I am the worst. I have had this blog post ready to go for probably a good 2 weeks. This cake was made about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I think I was putting it off because I was not happy with the pictures, but what can you do in the winter months when you work till 5…take pictures like these. The pictures, no matter how good, couldn’t do the cake justice anyways.
If you know me, then you know I grew up in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, Bandera, TX to be exact. Ok, if we’re being exact…it was Pipe Creek, TX. The odds of you ever hearing of Pipe Creek are far less than the odds of you hearing of Bandera. Don’t worry if you haven’t….Bandera has a booming population of 1,000 (give or take). I went to high school in Bandera, in fact, if you lived in Bandera County you went to school IN Bandera. I had a 15-minute commute through the hills every morning to school.
Really, none of what I just enriched your brain with has much of anything to do with where I am going with this. What I was getting to was, the beautiful town of Fredericksburg is just a hop skip and an hour from Bandera. If you have never heard of Fredericksburg, and plan on making a trip to the San Antonio area, put it on your to do list. It is an old fashioned German town with a TON of amazing little shops, restaurants, pubs and…BAKERIES! One in particular I wanted to bring to your attention is situated back off Main Street in a little Inn. Doug and I visited Rather Sweet Bakery when we were staying in town for one of my dear friends wedding. Some of the best kolaches I have ever tasted. Ironically, on the way home I came across the owners’ cookbook, The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather.
I have tried a few things in her cookbook, but her Tuxedo Cake…well it takes the cake. This was the second time I’ve made this cake after forgetting how long it takes to make. But the result is so worth the sweat in the kitchen. I was able to share this cake with our neighbors too since it only lasts 2 days. It is a decadent three layer chocolate cake, with whipped cream frosting and an amazing chocolate glaze. What makes this glaze is the use of Lyles Golden Syrup. I must admit, it was a little hard to find being in the middle of nowhere East Texas. I just happened to come across it in Central Market while on a trip and knew it was time to try it again. If you want to make this cake, you can buy the syrup online on Amazon. You could also substitute Corn Syrup, same texture and taste almost….but Lyles is by far better with this glaze.
So buy the syrup….buy the cookbook, do what you want to do, but make this cake! It would be great for a family get together, perhaps Thanksgiving?!
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Printable Recipe
Tuxedo Cake
Recipe From: The Pastry Queen
Cake Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups water
1 cup canola oil
4 cups sugar
1 cup high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups all purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Whipped Frosting Ingredients:
4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
Chocolate Glaze Ingredients:
4 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup*
2 teaspoons vanilla
To make the cake:
For a 3-layer cake, place one baking rack one -third from the bottom of the oven and the second two-thirds from the bottom. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of three 9-inch or two 10- inch cake pans with parchment paper rounds, grease with butter, and dust with flour (or spray with cooking spray).
Combine the butter, water, and canola oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, cocoa, and flour. Pour the butter mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then whisk in the buttermilk. Whisk in the baking soda, salt, and vanilla all at once. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans.
For a 3-layer cake, stagger the cake layers on the oven racks so that no layer is directly over another. Set two layers on one rack and the third on the other.
For a 2-layer cake, stagger the layers on the middle rack with one placed more toward the front of the oven and one toward the back.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each layer comes out clean. Monitor the layers carefully for doneness; each one maybe done at a different time.
Remove the cakes from the oven and cool on racks for about 15 minutes before inverting onto baking racks. Cool the cakes completely, at least 2 hours, before frosting.
To make the frosting:
Using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream in a large bowl on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and whip until thoroughly combined.
Place 1 cake layer on a platter and spread some of the frosting over the top. Top with the remaining layer or layers, thickly coating the top and sides of each with frosting.
Refrigerate the cake until the whipped cream frosting has stabilized, at least 1 hour.
To make the glaze:
Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is very hot and just beginning to steam. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until it has melted completely. Stir in the syrup and vanilla. Pour the glaze into a medium pitcher or measuring cup and let cool for 10 minutes. Do not let the glaze sit longer because it will stiffen and become difficult to pour over the cake. Slowly pour the glaze over the cake, ensuring that it covers the top and drizzles down the sides. Cover the top of the cake entirely, but make sure some of the cream frosting shows through the drizzles on the sides. (If the glaze doesn’t flow easily over the edge of the cake don’t be afraid to add an extra tablespoon or two of Lyle’s Golden Syrup.)
Refrigerate the cake until the glaze is set and the whipped cream frosting is firm, at least 1 hour. Slice the cake with a long serrated knife, dipping it in a tall glass of hot water between each slice. The refrigerated cake will keep for about 2 days.
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