Here in the Bayou State, we do desserts and we do them well. Doberge cake is just one of the sweet treats we’re famous for these days, but it may also be one of the most beloved.
In 1933, New Orleans pastry chef Beulah Levy Ledner invented the original recipe, and its iconic layers have captivated dessert lovers ever since. She based her cake on the Hungarian Dobos torte (a sponge cake with nine thin layers) but chose to add four more layers, bringing the total to a whopping 13. Her creation also swapped the buttercream filling with either chocolate or vanilla custard. The titan was then finally topped with buttercream and a thin layer of fondant.
Joe Gambino eventually bought the recipe from her, and today, it is one of the standards for doberge cake, as Beulah intended. These days, there’s a wide variety of other flavors to choose from, but our recipe is sure to make a statement at celebrations.
- 2¼ cups sugar, divided
- ¼ cup water
- 1¾ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups unbleached cake flour
- Chocolate Buttercream (recipe follows)
- Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)
- 2 ounces white chocolate, melted
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 12 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup water. Heat on high in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until sugar dissolves. Let cool to room temperature before using.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 17¼x12¼-inch rimmed baking sheet with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; spray parchment.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter, salt, vanilla, and remaining 2 cups sugar at medium speed until lighter in color and slightly fluffy, 6 to 8 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, beating just until combined. Spread batter into an even layer in prepared pan.
- Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
- Gently invert cooled cake onto a cutting board, and discard parchment. Trim sides of cake to make a 16x12-inch rectangle. Cut cake in half crosswise into 2 (12x8-inch) rectangles. Cut each rectangle into 3 (8x4-inch) rectangles. Brush each layer with sugar syrup.
- Cut a cake round to the size of cake layers (8x4 inches), and place 1 layer on top. Spread ⅓ cup Chocolate Buttercream on top, smoothing into an even layer. Top with second rectangle, and spread ⅓ cup buttercream on top, smoothing into an even layer. Repeat procedure with remaining layers. Spread a thin layer of remaining buttercream on top and sides of cake to create a crumb coat, if desired. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
- Place chilled cake on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. Pour warm Chocolate Ganache over cake, letting it cover top and sides of cake. Using an offset spatula, push ganache over sides of cake, and evenly distribute to coat sides, working quickly. (As the ganache chills on the cold cake, it is easier to smooth with an offset spatula.) Use remaining ganache to coat top, pushing gently over edge to create a ganache drip. Just before serving, drizzle top with melted white chocolate.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add cocoa, beating until combined. Beat in sour cream until smooth. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth and creamy. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If refrigerating, let stand at room temperature for 2 hours before using.
- In a medium heatproof bowl, place chocolate chips.
- In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until steaming. (Do not boil.) Pour hot cream over chocolate; let stand for 1 minute. Using a spatula, slowly stir small circles in center of bowl until cream and chocolate come together and mixture is shiny and smooth. Let cool slightly before using.
