It feels like everyone is ready for Christmas, me included. 2020 has hosted a list of challenges for all and a little Christmas cheer a bit early is in order.

I made this cake for Thanksgiving, can you tell that I’ve been ready to kick off the holiday season and get on with the rest of 2020?

The outside is loaded with textured reds and greens including a handful of sweet little poinsettias and of course the pièce de résistance the grinches hand wielding a cocktail and gesturing “drinks up grinches.”

The inside, cake guts if you will, is just as marvelous!

Mexican hot chocolate cake layers with a chocolate ganache filling and all wrapped up in marshmallow buttercream.

It doesn’t get any better than this.

Classic Chocolate Cake
Layered Cookbook: Tessa Huff

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
 ¾ teaspoon baking soda
 ¾ teaspoon salt
 ½ cup + 2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
 2 cups granulated sugar
 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
 1 ½ cup whole milk
 1 cup hot coffee (or water)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour four 6-inch cake pans and set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the oil and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
5. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Stop and scrape down the bowl.
6. With the mixer on low, stream in the coffee.  Mix on medium-low for no more than 30 seconds, or until the batter is combined.
7. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans.  Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.  Let them cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.

American Buttercream
Stella Parks

 12 ounces unsalted butter, softened to about 65°F/18°C (3 sticks; 340g)
 12 ounces organic powdered sugar, about 3 cups, sifted and spooned; 340g)
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 ¼-½ teaspoon table salt to taste
 3 ounces (85g) heavy cream, straight from the fridge
 Other extracts or gel-paste food coloring
1.Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, add already sifted and measured powdered sugar on top. Fit the machine with a paddle attachment, and mix on low until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated. Add vanilla and salt, then increase speed to medium and beat until the frosting is airy and light, pausing along the way to scrape the bowl and beater as needed. This will take about 6 minutes, although the exact timing
will vary depending on the power of the machine. During this time, the mixture will have warmed to approximately 70°F (21°C).
2. Reduce speed to low, then drizzle in the cream. When fully incorporated, pause to scrape the bowl and beater, then continue beating a few seconds more on medium speed. Taste and adjust salt and vanilla as
needed, or add whatever other extracts or gel colors are desired. Use immediately or store in an airtight container. Gently re-whip before use.

Chocolate Ganache

 two 4-ounce quality semi-sweet chocolate bars (113g each), finely chopped
 1 cup (8ozs) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
1. Place finely chopped chocolate into a heat-proof glass or metal bowl.
2. Heat cream on the stovetop until just simmering. If it’s boiling, the cream is too hot and could separate or even burn the chocolate. Once you see little simmers around the edges, turn off the heat and immediately
pour the warm cream over the chocolate.
3. Let the two sit for a few minutes before stirring.
4. Stir until smooth.
After you stir the chocolate and warm cream together, use the ganache right away as a fruit dip or drizzle on top of cakes, cupcakes, pound cakes, ice cream, and more. But if you wait about 2 hours and let it cool completely, the ganache can be scooped with a spoon, spread onto desserts, or piped with piping tips.

Disclaimer: I am an experimenter in the kitchen and am always adding or modifying recipes. Please read this so you’ll know the modifications I made for this cake.

The cake: I replaced the unsweetened cocoa with Abuelita’s Mexican Hot Chocolate mix. I made a simple syrup of 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and ¼ of Mexican Hot Choc mix. After removing cakes from the pan, gently spoon hot syrup all over cakes. Stop when the cakes can’t soak up any more.
Buttercream: I used 1 tablespoon of vanilla and one bottle of jet puffed marshmallow fluff.

Ganache: I used a 12oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Place plastic wrap over bowl after adding hot heavy whipping cream and let sit for 8-10 mins before stirring. Let cool for a couple of hours before using as a filling.