The Ultimate Tuxedo Cake Recipe: Fudgy Chocolate Layers with Silky White Frosting

The first bite of this Tuxedo Cake reveals everything: intensely dark chocolate cake that practically melts on your tongue, followed by cool, creamy white chocolate frosting that cuts through the richness. This isn’t just any chocolate and vanilla cake – it’s a study in perfect contrasts. The deep chocolate layers stay impossibly moist for days, while the smooth white chocolate frosting sets just enough to slice cleanly without being too firm. I spent three years tweaking this recipe until the textures and flavors balanced perfectly. The secret? Oil instead of butter in the cake batter and a touch of sour cream in the frosting.

Why This Recipe Works

• Room temperature ingredients create an emulsion that traps air, giving you a perfectly risen cake with an even crumb.
• Coffee in the batter doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee – it intensifies the chocolate flavor by enhancing the bitter notes.
• Oil instead of butter in the cake creates a moister texture that stays fresh longer.
• Double-sifting the dry ingredients eliminates lumps and creates a velvety texture impossible to achieve otherwise.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Dutch-process cocoa powder is essential for this recipe’s rich, dark color and smooth flavor. Natural cocoa powder is more acidic and reacts differently with the leavening agents. If you absolutely must substitute, add ½ teaspoon baking soda to balance the acidity.

White chocolate forms the base of our frosting. Use real white chocolate with cocoa butter listed in the ingredients (I like Ghirardelli or Lindt), not white baking chips. The authentic white chocolate creates a luxurious mouthfeel and complex vanilla notes.

Sour cream adds tanginess to both the cake and frosting, balancing the sweetness. Full-fat Greek yogurt works in a pinch, though the texture will be slightly different.

Vegetable oil keeps the cake moist longer than butter would. I’ve tested with canola, grapeseed, and sunflower oils with identical results, so use what you have.

Espresso powder amplifies chocolate flavor without adding coffee taste. If unavailable, substitute strongly brewed coffee for some of the hot water in the recipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making the Chocolate Cake Layers

Start by positioning your oven rack in the center and preheating to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch cake pans with baking spray, line with parchment paper circles, then spray again.

Sift your cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt twice into a large bowl. This step isn’t optional—it creates that fine-grained texture that sets bakery cakes apart from homemade ones.

Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl until completely combined. The mixture will look slightly curdled, but that’s normal.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. The batter will be thin—almost like chocolate milk—but that’s exactly what you want. Thin batter = moist cake.

Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans. I use a kitchen scale to ensure equal layers (about 450g per pan). Tap each pan on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles.

Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. The cakes will spring back slightly when pressed with a finger.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely. The layers will be delicate while warm, so handle with care.

Preparing the White Chocolate Frosting

Melt the white chocolate in 20-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each interval until smooth. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Beat the butter on medium-high speed for 5 full minutes until pale and fluffy. This incorporates air and creates the silkiest texture.

Add the cooled white chocolate in a steady stream while mixing on low speed.

Mix in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, then add the vanilla, salt, and sour cream. Beat for another 3 minutes until the frosting becomes light and airy.

Assembly

Level your cake layers if needed. Place the first layer on a cake board or serving plate.

Spread about 1 cup of frosting over the first layer, pushing it right to the edges. Top with the second layer and repeat.

Place the final layer upside-down on top (so the bottom of the cake becomes the smooth top).

Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting to lock in any loose crumbs. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until set.

Frost the entire cake with the remaining white chocolate frosting. For the classic tuxedo look, leave the sides white and save some frosting for the decorative elements.

Make the chocolate ganache by heating ½ cup heavy cream until steaming, then pouring over 4 oz chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool until slightly thickened but still pourable.

Pour the ganache over the top center of the cake, using an offset spatula to guide it to the edges, creating dramatic drips down the sides.

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Expert Tips for Success

• Don’t overmix the cake batter once the wet and dry ingredients come together. Overmixing develops gluten, making the cake tough instead of tender.
• For perfectly flat layers, use cake strips soaked in water and wrapped around the pans before baking. This helps the cake rise evenly without doming.
• If your ganache gets too thick, warm it in 5-second microwave bursts while stirring until it reaches the right consistency.
• For clean slices, dip your knife in hot water and wipe dry between each cut.
• The cake tastes even better on day 2, as the flavors have time to meld. Make it ahead for best results.

Flavor Variations

Raspberry Tuxedo Cake

Add a layer of raspberry preserves between each cake layer before the frosting. The tartness cuts through the richness and adds a beautiful flavor contrast.

Mint Chocolate Tuxedo Cake

Add ½ teaspoon of pure peppermint extract to the white chocolate frosting for a cool, refreshing twist that pairs beautifully with the dark chocolate.

Espresso Tuxedo Cake

Double the espresso powder in the cake and add 1 teaspoon to the ganache for a more pronounced coffee flavor that enhances the chocolate.

Storage & Freezing

This cake stays fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The oil in the cake keeps it moist longer than butter-based cakes.

Refrigerate for up to 5 days, but bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor experience.

Freeze individual slices or the whole cake (before adding ganache) for up to 2 months. Wrap in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, then place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving.

FAQ

Can I make this cake in advance?
Yes! In fact, I recommend making it a day ahead. The flavors develop wonderfully overnight, and the cake stays moist for days thanks to the oil in the batter.

Why did my cake sink in the middle?
This usually happens when the cake is underbaked or the oven door was opened during the first 20 minutes of baking. Make sure your oven temperature is accurate with an oven thermometer.

Can I make this in different sized pans?
Yes. For two 9-inch pans, increase baking time to 28-30 minutes. For cupcakes, bake for 18-20 minutes and reduce the recipe by one-third.

Is white chocolate the same as white chocolate chips?
No. Use real white chocolate bars for the frosting. White chocolate chips contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting properly for a smooth frosting.

My ganache is too thick/thin. How do I fix it?
Too thick: add warm heavy cream, 1 teaspoon at a time. Too thin: let it cool longer or add more chopped chocolate.

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Tuxedo Cake

Recipe by Elle RiversCourse: DessertsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

12

slices

Prep time

45

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

650

kcal

Total time

3

hours 

10

minutes

Rich chocolate cake layers paired with silky white chocolate frosting and dark chocolate ganache for the perfect special occasion dessert that stays moist for days.

Ingredients

• For the Chocolate Cake:

• 2 cups (240g) – All-purpose flour

• 2 cups (400g) – Granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup (65g) – Dutch-process cocoa powder

• 2 tsp (8g) – Baking powder

• 1 1/2 tsp (9g) – Baking soda

• 1 tsp (6g) – Salt

• 1 tbsp (6g) – Espresso powder

• 1/2 cup (120ml) – Vegetable oil

• 2 large – Eggs (room temperature)

• 1 cup (240ml) – Buttermilk (room temperature)

• 1/2 cup (120ml) – Hot water

• 2 tsp (10ml) – Vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup (60g) – Sour cream (room temperature)

• For the White Chocolate Frosting:

• 12 oz (340g) – White chocolate (high quality, chopped)

• 1 1/2 cups (340g) – Unsalted butter (room temperature)

• 4 cups (480g) – Powdered sugar

• 1/4 cup (60g) – Sour cream

• 1 tbsp (15ml) – Vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp (1.5g) – Salt

• For the Chocolate Ganache:

• 4 oz (113g) – Dark chocolate (chopped)

• 1/2 cup (120ml) – Heavy cream

Directions

• For the Cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans.
• Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder twice.
• Whisk oil, eggs, buttermilk, hot water, vanilla, and sour cream in a separate bowl.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
• Divide batter between prepared pans (about 450g per pan).
• Bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool in pans 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
• For the Frosting:
• Melt white chocolate in 20-second microwave bursts, stirring between each. Cool until just warm.
• Beat butter for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
• Add melted white chocolate in a steady stream while mixing on low.
• Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, then mix in vanilla, salt, and sour cream.
• Beat for 3 minutes until light and airy.
• For Assembly:
• Level cake layers if needed. Place first layer on cake board.
• Spread 1 cup of frosting on first layer, add second layer and repeat.
• Place final layer upside-down on top, apply thin crumb coat, and refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Frost entire cake with remaining white chocolate frosting.
• Heat heavy cream until steaming, pour over dark chocolate, let sit 3 minutes, then stir until smooth.
• Cool ganache until slightly thickened but pourable, then pour over cake center, guiding to edges for drips.

Notes

• 1. Don’t overmix the cake batter after combining wet and dry ingredients to avoid a tough cake.
  2. Use real white chocolate with cocoa butter (not chips) for the smoothest, most flavorful frosting.
  3. The cake tastes even better on day 2, so consider making it ahead for best results.