Cook Like A Star : Four Tier Chocolate Layer Cake

All of Donna Hay's recipe seems to be so simple and tasty. I have hard time trying to pick one tho. Heehee... Well , I always love baking cakes so I have pick one which I think I can handle easily . Simple as it sounds , I manage to complete everything including the frosting within 2 hours .

This is my first time combining cream cheese frosting with chocolate cake. This cake turn out to be moist and just the right mouth-feel . I simply love the cream cheese frosting and not to mention the simplicity that comes with it. Will definitely bake this cake again .. Heehee .........

This recipe is an Official MasterChef Recipe for Junior MasterChef 2010  . How amazing watching these young talents cooking like a star . I feel so timid when I watch them cook . Gosh .. How I wish my baby can be one of them .. Heehee ..

I have made some minor changes to the original recipe. As usual , I reduce the amount of sugar required for the cake. I used 1/2 cup of castor sugar instead of 1 cup . Same goes to the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. I have reduced the icing sugar by half.

FOUR TIER CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE 
Ingredients 

1/2 cup  Water
60g        Butter, chopped
2 tbsp    Cocoa, sifted
1 cup     Plain flour, sifted
1/2 tsp   Bicarbonate of soda, sifted
1/2 cup  Caster sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup  Buttermilk
1/2 tsp   Vanilla extract

Chocolate cream cheese frosting
50g        Butter, softened
250g      Cream cheese
1/2 cup  Icing sugar mixture, sifted
1/4 cup  Cocoa, sifted


Method 

1. Preheat oven to 150'C . Lightly greased 2 12cm round pan lined with non-stick baking paper.

2. Place the water, butter and cocoa in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted. Place the flour, bicarbonate of soda and sugar in a bowl, add the cocoa mixture and whisk to combine. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk to combine. Divide mixture between 2 prepared cake pan .

3. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

4. While the cake is baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Place the butter and cheese in the mixing bowl and beat for 6–8 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar and cocoa and beat for a further 6–8 minutes or until light and fluffy.

5. To assemble, slice the cakes half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a plate and spread with one quarter of the frosting. Repeat with remaining layers and frosting. Decorate as desired.

                                                 

I am going to link this with "Cook Like A Star" blog-hop featuring Donna Hay as the celebrity for the month of March, hosted by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids. Please drop by Bake For Happy Kids for the full details and join in the blog-hop!