Doberge Cake

Lemon Curd

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, whole eggs, egg yolks, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth.

3. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, constantly stirring, until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then whisk in the lemon zest and butter until the butter is completely melted.

5. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the lemon curd to prevent a tough skin from forming. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 4 to 24 hours.

Chocolate Filling

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. In a medium heavy saucepan, combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar with 4 teaspoons of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk or stir to combine. 

3. Add 1 large egg, 1 cup heavy cream, and 1/2 cup milk. Whisk until smooth, then place the pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the filling is thickened to the consistency of loose pudding, about 8 to 10 minutes. 

4. Remove from the heat, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 4 ounces chocolate, and 3 tablespoons butter until the chocolate and butter are completely melted.

5. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, then place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the pudding mixture to prevent a tough skin from forming. Transfer the chocolate filling to the refrigerator and chill for 4 to 24 hours.

The Cake Layers

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 3 (8-inch) cake pans with parchment paper (cut to fit), then spray with nonstick baking or cooking spray.

3. Sift the cake flour into a large bowl. Add the baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt; whisk to combine and set aside.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the 12 tablespoons of softened butter with 2 cups granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the 4 egg yolks and 2 teaspoons of vanilla.

5. Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/2 of the milk to the batter, then beat on low speed until smooth. Repeat with another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and remaining milk. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until smooth.

6. In a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the stiff egg whites into the batter with a spatula just until combined.

7. Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans (about 16 ounces in each). Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans and place on the rack until completely cooled. 

8. Carefully slice each cake layer horizontally into 2 layers and level any domed tops. You will have 6 thin layers.

9. Place 1 layer on a cake plate and spread a layer of lemon curd over top. Place a cake layer on top of the lemon curd, then spread with a layer of chocolate pudding. Add another layer of cake, then lemon curd, cake, chocolate pudding, cake, then more lemon curd. Top with the 6th cake layer and place the cake in the fridge; chill for about 1 hour.

Chocolate Buttercream

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Sift the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and salt together into a bowl.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the sifted confectioners' sugar and cocoa mixture a little at a time and beat on low speed until combined. Add the vanilla and increase the speed to medium-high; beat until smooth and creamy. If too thick, add a few drops of hot water to loosen the butter.

4. Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Spread the buttercream over the top and sides, smoothing with a spatula or bench scraper. Place the cake in the freezer to chill while you prepare the chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Place the 12 ounces of chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Combine the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook until it begins to steam and bubble. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and let it stand, undisturbed, for 5 minutes.

4. Gently, whisk or stir the chocolate and cream mixture until well blended and smooth.

5. Remove the cake from the freezer. Evenly spread the ganache over the cake, covering the top and sides. Smooth the firmed ganache with a spatula or bench scraper dipped in warm water.

6. Chill the cake in the fridge until ready to serve. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator.

   How to Store and Freeze

   • Refrigerate leftover doberge cake in a covered container for up to three days.
   • The cake may be frozen. Place the cake or slices on a baking sheet, then place it in the freezer. Once the cake or slices are frozen solid, wrap them well in two layers of plastic wrap, then return to the freezer for up to three months.

   Tips

   • To get uniform baked layers, use a kitchen scale to weigh your batter, then divide that weight by the number of pans you are filling. Place each pan on the scale, press "tare" to reset the weight to zero and weigh the batter's correct amount. Even if your pans seem identical and are the same brand, they may be slightly different in weight.
   • The ratio of chocolate to cream depends on the amount of cocoa butter in the chocolate. For high-quality dark chocolate, 1:1 is a good ratio, while semisweet chocolate with less cocoa butter will require a 2:1 ratio (twice as much chocolate as cream). Ganache can always be adjusted. If too thin, add more chocolate, and if it is too thick, add more cream.
   • Use a turntable to turn the cake as you split it horizontally.
   • For evenly baked layers, make sure there is some space between pans. If rotating the pans, wait until they are about two-thirds baked through to prevent collapsing.

   How Can Cake Scraps Be Used?

   When you trim the domed tops, don't throw those scraps away. Tuck them in a bag and use them to make bread pudding or other desserts. Make cake truffles or cake pops, or press crumbs in small canning jars with layers of frosting or ice cream topping—pop them in the freezer for last-minute desserts. You can store the cake scraps in the freezer until ready to use for dessert part 2.

   Can Leftover Egg Whites Be Frozen?

   Yes, extra egg whites may be frozen in airtight containers or ice cube trays for up to three months.

   Recipe Variations

   • For moister layers, sprinkle or brush each layer with a simple syrup, plain, vanilla, or lemon flavored.
   • To make individual layers instead of splitting them horizontally, divide the cake batter among six baking pans and reduce the baking time.
   • You can omit the lemon curd and double the chocolate pudding filling.
   • Similarly, you can omit the chocolate pudding filling and double the lemon curd.
   • If time is limited, fill the layers with purchased ready-made pudding and lemon curd.

   Helpful Links

   • Baking Times for Different Sized Cake Pans
   • Fundamentals of Cake Baking
   • Ganache Recipe and Tips
   • Everything You Need to Know About Convection Oven Cooking
   • How to Use the Creaming Method in Your Baking
   16 Indulgent Dishes for a Festive Fat Tuesday