The Amazing Erupting Volcano Cake Recipe

How to make it

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• This recipe and cake is so much fun. Invite a friend over to help you make it. Make two one for each of you. It does take time but its so worth it for the kids:
• Chocolate Cake:
• Ingredients Serves 2 9-inch, cakes
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/ 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (scant)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (scant)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 5 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk
• Directions :
• Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
• Grease or spray two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.
• Chop the chocolate and melt it in the microwave or in a double boiler, being careful not to burn it. Set aside.
• Chop the chocolate and melt it in the microwave or in a double boiler, being careful not to burn it. Set aside.
• Sift the cocoa, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed for 5 to 6 minutes. Scrape the bowl and continue beating until the mixture until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. The batter may look curdled at this point, which is fine.
• Add the melted, cooled chocolate and vanilla and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• With the mixer on low, gradually add half of the dry ingredients.
• Add 1/2 of the milk and mix about 30 seconds.
• Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix for 30 seconds.
• Add the remaining milk and mix for another 30 seconds on low.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and use the spatula to make sure the mixture is fully blended.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
• Bake until the cakes spring back in the center when lightly pressed, or a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25–30 minutes.
• Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove them from the pans and cool completely.
• Fill and frost as desired.
• Preparation time: Approximately 45 minutes plus cooling time.
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• Black Chocolate Buttercream
• This dramatic black buttercream stars as crusted lava in the Amazing Erupting Volcano Cake. It also works wonderfully for Halloween cupcakes, or anywhere else you need a black frosting.
• Ingredients Serves About 4 cups
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup black onyx cocoa*
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• *Locate black onyx cocoa at Savory Spice Shop or
• King Arthur’s Flour
• Directions:
• In a small saucepan melt the butter.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the regular and black cocoa and vanilla extract until fully combined.
• Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and, on low speed, alternately add the powdered sugar and milk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar. Scrape the bowl after each addition. Frosting will be thin but spreadable.
• Preparation time: Approximatel 5-7 minutes.
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• Quick Plain Buttercream
• This quick, basic icing works wonderfully in green as the landscape for the Amzing Erupting Volcano Cake. Of course you can tint it any color for other creations as well.
• Ingredients Serves About 2 cups
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ~ green food coloring
• Directions
• In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter until light and fluffy.
• On low speed, alternately add the powdered sugar and milk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar. Scrape the bowl after each addition.
• Beat in the vanilla.
• Tint desired shade of green.
• Preparation time: Approximately 5-7 minutes.
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• Kahlua Soaking Syrup
• This simple syrup lends flavor and Hawaiian flair to the Amazing Erupting Volcano Cake, but it’s a great embellishment for ordinary cakes as well. Brush it on any chocolate or yellow cake recipe after baking for added moistness and a boost of sophisticated coffee flavor.
• Ingredients Serves 2-plus cups
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Kahlua
• Directions:
• In a small saucepan heat the water and sugar until sugar has dissolved.
• Cool and stir in the Kahlua.
• Preparation time: Approximately 5 minutes plus cooling time.
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• Lava Sugar for the Candy Shards
• The crowning glory of the Amazing Erupting Volcano Cake, this sugary stuff is everything it should be – fluffy, foamy and hilariously kitsch.
• Ingredients Serves shards for cake
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup warm water
• ~ cinnamon flavoring (if desired)
• ~ red food coloring
• Directions:
• Note: This stuff is smoking hot so be very, very careful. Always have a bowl of ice water for immersing your hand if it accidentally touches the hot sugar.
• Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil.
• In a heavy bottomed saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup and water.
• Bring to a boil and heat until the mixture reaches the hard crack stage (300ºF).
• Remove from heat and carefully pour a small circle of sugar onto one of the prepared pans.
• Use a toothpick to quickly stir in the blue food coloring and create the “lake.”
• Carefully stir the red food coloring and cinnamon flavoring into remaining sugar and pour rivulets of “lava” onto second foil-lined pan. (See picture.)
• Allow to set.
• Preparation time: Approximately 15 minutes plus cooling time.
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• Fluff Lava
• The crowning glory of the Amazing Erupting Volcano Cake, this sugary stuff is everything it should be – fluffy, foamy and hilariously kitsch.
• Ingredients Serves 14 ounces marshmallow lava
• 2 (7-ounce) jars marshmallow fluff
• 1/4 cup water
• ~ red food coloring
• Directions:
• In a saucepan stir together marshmallow fluff and water until mixture is warm and fully combined.
• Tint with red food coloring.
• Preparation time: Several minutes.