Tuxedo Bar Cake (Copycat Recipe)

Tuxedo Bar Cake is the perfect special occasion dessert and can be found for purchase at big box stores, but now you can make your own at home! This recipe holds all the same layers of flavor with an even better scratch-made taste. And it feeds a crowd!

This time of year I should be probably be developing recipes with warm spices and seasonal flavors. But I’ve been otherwise occupied developing this Tuxedo Bar Cake recipe. If you’ve ever cruised by the refrigerated desserts section at Costco, Sam’s Club, or even your local grocery store, you’ve likely come across a version of this cake. I’ve tasted a few – some better than others. But across the board there are elements that taste a little bit manufactured or canned.

The appearance of the cake is a stunner! Those layers of chocolate mousse and cream cheese filling are so striking. I felt sure I could come up with a version that home bakers could manage. And with this recipe, I think I’ve accomplished just that!

Start at the Stove Top

If you’ve ever made Texas sheet cake, then this first step will be familiar. Start by heating butter, water, and dark cocoa powder in a saucepan. When the mixture is completely melted and smooth, remove it from the heat and let it cool.

Meanwhile, whisk dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking soda and kosher salt together in a bowl; set aside. Next, in a large glass measure, whisk together some eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Then add it to the cooled chocolate mixture. Then, get the wet and dry together to form a consistent cake batter. This is easy enough to manage with a hand mixer.

11×17 Sheet Pan

Pour the batter into a parchment-lined, large jelly roll pan, about 11×17 inches. Most standard jelly roll pans are 10×15 – and that’s not big enough. If you have a slightly larger jelly roll pan (such as 17.25 x 12.25) that will work also.

Bake at 350°F, for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick tester inserted near the center comes out clean.

Freeze and Trim

Let the cake cool down and then toss it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. This will stiffen the cake enough to turn it out without cracking. While it is still chilled, trim the cake into three 11×5 inch pieces. You’ll have just enough cake scraps leftover to snack on. (For breakfast with coffee, if you’re me.)

Fill with Chocolate Mousse

This is such an easy mousse recipe, requiring just 2 ingredients: semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream. The end result is light and yet very chocolaty. The gist of the technique is to make a quick ganache, then fold in whipped cream.

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Layer on Vanilla Cream Cheese Filling

Vanilla cream cheese filling is the key to the overall balance of this cake. It’s a nice foil for all that chocolate. It’s essentially a cream cheese buttercream, but not an overly sweet one. This is a very simple formula that can be managed with a hand mixer.

Ganache on Top.

Yet another layer of chocolate! Combine semisweet chips, heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon of oil (sunflower is my go-to) in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute, then let stand for another minute. Whisk together until a smooth, shiny ganache forms. Let it stand at room temperature while you whisk together milk and confectioners’ sugar to make a white glaze. Pour the ganache on top of the cake, then add stripes of the white glaze. Use the tip of a butter knife to marble the two together. See the video of this technique in action.

Add Decorations

This is optional. Because the marbling is very pretty as-is. But to make this a convincing copycat, I added a chocolate frosting scroll . Instead of a fancy gold chocolate transfer plaque, I opted for a rolled cookie wafer and some chocolate truffles I had on hand. Anyone can manage this décor!

I really love how the end result turned out. Everyone who has tasted this is amazed at how light it is. It’s not the chocolate overload you’d expect. And the vanilla cream cheese filling helps achieve a balanced harmony of flavors.

It’s been a bit of a journey, figuring out a Tuxedo Bar Cake from scratch. Lots of journal notes and scribbles, but it all came together! I have a long list of store bought/manufactured cakes I’d like to try developing at home – and I’m slowly crossing them off the list (see and ).

I love having this recipe as a resource for parties and special gatherings. It really is the perfect special occasion cake. Although it takes some time to assemble, it’s not difficult to make. And I’m pretty sure it’s destined for our holiday table this year. Enjoy!

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Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/SprinkleBakes