ml vegetable oil
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 240 ml hot brewed coffee
Chocolate Buttercream
- 340 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 400 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 65 g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 45 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 2 g salt
Decoration
- 400 g chocolate cigarillos
- 250 g fresh raspberries, washed and thoroughly dried
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 653 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 82 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 60 g
- Sodium
- 292 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 74 mg
- Potassium
- 412 mg
- Calcium
- 78 mg
- Iron
- 3.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 95 mg
- Phosphorus
- 202 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 170 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.13 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 15 mcg
- Water
- 55 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 39 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until uniformly combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the room-temperature eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.
Carefully pour in the hot brewed coffee while whisking continuously. The batter will be quite thin, which is correct.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
While the cakes cool, prepare the buttercream. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder with the mixer on low speed. Once incorporated, add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Spread a thick, even layer of buttercream over the top. Place the second layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake smoothly with the remaining buttercream. The sides do not need to be perfectly neat, as they will be covered.
Working quickly before the buttercream sets, press the chocolate cigarillos vertically into the sides of the cake, placing them flush against each other to form a solid border around the entire circumference.
Mound the thoroughly dried fresh raspberries in the center of the cake, contained by the cigarillo border. Chill the cake for 30 minutes to set the structure before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Using hot brewed coffee blooms the cocoa powder, intensifying the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
- For an elegant, professional touch and extra structural security during transport, tie a satin ribbon tightly around the center of the cigarillo border.
- Ensure your raspberries are completely dry before placing them on the cake; any excess moisture will bleed into the frosting and can compromise the chocolate.
- If you want to cut this cake easily without shattering the cigarillos, use a very sharp knife heated under hot running water and wiped dry before each cut.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in a cake dome to prevent the cigarillos from absorbing fridge odors.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze un-garnished with raspberries. Wrap the cigarillo-encased cake tightly in plastic wrap once the buttercream is frozen solid.
Troubleshooting
Cigarillos are sliding down or falling off the sides of the cake.
Cause: The buttercream has crusted over before application, or the cake/room is too warm causing the frosting to melt.
Fix: If crusted, lightly run a warm offset spatula around the edges to soften the frosting again. If too warm, chill the cake for 5 minutes, then re-adhere.
Prevention: Apply the cigarillos immediately after frosting the cake while the buttercream is still sticky and soft.
Cigarillos are melting or losing their pattern.
Cause: Body heat from handling them for too long.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once melted. Swap out heavily smudged pieces for spares.
Prevention: Handle the chocolate quickly and lightly. Wash hands in cold water prior.
Cake domed heavily in the center, making assembly unstable.
Cause: Oven temperature was too high or cake pans weren't wrapped.
Fix: Use a serrated knife to carefully level the tops of the cakes before stacking.
Prevention: Use cake strips around the pans to ensure even baking.
Cultural Context
The concept of encasing a dessert in an upright cylindrical border traces its origins to the classic French 'Charlotte', originally lined with sponge cake or ladyfingers. In modern patisserie, substituting delicate chocolate cigarillos elevates this technique to create an extravagant, centerpiece-worthy celebration cake that feels both structurally architectural and highly indulgent.
