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lumberjack cake
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Lumberjack Cake Tutorial

Learn how to make this amazingly awesome lumberjack cake from Liz Marek of the Sugar Geek Show. Liz is the original creator of the Lumberjack cake. She shows us how to make the perfect buffalo plaid cake pattern inside, buttercream rings, gravity defying modeling chocolate axe and bark texture!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Decorating time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 1 10" cake
Calories 24877kcal

Ingredients

Bright Red Cake Layers

  • 12 oz unsalted butter room temperature
  • 19 oz sugar
  • 6 large eggs room temperature
  • 19 oz all purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 12 oz milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 oz vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoon yellow food coloring
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring

Red Velvet Cake Layers

  • 9 oz unsalted butter room temperature
  • 22 oz sugar
  • 22 oz All purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 5 large eggs room temperature
  • 20 oz buttermilk room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 oz vegetable oil
  • 2 ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon yellow food coloring
  • 2 tablespoon super red food coloring

Chocolate Cake Layers

  • 8 oz unsalted butter room temperature
  • 14 oz sugar
  • 15 oz All purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 oz dutched cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 16 oz water or strong coffee room temperature
  • 2 oz vegetable oil

Chocolate Ganache

  • 16 oz semi sweet chocolate
  • 8 oz heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 335º F/168º C.
  • NOTE: It is SUPER IMPORTANT that all the room temperature ingredients listed above are room temperature and not cold so that the ingredients mix and incorporate correctly. 

Bright Red Cake Instructions

  • Add butter to stand mixer and beat at medium-high speed until smooth and shiny, about 30 seconds. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar, beat until mixture is fluffy and almost white, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Add eggs one at a time, fully combining each egg before adding the next. Add in your yellow and red food color and combine until color is evenly mixed through. 
  • Combine dry ingredients and whisk together. Set aside
    Combine wet ingredients and set aside
  • With the mixer at the lowest speed, add about a third of the dry ingredients to the batter, followed immediately by about a third of the milk mixture, mix until ingredients are almost incorporated into the batter. Repeat the process 2 more times. When the batter appears blended, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake cakes until they feel firm in the center and a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on it, about 35-40 minutes. Chill cakes until firm before torting. 

Red Velvet Cake Instructions

  • Add butter to stand mixer and beat at medium-high speed until smooth and shiny, about 30 seconds. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar, beat until mixture is fluffy and almost white, about 3-5 minutes. 
  • Add eggs one at a time, fully combining each egg before adding the next.
    Add in your food coloring to the egg/butter/sugar mixture
    Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine and set aside
    Combine wet ingredients and set aside
  • With the mixer at the lowest speed, add about a third of the dry ingredients to the batter, followed immediately by about a third of the milk mixture, mix until ingredients are almost incorporated into the batter. Repeat the process 2 more times. When the batter appears blended, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Wrap and chill until firm before torting. 

Chocolate Cake Instructions

  • Add dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder) together in a bowl, whisk to combine and set aside
  • Combine wet ingredients in a bowl and set aside
  • Add butter to stand mixer and beat at medium-high speed until smooth and shiny, about 30 seconds. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar, beat until mixture is fluffy and almost white, about 3-5 minutes. 
  • Add eggs one at a time, fully combining each egg before adding the next. 
  • With the mixer at the lowest speed, add about a third of the dry ingredients to the batter, followed immediately by about a third of the water mixture, mix until ingredients are almost incorporated into the batter. Repeat the process 2 more times. When the batter appears blended, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake cakes until they feel firm in the center and a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on it, about 35-40 minutes. Wrap and chill until firm before torting

Chocolate Ganache

  • Heat your cream to a simmer and pour over your chocolate. Let set 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth. If you have some unmelted chocolate, you can heat further in the microwave or over a bane marie until fully melted. Let mixture cool at room temperature until ganache is at the consistency of peanut butter. 

Video

Notes

Watch the full tutorial on how to construct this lumberjack cake!

Nutrition

Calories: 24877kcal | Carbohydrates: 3154g | Protein: 351g | Fat: 1257g | Saturated Fat: 789g | Cholesterol: 4991mg | Sodium: 16000mg | Potassium: 11135mg | Fiber: 122g | Sugar: 1781g | Vitamin A: 29640IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 3474mg | Iron: 136mg