Quadruple Decker Red Velvet Chocolate Cake

Red velvet or chocolate cake? Why decide when you can have both, at once? This cake features a classic red velvet cake with an entire chocolate cake hidden between.

For the full recipes for all of the cakes, click here; this instructable will include the steps to create this cake using the baked cakes as components. You can use either my recipes or your favorite red velvet and chocolate cake recipes.

Step 1: Assemble Your Ingredients.

Here's what you'll need:

For the cake:

One 2-layer, 9-inch Red Velvet Cake (unfrosted and leveled)
One 2-layer, 9-inch chocolate cake (unfrosted and leveled)

Note: This recipe includes both cakes, or you can use your own favorite recipes. It is best to make the cakes the night before, or make one the night before and one the day your'e assembling.

Regardless of whether you use my cake recipes or your own favorites, use the below frosting recipe as it yields the proper amount of frosting for the complete cake.

For the frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
6-8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 bar (3.5 ounces) dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

To garnish:

Sliced strawberries
chopped chocolate

Step 2: Make Your Frosting.

You get two batches of frosting from one easy recipe. How awesome is that? Ingredients in the previous step.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter until totally smooth and combined, 3 minutes on high speed. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Pause mixing.Add 3 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, and begin to mix again, on low speed this time. As the sugar is absorbed, you can increase the mixing speed to high. Pause mixing and add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed to incorporate each addition, until you have attained your desired spreading consistency.Transfer half of the frosting to a separate bowl. Add the melted chocolate to the portion still in the stand mixer, and mix until the frosting is combined with the chocolate. Both types of frosting are ready to use.

Step 3: Assemble Your Cake.

Place one layer of red velvet cake, with its flattest side facing up, on a platter. Spread half of your vanilla cream cheese frosting on top, generously and evenly coating the top of the cake with a thick layer of frosting. Do not frost the sides; they will be left exposed.

Place one layer of chocolate cake on top of the frosted red velvet layer, with the flattest side facing up. Spread half of the chocolate cream cheese frosting on top, generously and evenly coating the top of the cake with a thick layer of frosting.

Place the second layer of chocolate cake on top, once again with the flattest side facing up, and repeat the frosting technique in the previous step, using the remaining chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Place the last red velvet layer on top, with the flattest side facing up. Frost the top of the cake with the remaining vanilla cream cheese frosting.